Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-30

she came to Edgewarren bride. He had
grown up handsome, manly and ambitious,
but fate owed him grudge-elSe why did
his father die, just as Benny was on the
edge of manhood, leaving him the sole sup
port of a stepmother and five small broth
ers and sister? Benny had accepted the bur
den CALAMITY and gone to work. giving over
all hope of a college career and profession
to do thriving trade as a gentleman dairy
man with the new people.
Thus he had kept his head above water
and the family thrust upon him in decent
comfort. His half sisters had both married,
and married well, SO his burden was some
what lsghtened. The eldest boy was taking
care of himself, but Benny had the two
younger ones In college. There was besides.
their mother to look out for. Now that
Benny was rising thirty people said he de-
served the luck OF getting rich wife. and
added significantly that he was up at the
Kirkby house nearly as often as Major
Winn. who had begun counting the widow
before her Grape had lost its new smell.
The major was sixty-odd. well-to-do
bachelor. withal gentleman, but of a
meager frame, a melancholy countenance.
The countenance beiied him sadly-he was
anything but the death's-head he looked,
but Mrs. Kirkby could not get over 1t, nor
help contrasting the thin major with Benny,
who was unquestionably a fine figure of
| manhood. More than that, though the ma
jor's lovemaking was high-fown and senti-
mental 1t was attuned to a descending key.
He talked to Mrs. Kirkby of going hand In
hand down lifes hill together, when her
heart was wholly vernal, and. in sort, odd
1y virgin. She had never loved her husband
| until age and infirmity had made him de-
pend on her-the casual romance of girlhood
did not count. Fifty and freedom had found
her ready for grand passion. Add the
strength of thwarted maternal feeling
and 1t is easy to understand why she leaned
from age to youth. Seena had known for at
least three months how the wind blew. The
knowledge had made her set her teeth-but
hold her hand.
Seena had not a penny, and was, more
! over no beauty. But she had the invincible
charm of youth, conjoined to a subtle, al
| most eerie fascination. Benny Townsend
felt 1t more than ever when he handed her
that morning into the best rig the town
afforded. and set off with her for long
drive through summer fields and woods.
Seena had felt dimly that the occasion was
mon entous. Notwithstanding she had not
failed to post Mrs. Kfrkby's letter. She
had laughed she did it-rather grimly,
to be sure, then gone rejoicing on her way.
| Consequently, the letter and the butcher
boy reached Mrs. Bigg at the same time.
The boy was bright and well schooled
enough to make out more than half the
letter in spite of Mrs. Kirkby's fashionable
hand. Mrs. Bigg listened to the reading,
al first with frowns and curls of the lip.
but toward the end chuckled aloud The
boy also chuckled, asking he gave back
the letter: Say, Missy Bigg, whutever will
| yer do to her? You shorely wont let no
wCman-person sass you that-a-way."
Little boys mustn't know too much-run
eriong with the nickel give ye,' Mrs Bigg
| said, thrusting apples upon him as she
pushed him through the kitchen door. Then
| to her Image in the kitchen mirror, nodding
between words! I'm fix you, Madam Kirk
| by! That / will! Deceitful old cat that We
| are-trying to keep me from talkin' back!
| I'll show we about that. I'll show we. too,
sech cookin' as you amt tasted this many
| a dayv'
was prompt on the stroke of one, also that
| Mrs. Kirkby pronounced the fried chicken
heavenly, the salad a dream, and the rasp-
| berry tart an experience regretting between
meuthfuls her own inhospitality; she really
| should have kept the rector, whether or no,
| and phoned the major to come straight
| away, instead of waiting until four. Mrs.
Bigg lurking outside the door, grinned as
| She heard her employer say to Seena: 1T
| was an inspiration-my letter. Bigg has
not got 1t read yet, of course-but just
knowing that she has it. has put her on her
| mettle. Such nice letter, she feels she
must live up to it."
"She does. men," Mrs Bigg said soto
voice. shaking her fist at the door. Seena
ate with her eyes in her plate, like one in
happy dream.
| At half-past Mrs. Kirkby was fitting
| rather ponderously about her library. ar
hanging things as she knew the major best
liked to see them. She had the normal
feminine impulse to coddle and fiatter any
thing masculine that came in her way. 1t
gave her a start to see sBigg come through
| the door, in her starchest, clean frock and
| with her most wooden expression But the
memory of the fleshpots so treasured her,
she began to beam and say: so you are
| going out this afternoon. That is all right
| You deserve it, I'm sure-and you needn't
| hurry back. After that luncheon we can't
| possibly be hungry before nine
I'm not Wshful to CO. mem" Mrs; Bigg
| scholard, wont ye be good enough ter
| read me this? 1t come yesterday-and I'VE
been that drove. 1 hain't had the chance to
4 To Eaf TO mol bod ypIrn
why. I'D love to-if had time But
Maj Winn may come any minute now"
Mrs. Krkby said, going red and white.
| Read that letter-her own-with Bigg show
| ing herself thus a household treasured Not
for anything! But unless she did read It.
| Bigg would take 1t to somebody else-and
hear 1t badly, with no suppressions. slur-
rings nor omissions In that case-Mrs
| kirkby sat down quite overcome. Had
| not Mrs. Primly warned. against stoye heat
| as above everything destructive to the mid
| d1e-aged complexion? Desperately, with
shut eyes. she reached for the letter, but
| as she took II. opened her eyes, and said
smiling brightly: What! That, letter? 1
needn't read that. dear Mr.: Bigg-because
myself-to thank you-to let you know my
gratitude for the excellent care you take
of me-and toto ask what could do for
you in return. You see, I'm the poorest
hand at saying outright what I feel
Mercy 1 judged you was Jest the other
way, Mrs. Bigg interrupted. But read 1t
TlRnl alOnB-tVeTy WOTQ. L 90 love TO near
nice pretty ones-I amt had so many of
EN-"
well, It won't take long-I do write the
scrawliest hand" Mrs. Kfrkby said uncer-
tainly. 'Listen! This whole first sheet
only says: I writing to thank dear
Mrs. Bigg for the beautiful, bountiful tea
she gave last Sunday"
81 know what~that lad-boy Benny Town
| send dotes on. Didn't 1 cook thar?" Mrs.
Bigg interpolated with a small malicious
smile.
Mrs. Kirkby hurried on. all in fiutter:
And 1 thank you more for-oh what Is
the word?-for my good hearty breakfasts,
which are making a new woman of me-
There dear Mrs. Bigg! That's really all of
any account. I'm ashamed of myself
didn't know I wrote so dreadfully. I must
have been upset about something. Let me
burn this scratch. and some day you shall
have better
Burn 1t! Not muchi' Mrs. Bigg said,
taking the letter forcibIy. I'm goin' to
show 1t at church meetin' to let folks see
you amt stuck-up and proud like they say.
III tell 'em when I show 1T to quit some
more of their fool talk about you and
Benny Townsend. Benny met me last night
as went home from here. apd~told me him
| and Seena was goin' to make a match OF
| tt-jest like I've said all along"
L 49, p, 30