Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-11-14

not of Lem. No; l counted the horns
along that path and wondered what
would happen next. The fier and a
half grown boy happened together. He
came along the path whistling and
paying no attention to horns just in
time to get the mail bag which the
fier threw out. and to him l addressed
an inquiry.
he shouldered the lean mail bag and
tilted his hat on the back of his head.
"Sweet" said he meditatively. "Is she
the lean one or the fat one?"
I didn't know. but l. hoped she was
fat.
The boy grinned and instructed me
to "foller" him. "follered" gladly.
seeing in what contempt he held the
cows, although the path, wide enough
to form a dry thoroughfarc for trou-
sers. was too narrow for skirts, and l
was conscious that every step was
laying the foundation for a shrinkage
in brilliantine. We walked half a mile
before coming to the town, if a dozen
houses. a church and a schoolhouse
can be dignifed by that name, and the
boy pointed to a house on the outskirts
as the home of the fat Sweet.
1t was a square white house, with
green blinds all closed. The front door
was also closed and locked; ditto the
back door. l stood on the back steps
and looked around. Truth to tell, l
wished l were at home. The country
was indeed beautiful to look at. but
not to walk in with low shoes and a
new suit. The grass was knee deep
everywhere, even in the front yard.
Besides, 1 was getting very hungry.
Presently back of the house, beside
an orchard, l caught sight of a man
blowing between rows of green things.
1 waded through the grass to the wall
and, balancing myself on it, called to
him, He paid no more attention to me
than if l had been a June bug. Finally
1 followed after him and touched his
arm.
"Is Mrs. Sweet at homew l asked.
He turned ind looked at me hard
without saying a word. Then he drop
ped the reins and stalked solemnly to-
ward the house, l following, asking
questions, to which no answer was
vouchsafed. Finally 1 decided that he
was insane and as we neared the house
vowed l should never trust myself in
side with him, but when he produced
the key from under the doormat and
opened the front door the action SEEM
ed to unseal his lips.
He cast n comprehensive glance
into the dark interior and then burst
out in a loud. hearty voice, Darn her,
she's taken down the sittin' room
stove!" After that l felt at ease, ex-
cept with my wet feet.
While my host was building a fire in
the kitchen stove he Informed me in
the rising voice common to the very
deaf that INA has gone to SEWN So
ciety," thinking l would not come in
the rain, and also added that | must
make myself ito home while he done
the chores" Therefore sat supper
less for two hours and fed the fire, all
the time thinking how much more COM
Portable l should be if some one would
perform a similar service for me.
Nine O'clock and Ma Sweet came to-
gether. She was the fat one and felt
so "turribly sorry" that she'd made a
"mess of my comm" that | forgave
her and ate heartily of the supper she
set Earthquakes and pie, cheese and
doughnuts, cake and milk. While l
ate and until l went upstairs she rock
ed and asked me questions, pa snoring
in his chair, until l was nearly wild.
You see. SO far l had not done a bit of
thinking which would lead to a deci-
sion concerning Lem.
When l started upstairs l asked her
to call me early, as i wished to walk
out a little around the country alone.
l emphasized "%alone." for she had just
told me that pa intended to get a sur
rey and take his sister-ln-law. herself
and me around the lake after break
fast. Before breakfast l decided |
would walk through the cemetery and
consider Lem. Not that there is any
thing %funereal about him. but a m
terry is conducive to thought-more con-
uuclVe, l SOOu Lndn~lS tine
combination of pickles, pie and cheese
laid to rest on a deep feather bed.
l had never slept on feathers before
and. come to think of it. l can't truth
fully say that l slept on them that
night, although toward morning l did
fall into a doze deep enough SO that l
dreamed that Lem had turned into a
great, sour cucumber pickle wearing
IN inverted mince pie for a hat. and
then
Miss Drew. Say. Miss Drew. get
up!' came outside my door, and l
opened my eyes to the early dawn and
half past a.
I'VE have breakfast at g. continued
Ma Sweets voice. "but l didn't think
you'd like to git up any earlier"
Breakfast at 6. l crawled out and
looked into the glass. One glance at
my pale yellow skin was enough. de-
cided that there would be no COM
munion with myself in the cemetery
that morning and beat an ignominious
retreat back to bed until breakfast
was served-pickles, doughnuts and.
climatic horror of indigestion. pork
- -. S"*NE -a+f NH- .tHs"U.