The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-02-22

AooAcA Oub dCAObo the NdlAc9S loA anu
peaceful In the sunlight. A long time
she stood there entranced. Lyonette
never forgot her expression. The
weight Of years. sorrow and soul
struggle seemed lifted. She grew
young before them and Lyonette
turned away her face when she saw
an unconscious tear form and roll
slowly down.
With a long. ~quivering sigh she
took off the spectacles, wiping them
and passed them back.
THANK We, sir-I thank We kindly
Her voice vas more softly keyed than
was its wont. 1T rolled away the
years. ! saw the old home as it looked
when Jabez brought me here. I'm
nearly blind. Amt It Gurus / didn't
know it before? 1t was nice--I thank
ye for the look. But | won't take no
more O your time. l can't buy-so
there's an end o. it,"
"only five dollarsl Surely you can,
grandma! Five dollars for the best
glasses in the country"
She shook her head. Il can't" re-
gretfully. I'm so old 1t don't matter.
One is almost done SEEM, at so.
G'long, sir-I can't buy"
The optician buttoned his case. still
looking at her. Had he looked at Ly-
onette he would have found a study
there.
Profound sympathy had stirred her
at first. And then a thought sprang
to life, f%ull-grown. The money earned
by six weeks patient work lay snugly
tucked in the toe of an old stocking.
Four-ffty-she had not spent a cent.
Something told her the spectacle man
would take that and let Patsy have
the glasses. AS if in answer to the
thought he spoke, adjusting the strap.
I'm coming back in about two
weeks. | have a certain route, over
which l go. l am responsible. II my
patrons are dissatisfied I'm to be
found. You need those glasses badly
grandma, for health's sake-you have
headaches, don't you? l thought so
And for the sake Of yesr business am
your pleasure, I'd like to make terms
with you"
Still Patsy shook her head and still
the plying voice pleaded in the sou
of Lyonette. "But she's selfish ant
cross! She cares for no one but her
self" urged other voices. "She woult
not spend a cent on me to save m.
life. And I've put up with so much Il
earn the money! 1t will buy me tn,
pretty shoes-shoes like other girl
wear-and a pink lawn, light an,
bright as a cloud. And ribbons-oh
/ can'tl"
The man tipped his hat and walke'
away, And Lyonette stood starin.
blankly at the strip Of sunshine wher
he had stood.
Its time to put on dinner!" a snaI
pish voice broke her trance. "All 70
do is to stand and gawk. Why don
you git to work? 1 like to see youn
+, folks move, I do. It's all along {
your ~raisin', though-how could an!
one expect We to amount to anything
Why, your names enough. Lyonette.
Her contempt escaped in a snort.
wanted 'em to call We for me, 20
! bein' the on'y girl in the family. BIZ
1t must he Lyonette. Wen, Lyonett,
peel the taters."
Lyonette peeled the taters. She di
it very silently. In her heart self tr
umphed. She was glad-yes, glad sh
had kept her precious money. 1t mad
her tremble thinking Of that moment
weakness. Why should she waste an!
! thing on the cross old thing who kne'
i nothing but to scold and nag? VIII
/ had she done to merit this TRADE
What If they had called her PATSY,
to please her?
She was something more than Il
t humored the rest of the day-she wa
$ simply ferocious. Her face kept tn
peculiar pallor that brooding, sulle
II dubSi gives OuCS VI lNlCS u
4 thought fitted through the mind
q Lyonette that that moments clutc
on the joy Of renewed vision ha
plunged her into deeper darkness. 81
Q put the thought from her quickl
Patsy was a yixen-what mattered IL
Immediate cause of the outbreak?
The next Saturday the old Lac
arose, determination in her eye.
8 I'm goin' yisitin', Lyonette," 81
announced. Il shall be gone a day
r two. You are to stay here and loo
e after things. You've got to mind Il
little chickens"
But, auntl' Lyonette ex~postulatt
r in dismay, I'm afraid to stay here
night alonel'
$ "I've stayed alone, day and nigh
for many a year" grimly. THE ow
and whippoorwills won't hurt We. W
" must mind the chickens and not |
EN- stray too far for varments
. ketch EN-. You may scour the tins I
d day"
The girl said no more. What Pat
willed must be done. But all at on,
. she felt the money for her covet,
outfit was being dearly earned. Mo
and more 1t seemed SO during Il
lonely day and night which followe
Right glad was she early Mondi