Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-06-04
CHAPTER xxvl.-continued.

Somehow this strange wanderer, this
unaccounted-for waif, had crept into
his life and love as a flower would
and "Pattycake," as he had named
her, with her appealing eyes and odd
ways, was never out of his thoughts.
And so the winter dragged its slow.
chill course. Spring finally unlocked
the brook once more, the apple and
cherry blossoms came, the robins be
gan nest-building, and one day Uncle
.Jud returned from the corner with q
glad smile on his face.
~"Pattycake's schools goln' to close
in a couple O. weeks more, n then
she's comm home" he announced,
and Aunt Mandy, her face beaming,
made haste 10 wipe her specs" and
read the joyous tidings.
For aGew days Uncle Jud acted as
If he had forgotten something and
knew not where to look for it. He
fingered about the house when he
would naturally be at work. He peer
led into one roo and then another, in
an distracted way, and finally Aunt
Mandy caught him in the keeping
room, with one curtain ~raised,-a
thing unheard of,--seated in one of
the haircloth chairs and looking
around.
Mandy" he said, as she entered,
"do you know, I think them picturs
we've had hangin' here nigh on to 40
year is homely huff to stop a horse,
n they make me feel like I'd been to
a funeral. Thar's that Death Bed O.
Dan'l Webster an Death O. Mont
calm specially. I jest can't stand
'em no longer, an The Father O. His
Country I'm gittin' tired O. that, m
the smirk he's got on his face. l feel
jest as though I'd like to throw a stun
at him this minute. You may feel sot
on them picturs, but I'd like to chuck
the hull kit n Doodle into the cow
shed. An them winder curtains" he
continued, looking around, things so
blue they make me SILVER, an this car
pet with the figgers O green and yal-
Ter birds, it sorter stuns me.
Nov P~attycake's comm purity
soon. She must a. seer more cheer
full keepin' rooms'n ourn, n I'm cal
latin we'd best rip this I'm all up an
fix it new. Then thar's the front
c~hamber-in fact, both on 'em-with
the yaller spindle beds n blue cur
tains, an only a square of rag carpet
front o the dressers. Say, Mandy" he
continued, looking around once more,
how'd we ever happen to git so many
blue curtains? ?" q
His discomfort with their home now
took shape in vigorous action, and
Aunt Mandy came to share 1t. Trip
after trip to the Riggsville store was
made. Two new chamber sets and
rolls of carpeting arrived at the sta
ton six miles away, and came up the
valley. A paperhanger was engaged
ard kept busy for ten days. The
de-th-bed pictures were literally kick
ed into the COW shed, and in three
weeks four rooms had been so recon
structed and fitted anew that no one
would recognize them.
Meanwhile Uncle Jud had utterly
neglected his craps" whiI& he worked
around the house. The wide lawn had
been clipped close. A new picket
fence, painted white, replaced the
leaning, zigzag one around the garden.
Weeds and brush disappeared, and only
Aunt Mandy's protest saved the pic
turesque brown houss from a coat of
paint.
And then "Pattycake" arrived.
Nearly a year before she had been
brought here, a weary, bedraggled,
dusty, h~alf.starved wait. Now Urcle
Jud met her at the station, his face
shining; Aunt Mandy clasped her
close to her portly person; and as
Chip looked around and saw what had
been done in her honor and to make
her welcome, her eyes filled.
Il never thought anybody would
care for me like this" she exclaimed,
and then glancing at Uncle Jud, her
eyes alight, she threw her arms about
his neck and, for the first time, kissed
him.