Middletown transcript., 1908-10-10
rcorrrn,,rp FROM LAST rssuE.l

taken lodgings with a nelghoor-
ing farmer. He kept a close
scrutiny on Lefty, solely for her
mothers sake, he told himself.
She met the beery fellow twice,
and took long walks with him;
she received letters from him by
mail. The geologist found that
this matter interested him more
than his fossils, even.
One morning Lefty came into
the room when William stood iok-
ing with his wife before going to
the field. They looked at her
with astonishment, for the girl
was always silent and shy.
Brother, I want to speak to
you, she said, catching her
breath.
Well, go on, said Sophy, impa-
tiently. What are you afraid of?
Lefty spoke directly to Will
liam, ignoring her. The pota.
toes and apples must be picked
over, and the cellars are damp.
Could one of the hands do itP
Good gracious! Do you want
the harvesting to stop? cried
Sophy. You and Mother Taney
can do it at your leisure. Do you
suppose your brother pays men
such ruinous wages to wait on a
lot of women?
You have always done it, said
William,
Mother is not well. William.
Well, manage it as you like, !
cant be bothered with the kit
chen work, he burst out.
Lefty left the room hastily.
That's right, William. The
truth is, you're too open-h handed
You can't afford to keep a parcel
of ble-bodied women in idleness,
if you mean 70 buy the meadow
lots.
That's a fact! The mention OF
the lots keyed his courage.
When he came back that after
noon he found Sopby resplendent
in a pink -fowered muslin enter
tanning half dozen girls in the
parlor. He stopped to joke and
romp with them. The next mo-
ment the door opened, and Lefty
stood like a ghost on the thres-
old.
Come to mother she said.
What is the matter?
You have killed her, l think,
quietly.
The poor old woman had sunk
down on the floor of the cellar,
and lay as if dead.
William trembled as he lifted
her. The doctor of the village
happened to pass at that mo
ment.
No, she is not dead, he said,
after examining her. Great ex-
haustion. 1t will be a long ILL.,
ness. She must have rest and
careful nursing.
Lefty stepped forward. She
will have both. Mr.. Burke, will
you carry her to Mrs. Wright's
across the road ?She has prom
ised to give me a room.
The crowd about her were so
stunned at the child's action that
they did nothing to oppose it.
Mr.. Burke promptly lifted the
thin figure in his arms, and had
laid her in the bed in Mrs.
Wright's shaded spare room be-
fore William recovered d his
senses.
Don't You see how disgraceful
this looks? Sophy cried, shaking
him. Your mother turned out
What will folks say?
He hurried after Lefty, scold-
ing and ordering them back.
But Lefty did not answer him.
Mrs. Wright will charge board
ing. Dye hear?
I shall pay her, said Lefty,
quietly.
Mrs. Taney's illness lasted for
weeks. Williams wife smoothed
the matter over to the community
as bestas she could. The Wright
house was quieter than hers. She
was willing to pay the boarding
to insure comfort to dear Mother
Taney, etc., etc. Secretly she
reloiced TO escape the trouble Of
the sick woman.
When Mrs. Taney was able to
come down to the porch of the
cool farm house for the first time,
she sent for William and his wife.
The doctor was there. and Mr..
Burke and Judge Wright and
little Lefty, and a man whom Mr..
Burke at once recognized as 1.-THE
fellow" and so turned his back
on him contemptuously.
. -. l.