The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-10-05

Aun. Hepsie Barger measured out
the ingredients for the childrens Ia
vorite cup cake. well, Marion, here
Won are at last, an right glad am TO
see you, too"
Il expected you would be, Aunt Hep
sic. and / should have been here ear
lier. but company came last nigat
end could not get away.
"A bright faced girl had entered
and was taking off her wrappings as
q perfectly at home in the farm
| house. Marion Ainslie was charm
ing girl, with the faculty OF attaching
| warm friendship to herself from young
and old.
Uncle Jerry's folks came and stop
per over on their way to WATERFOWL
to spend Thanksgiving with Eli, sne
explained. They wanted me to go,
too. but Thanksgiving isn't quite the
same to me anywhere else but mere.
mo, Marion, nobody can I'LL your
place" the bony old hand, withereo
and worn in service for Others
smoothed the satiny black hair caress-
ingly. IF you was really my own
darter / couldn't set more store by
YOU"
A crimson flush overspread the soft
brunette cheek.
| You haven't heard anything from
Jack yet, have you, Marion?"
''No, auntie, not word" she signed.
Just a year ago to-day, and 1t seems
like ten"
what was 1t, child, that set him
off so?" asked Mrs. Barber, gently.
i've always wanted to know, but !
thought when you wanted me to hear
st you'd tell me-"
why. Aunt Hepsie, didn't you
know" the girl raised her head with
a look of establishment. Il supposed
of course that he had told you the
whole foolish story, or ! should have
spoken of it long ago.
Not a word, dearie. He only came
In one day, his face all white and set.
to tell me that he was going, and that
all women were fiirts and deceivers.
thought for awhile that you had NIT
tened him, but I've put two and two
together since an changed my mind.
why, you know, auntie, was in
! innate with Dolly Jenkins about that
time -"
There, knowed that tormented
|, wilder had something or other to DO
with it," interrupted Mrs. Barber, en-
| ergetically.
And she kept telling me Of the at
tentions which Jack was paying her
on the sly, and intimating more than
she really said, until at last taxed
, Jack with it, and--you know how
: quick Jack Is, auntie?"
yes. ready to go OF the handle at
. a minufe's warnin' an then too proud
to own that he's in the wrong"
"And he wouldn't give me word OF
satisfaction as to whether she had
told the truth or not, only that If
had commenced distrusting him SO
soon we might as well part first as
last, with other speeches which cut
: deeper still. oh, it was SO hard, Aunt
; Hepsie, when loved him so. He &C
J cased me of being jealous, but it was
' not 30. / only thought it best If he
, really cared for her, to have the mat
ter settled rightly before 1t was toe
late"
my poor little girl; and that wild
der" with detestation in every tone
shes been after him thicker'n musf
ever since she took OF her mournin'
an all her grievance is that he would
8 have nothing to say to her."
Yes, know that, now that it's tot
d late, Aunt Hepsie; but there's no us'
a crying for split milk" bright tea
q trembled on the long eyelashes, IAN,
. l will try and not spoil my Thanksgiv
, ing with tears"
!. At length the cooking was all done
! the big turkey dressed and ready 70
stufing, and the rows on rows of pie
3 and rich, plummy cakes, the pan 0
q doughnuts and the heaping platter Q
q cup cakes and another of jam tarts
It suggested a large gathering on tn
Il morrow.
% There were the chambers yet to pu
A in order for the guests, and Mario
/. touk that part of the work while Aun
! Hepsie rubbed the silver and tide
!. the kitchen.
!" Everything was already spotlessl
o clean, for Aunt Hepsie was an imma,
d ulate housekeeper, bat there wer
pitchers to fill, little looping back {
curtains and arranging of furnitur
D. to do, and Marion attended to it al
v humming song as she did so.
N In Jacks room alone. no preparatio
O. was to b. made, for Aunt Hepsi
,e would use the room for no one but II
~ own.s; but Marion went in there wit
lonely feeling in her heart, the son
dying upon her lips as she did so.
Suddenly thought came to her