Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-03

~H. no trouble at all sir. Glad to be
able to direct yer. The shortest way
E7,,v4 to South Daneville is straight up the
turnpike till you git house with the
paint all wore off,-you can't miss it,
then turn TO the right
A fresh.faced young woman, who was standing
near the counter in the village store, Redeemed
slightly as she heard her new home thus designat-
ed. and when the grocer turned TO her and said,
smilingy, "Now, maam. what can do for you?"
she Strengthened herself with little touch Of
dignity
Il am Mis- James Rice" she began.
"Sho" exclaimed the shopkeeper, with great
interest. "You don't say! Wall, don't blame
him one mite" he added. galantly
A smile stole across the brides pretty face, and
her severe expression relaxed a little.
Jim he told me he did all his tradin' here,
SO ] thought I'd just step down this mornin and
order few things"
That's right We always done our best by
Jim. Lucy-his first wife, you know-was NIGH
ty particlar, but we always suited her. She
an amazin good housekeeper, Lucy was. She
must be an awful loss to jim. Ny gingers, how
he must miss herl Er-oh, didn't you say you
had order to give, ma ann"
YES" said the girl shortly az want two
up right away"
Bridal Veil of course" laughed Mr.. Barnes,
with confidential wink; and he hurried away
to the back of the store to give the order.
Two pounds of brown sugar and bag of
-four up to Rice's right on,-Jim Rice's on the
turnpike, Peter
"The red haouse with the paint all wore off
streaked?' drawled the boy.
"Thats the one And Mr. Barnes returned
to the door to bow out his new customer.
Mrs. James Rice walked thouzhtfully down the
village street with her bacs brcws knitted in
little frown It was the secuud time within ff-
teen minutes that she had heard Iims house re-
ferred to in that disrespe,ffuI manner. The day
before, when she and J5m had returned from
their two-weeks' honeymoon and had driven up
to the large dingy-lo0kiuz house It had occurred
to the bride that her new dwelling was sadly in
need of paint But she would not allow this
thought to be put into words Il seemed almost
disloyal to Jim TO acknowledge even to herself
that she was unsatisfied with anything in her
new home.
But now she felt justified in calling his atten
ton to this oversight.
81 guess men don think so much about out.
side things" she decided, doubtfully. I'll Just
point out to jim My. if there amt his moth
er standing in the doorway now"
A tall, meancholy-looking old woman, dressed
in mournful black gown, stood in the narrow
hallway.
81 thought I'd come over and see if I couldn't
help you some this mornin'. Prue,' she said, star
ing soemnly at her daughter-n-law. Jim is
dreatfu particular about his food, and you bein'
so young and inexperienced"
She was interrupted by gay laugh
land" calculated Prue. "Why, on our farm
down in Skohegan there was four hired men,
besides father and my three brothers, and mother
and me did the dairy-work, besides gittin' all
the meals ourselves. / guess if l could cook for
eight great hearty farmers 1 can look out for one
plain man."
1T was a hull year afore Jim learned Lucy
to cook accordin' to his hkin'," said her mother
in-law, imperturbably.
Prue gave a contemptuous sniff. well, of all
sarse I'd like to see a man tryin' to learn me