The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-05-04

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Old Isaac Weston and his daughter
Amanda lived on a small farm near
my home when was a boy. One day
Amanda came over to our house and
said.
Father is going over to his brother
Hiram's in Benton County, for a little
visit Of three or four days, and | want
to know If one Of the boys can come
over TO our house and stay nights
with me- I'm not bit afraid to stay
alone in the daytime, but always
get nervous and skeery if l am alone
when night comes"
Zone Of the boys can e. over and
stay at your house nights" replied
mother. Shall Dan or Evan Gomez"
II reckon Dan had better come" re-
piled Amanda. HE is bigger and
stouter than Evan, and if anything
should happen he'd be more of a pro-
lection. don't know that I'd feel
80 skeered about beln' left alone at
night if It want for that sawmilI out
mt over in Trimpys woods so near our
house They are a dreadful rough
lookin' gang o. men. Some O. them
have been up to the house to buy milk
an eggs an | never saw O. rougher
lookin' set. I keep our doors locked
even in the daytime They carry on
dreadfully at their camp. l can hear
them screechin an yellin' all hours
o the night, an that's what makes me
so skeered o. bein' left alone nights
while father Is away"
Miss Amanda did not look like a
lady who could be easily "skeered."
She was tall. muscular and mascu-
line looking woman of about forty-fve
years. Her sunburned face had high
cheek bones and she had short black
hair. | remember that we discussed
the object Of Amanda's visit after her
departure, and father said laughingly
that his sympathies would be with the
invader who had the temerity to en-
ter Miss Amanda's home uninvited.
1t was known that Amanda was of
uncertain temper, and that she had at
various times shown great spirit un-
der unusual provocation.
1t was l who had been chosen to
act as Miss Amanda's protector, and
I remember that when l left my home
to go to her house my brother Evan
called out:
If you hear any noise as of some
one breaking into the house you'd bet
ter crawl under the bed and call Miss
Amanda"
1t was nearly dark when reached
the Weston farm, and Miss Amanda
s. Id when she met me at the door:
Il was getting real nervous, an I'm
glad you have come. One of them
rough sawmill men was here a few
minutes ago to get dozen eggs. He
kind O. snooped around as If he knew |
that l was alone, but l never let on
that father was away. He asked If |
the old man was around. Said he
wEEted TO see him about workin' for
him through the hayin' season be-
cause he was tired of the sawmill |
work, but l never told him that father
was away"
We sat on the little front porch and |
talked for awhile in the twilight, and
then Miss Amanda said
Il reckon we'd better go inside an
fasten the house up good for the
night Amt scared any, are your"
Il guess there isn't anything to be
scared Of" said, evasively.
mo, reckon not AS | have said
before, If It want for them sawmill
men so near don't think that |
should feel scared my own self. I'll
light a lamp an you carry It for me
while 60 around an lock the house
up an see that the windows are all
secure"
carried tiny hand lamp while
Miss Amanda locked and bolted doors.
fastened windows and looked in clos
cts and under beds for possible men.
We even went into the cellar and
then explored one or two sheds near
the house. Then we returned to the
house and went into a small pantry
at end Of the kitchen. Theye were
two or three tempting looking blue
berry pies on shelf In the pantry.
One of the pies was cut and a part
Of it had been eaten.
I'D offer you a piece o. pie, Dan,
but don't think that It would set well
On your stummick after you'd gone to
bed" said Miss Amanda.
felt like saying that would as
sume al risks in regard to the pie
'sattl6g we'll" for / was inordinately
lonf ~ pie, and Of all pies I liked
no biusborry variety best felt that