The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-02-06

PSWSTS1 Prissy,' was counting into the
tSEzsseI stage drivers palm sum in
sn'ail change from a portentous black
wallet that fastened with strap.
Good night" said the driver, pocket
ing the money, with a grunt and jim
gle. Like the boy, he had been very
careful eot TO step off the mat. Good
night, Miss Tempy. Shows lettin' up
little mite. Guess twill be clear by
mornin'. Good night, Brad"
The plump lady closed the door be-
hind him just III time to shut out the
|, opening notes of the Sweet BY and
By" Then she dropped the hook into
! the staple, wound the leather strap
carefully about the wallet, placed the
latter in a compartment of a tall chest
of drawers i'll the corner, turned the
key upon it and put the key under the
alaDaster candlestick on the mantel
Then she turned to the boy, who, hold
Ing his carpet bag with both hands,
still stood uneasily on the mat, while
the slim lady idgeted in front of him.
Bradley said the plump lady-she
was dressed in some sort of black ma
terial that rustled and wore q lace col
lar, jet earrings and breastpin with a
braided lock of hair in the center of it
BRADLEY, We're real glad to see you
I'm Miss Priscilla; this is my sister,
Miss Temperance"
| Eyes, Bradley" conceded Miss
Tenpy," were real glad to see you"
She was the younger of the two and
was gowned in what the boy learned
later was her brown poplin.' Her
hair was not worn plain, like her sis
ter's, but had a little bunch of curls
! over each ear. She also wore a hair
breastpin, but her earrings were gold.
/ Bradley shook the extended hands,
/ Miss Prissy's red and dimpled and
i Miss Tempy's thin and white. with
two old fashioned rings on the fingers
Won't you-won't you set DOWN.
ventered Miss Tempy after a rather
awkward pause.
why, yes, of course" said Miss
Prissy. land take your things right off
do
/ Bradley placed the carpetbag ON the
| corner of the mat and pulled off the
shabby overcoat The jacket and
/ trousers beneath were also shabby, but
it was at his shoes that Miss Prissy
/ glanced and. oddly enough. their con
/ dition served to break the formality
/ My goodness me- she calculated
Jest look at his poor feet Tempy'
Allen, Come right over to the stove
this minute and take off those shoes
They're soppin wet through"
i NO. ma'am,'' protested the boy
''They amt, honest They only look
4 so.''
Don't tell me.' commanded Miss
Prissy. Go sight over to the stove
this minute
Bradley reluctantly obeyed, stepping
gingerly across the spotless oilcloth
and taking as long strides as possible
1t did not add to his comfort to see
Miss Tempy shake the melting snow
into the center OF the rope mat. fold
the latter carefully together and dis
appear with it into the kitchen.
Miss Prissy piloted him to the chntz
covered rocker by the big alright
stove. Then she proceeded to unlace
the patched brogans. commenting in an
undertone upon the condition of the
stockings beneath
I'm 'fraid." said Bradley fearfully
"that I've got some snow water on
your floor, ma'am"
Don't say word Thank goodness
your feet amt so wet as | thought they
was. Put 'em right on the rail Of the
stove there while l go up to the gar
ret and get those slippers of fathers.
I'll be right back
She hurried out of the room just as
her sister entered it by The other door.
Now. set right STILL" said Miss TEN
py bustling about. with the steaming
teakettle in her hand I'm goin to
make you some pepper tea. There's
nothin' in the world like pepper tea
when you're likely to catch cold
Pepper tea was a new prescription
for the boy. and he watched with inter
est while Miss Tempy turned some
milk into a bowl, flooded 1t with boil
ing water, added a spoonful of sugar
and vigorously shook the pepper box
over the mess.
There she said NOW, drink that
every drop. Amt you hungry"
Bradley, with tears In his eyes, the
result of the first swallow Of pepper
tea. gaspingly protested that he wasn't
hungry, not very. The sight and smell
of the loaded supper table were 50
tempting that the denial was rather
half hearted