Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1907-10-10

man said. fiiiigtGg the dead hens at her
feet 4 1eck o. blood flew upon Miss
Gatty's faded frock. Noting 1t. the
man said awkwardly: please excuse
me. I've been acting the brute. But
those berries were my PRIDE
You had n right to-do as you did,"
> Miss Gatty painted. "Only-please go
away. Go quick.''
She spoke STOPPING over the hens.
The man looked at her, close enough
to see two tears piash down on the
.corpses. He ran incontinently from
the sight, but not altogether cravenly.
Inside five minutes he was back with
basket of fine, dewy, scarlet berries.
Miss Gatty had vanished. SO had the
slain. He walked around to the back
door searching for her without finding,
Being determined person, he stepped
boldly inside. Miss Gatty sat In the
prim dining room, her head buried In
her arms beside the old mahogany Ia
bic. She was sobbing-hard dry sobs.
The intruder half turned as though to
run away again, but thought better OF
1t, stepped forward and set down his
basket in front of her with q resound-
ing thump. AS she sprang up startled
he said in an embarrassed voice: "May-
be YOU don't know who | am. My
names Labor
but | did know 1t. You should not
be here Miss Gatty painted. Your
wife
THANK you, but haven't got Il wife
not yet" Mr. l.; aid, With grin.
You must be thinning Of my sister-in-
law. Fanny keeps house for me. but
she hates the place and wants to leave.
l think I'll let her-and see if I can't
have peace-and neighbors. Don't you
think we ought TO he neighbors? l
do. So I've brought these" pointing to
the berries. Wont you give me some
radishes to take home for my lunch
eon?'
ITO be sure, III be so gadr' Miss
Gatty cried, springing up, quite forget
full of tear stains, and darting toward
her dear garden. She meant to go
alone, but Andrew Lalor was right be-
hind her Long before the radishes
were chosen they had buried all griev
ances, past, present and TO come, Be
fore he left she had told him all about
Susanna-sSllsanna, who was the young
est, but had so much n wiser head on
her shoulders. All unconsciously she
had told him many other things-things
that set him meditating and smiling all
the way home. Once or twice, too, he
blushed ana gnawed angrily at his
mustachc, muttering: Lord, to think
that | offered her money, Took her for
QuarrclSorle old maid! It's going to
take time 10 live that down, but I'll do
it as sure as I'm six feet two"'
Susanna stayed on for whole week.
Quarterly meeting had turned out to be
the beginning of n revival. but Miss
Gatty did not mind In the least.
You must not worry thinking / am
lonely" she wrote Il am quite too
busy, keeping the hens as they should
be kept. And really | am finding out
that we have very good leighbors.'
tencc. mt least until she came home to
find Mr.. Lalor established in the priv
ilege of keeping ward over the forag
ings of the White Les,horns. Her eyes
twinkle.l comprehension as he shook
hands on presentation. He caught the
twinkle and answered 1t boldly with:
please may | have your sister HelenI
! knew it would do no good to ask be-
fore you came home"
why, yes; / think you may SUI
sauna said, the twinkle deepening.
But do you think it is quite fair-this
way of playing beggar my neighbour"
You're really responsible. Your
hens have taught me to take what
want regardless of bounds" he flung
back at her Susanna laughed out
right and answered honestly, IF they
really did it I'm mighty glad"