The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-04-22

l
ooking woman OF perhaps siXty,odd
gears Of age entering the gate She
wore a clean but faded calico dress,
and she had q stifiiy starched blue-and-
| White Bingham sunbonnet on her
head The sunbonnet was lined with
pink, that gave a rosy glow to the
facc within. Jason Bartlett sprang
to his feet when he saw her.
why, Thyrza Ladd" he said. rs
this you? reckoned was the only
person in this neighborhood who
hadn't gone to the fair"
Well, you see you are not. Jason.
| didn't go because-well. to tell the
out-andout truth, Jason, just didn't
have anything suitable to wear. I'd
like to have gone to the fair if it had
| been so that | could But I'll tell
you what | came over for. My COW
is mired in that soggy place in my
meadow, and she cant get out. So
thought Id come over and ask il
you would come and help my poor
| old bossy out of her trouble"
Why, o course | will, Thyrza."
II knew that you would, Jason. I
couldn't help knowing that, seeing
that have known you all my life.
You see, | should be dreadfully bad
off II | should lose my COW. de-
pend largely on her and my hens for
my income You know my husband
was sick so long before he died that
it took all we had saved to give
him what he needed But I'm only
grateful that we had it to spend for
his comfort. and that at least have
nay little home free from debt.
have thought some of selling it and
going to live with my married daugh-
ter over in Hebron She wants me
to- and"
Don't YOU do it, Thyrza Ladd!" ex-
claimed the old man. yehemently al
most fiercely You stick to your own
little home. tell you, Thyrza. there's
nothing like home O their own for
old folks"
Jason seemed to have apsed into a
thoughtful mood. They were about
to emerge from the strip of timber
into the open highway, when Jason
stopped abruptly, took off his shabby
old hat, and held it as he said See
here, Thyrza, we've known each other
all our lives, now, haven't we You
never knowed no great harm o me,
now. did your"
Why, no, Jason; I've always
thought that"
What have you thought"
Oh no matter" She blushed, and
started on, but Jason detained her
Wait a minute, Thyrza" he said
I used to think that II / hadn't gone
over Ware way to live couple o
years, an met the girl married
there, that ! would o. asked you to
marry me. 1t want no disrespect to
my wife to think it. / had a good
true wife, an you had good. true
husband They are both gone now,
an we are left lonely man an wom-
an For / am lonely, an so are you.
| haven't no real home with my son. |
An / want home o my own again. |
amt but 6S, an you are year
Thyrza, don't You think
hat You an me could be real happy
together? Don't you, now Thyrza?
You don't know how lonesome an UNI
happy | am, an IL Thyrza. | feel
oward you to-day just as ! felt that
lay when | asked you TO go to the
Zig meetin' over in Hillsborough with
ne Your cheeks are just as rosy
low as they We're then, an T. Thyr-
"a, you're lonely, an so am l. S'posn'
We be comp'ny for each other the
est o our days. What do you say,
rhyrza?"
Three hours later Jason and Thyr-
"a appeared at the home of the old
minister in the little village of Zoar,
md when they went away It was as
bride and bridegroom, pilgrims of
ife together"
The newly welded pair We're stand
ng at the gate of Thyrzas home
When Hugh and his family came driv-
ng by on their homeward way. There
vas a severe look on Hughs face and
sharp note in his voice when he
aid What does this mean. father
Why aren't you home milking the
ows?"
The old man stood erect, with his
rms akimbo and strange CLEAN in
lis eye. He threw back his mead,
nd there was note Of defiance in
lis voice as he made reply: "Iust
ecause I'm done milkin your cows,
lugh ! don't calclate on milkin hnt
ne COW hereafter an that one will
e Thyrzas COW, or our COW. if Thyr.
a won't think it too persoemin in
Ie"
What do you mean" said Lyddy,
harpy.
Il mean. Lyddy. that Thyrza an
he have kind o stolen a march on
on. an went an got married, as we'd
perfect right to, both bein' o law
n age an sound mind Any obiec-
ons?"
lie put his arm around Thvrzas
aist and kissed her boldly before
ldi9g Now. there amt a thing to
e sad by either O ycu You'd best
rive On. for It's getlin late. an
,un have al your chores to do by
when You gil homo" g