Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-04-23

way IT6SSnlly oHC oouCN'
""Twouldn't De no use; l couldn't eat
a whole chicken, an'-'twouldn't taste
good, no howl"
She was u cutting kindling for the
night, and a stick flew as she struck
it, and gave her a blow in the face
"Oh, fly, if it suits ye better" shd
grumbled. 81 ulster think didn't need
any mans help, but now"
Here, herel Give me that Ak afore
We kill yerself; l never did see . woman
that could chop wood" said old 10
siah White.
Wall, l don't want to Farm" said
'Cinda, handing him the a K
There" he remarked, "thatll last
We nigh on to a week. I'll cut some
more for we by the time that's gone;
it's a shame there's no one to look
arter ye."
81 don't need no one," r~esenting the
implied censure.
Uncle Eben, watching behind his
window blind, muttered wrathfully:
BLAST his ornery hide!"
The following week 'Cinda was up
in the garnet sorting rags for a new
carpet. Might as we'll come to it,;
it's all I'll ever git now" she NUT
tered d~isconsolately, as she picked up
an old coat. Land sakes! If faint
Eben's weddin' coat! Morn so year"
she unused. "He did look nice, an how
lovin' he was! All the rest of our
lives he whispered TO me. Oh, men
forget" she sighed.
Sunday came, and Eben saw Josiah
White walk up the little path to where
'Cinda sat Smelling peas. After a few
words he sat down beside her and
commenced helping her.
Uncle Eben, half buried in a hay
stack across the road, watched
him angrily. He had taken to strange
habits of late, hiding around to see
what Aunt 'Cinda vas doing, and lis
tening eagerly to every remark con
corning her. Now, what's that ole
wretch doin' there ag'in? He's mighty
spruced up. He kin just keep hisselt
away from Lucinda or I'll lick the hide
off'n him. | did it when we was boys
an I kin ag'in," he muttered.
That night the children were unusu
ally annoying, and when Uncle Ebel
made a faint protest Melinda flew int
a passion.
81 don't suppose you ever was a boy
You are so cantankerous that it's nj
wonder 'Cinda couldn't live with you,i
she threw at him as a parting taunt.
81 guess you're about right as t.
'Cinda," answered the old man totter
ing from the room.
Her husband laughed: well, yo'
put your foot in it that time" said he
81 don't care; I'm sick of him, an,
there's no more to be got out of tn
stingy old wretch"
Uncle Eben had turned back for hi
handkerchief and overheard this
"She's right about that, too; she won
get any more out O. me-"
The very next day about noon a
Aunt 'Cinda was feeding her chicl
{ ems a van drove up to the house
"Where'll you have these things III
loaded, ma'am?"
: Them don't belong here" eyein
the shining brass bedsteads and tn
plump-looking mattresses longingl.
and a glimpse of a roll of bright-hue
carpeting filled her eyes with tear
She shook her head. mo, no! Their
v is some mistake!"
r "No, ma'am; l was told to leav
them with Uncle Eben's wife. That
q you, l reckon?"
d Uncle Eben laid his hand on 'Cinda
p shoulder.
t "Land-o'massy, where'd you CON
from, Eben?"
Cup the barn lot way. l guess I ain
fit to come in the front door," f
tried bravely to make a joke of
but his voice was tremulous with EN-
o ton.
'Cinda laid her withered hand {
IT his arm. 1T was awful loneson
without you, Eben. We jest mustr
e be so techy. We know each other
d ways an we don't need no third pc
son to tell us, do WEI"
mo, no! l mustn't be so techy.
n give M'lindy the house an ten-acre |
1t to find out some things, but the know
n edge is dirt cheap at that. Now !
e. us take this stuff into the house a
ID see how it looks" said he.
1t Goodness! l never thought I'd ha
things so NICE" answered Aunt Gin
u. gratefully.
Uncle Eben Tut his arm around HI
~ Together we armed the money, q
J" together we'll hev' the good of it. V
won't leave it for others to squand'
,d 'Cinda."