Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-03-10
MRS.. PEPPERS
NS,ENe,\ By
IHOltOO HARRIET
WHITNEY

4 y
ing its blue haze into the fresh. early
air.
Louizy's father, Lyman Cottonwood,
striking out cross lots, Jagged a little
while he started his after breakfast
| cob pipe. His gaze dwelt ruminatively
upon the big ash hopper a few mo-
ments, then travelled back to the form
Of his daughter just appearing from
the smokehouse with tub in her arms.
"Louizy"
The young woman turned her head
around, set her tub upon a backless
chair and came forward, her low, fiat
shoes patting softly over the short
goose grass" Her figure looked skimp
in its blue calico washing gown; her
locks were hempy in color and not too
plentiful; she had gathered them up
| high and twisted them so tightly that
the outer corners of her eyes We're
woman.
"Louizy," said her father, leaning an
elbow on a corner of the hopper, Il was
goin' to tell you an furgot the Widder
Peppers a-comin' up today fer basket
O. windfall Spy apples to make dunn
| plin's, an gotter be at Harris all day
helpin' thrash. You show 'er where
the good ones is at, an don't you sass
'er none; y understand"
Il amt carin' how many Spy apples
she gathers. Reckon. apples wasn't the
only thing you an her was settlin'
about yes'day evenin'.~
"Wull," Lyman looked off slantwise
across the hopper, 81 got 'er penned up
es clost es you ever kin pen a woman.
| The darned contrary birds won't never
give you a square out yes till after the
preachers sent fer. But you kin count
on havin' a stepma before pumpkins is
ripe"
81 wouldn't think, then, paw"
Louizy's voice became mildly reproach-
full "seein' how happy you're a-goin'
to be, you'd begrutch me-an'-an'-
| Sam
Her father came up from his loung-
ing attitude with jerk.
"Louizy Jane Cottonwood, how many
times l gotter tell you that's diffrunt?
I Now, listen yere"-he licked off his
points with the forefinger of his right
hand In the spread palm Of the left
told you the whutfors an whysos yes
day, an that's nuff said. An now lis
ten at this: Eff l don't find Sam Dor
kins at Harris thrashin' today it's a
| sign he's over yere, an ef he Is you'll
see me back, an you'll see me bounce
Sam over the fence into the bresh quick
enough to Jolt his ears crooked. Now.
mind whut I've told you"
Louizy shed SO many tears over her
wash that morning that when the fat
little Widow Pepper came with her
basket she cast many sharply inQuisi-
tive glances at the red rims of the for
lorn maiden's eyes.
"Looky here, Louizy Cottonwood"
said she at length as the two trudged
IN to the orchard, you amt been act
in the baby cause your paw wants to
marry ag'in, hev your
"Louizy shook her head.
81 wouldn't care a speck If he mar
ried tomorrow if he'd have the man
ners to leave me an Sam Dorkins
| alone"
"Humph." said the widow. "Whut's
he layin' up against Sam?'
"Nothin' partickler, but he lows
/ there's no sense of me a-marryin' fer
half q dozen years er so. He's countin
on taEfn' lot of city folks to board Of
/ summers after you an him air roarried,
an he says two women II ~ needed to
! cook fer EN-"
well. | saEv' Mrs. Phebe Pepper
! brought the exclamation out with a
! chop Then she stepped in the pata ami
| laughed with heartiness that threat
ened TO break her apron strings. Mrs.
/ Pepper was short and wide, ana her
/ little round, dark face expressed mix
ture of good nature, shrewdness and
obstnacy
Hes a curious old plant, your paw
is said she. but I've jist got this to
say: Et any man o mine ever :aEps
any summer boagtIars he'll do the cook-
IN er else he'll hire it done"
! LouiZy shook her head disagHtincly
"Youu thin,; dlnt'ent vixen uaw gets
yoI.7
4 "IIe amt got me yit," said The widow
choernlly. "Looly here. Louizy haN
Old airyouY"
"rhirtJtlree. confessed Touizy, with
slight blush
The law me! An you're scared 1o
marry without your paw says you
! king"
The blush widened tahiug IN Looj-
zys ears.
You don't know paw" saii shs ats-