Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-06-10
IN THE
FOOTSTEPS
OF KATY
By Eleanor II. Porter


Only Alma had lived-Alma, the
last born. The other five, one after
another, had slipped from loving
clinging arms into the great Silence,
leaving worse than silence behind
them; and neither Nathan Kelsey nor
his wife, Mary, could have told you
which hurt the most-the saying of
last good-by to a stalwart, grown
lad of 20, or the folding of tiny, waxen
hands over a heart that had not count
ed year of beating. Yet both had
fallen to their lot.
AS for Alma-Alma carried in her
dainty self all the love, hopes, tender
ness. ambitions, and prayers that 9TH
erwise would have been bestowed up
on six And Alma was coming home
Mary" said Nathan one June
evening. as he and his wife sat on the
back porch, II saw Jim Hopkins ter
day. Katy's got home"
"Hm-m,"-the low rocker swayed
gently to and fro,-"Katy's been ter
college, same as Alma. We know"
Eyes; an'-an' that's what Jim was
talkin' bout. He was feelin' bad
powerful bad"
"Bad!"-the rocker stopped abrupt
ly. why, Nathan!"
YES; he" there was pauses then
peration. 'He said home want like
home no more That Katy was a good
girl, an they was proud of her; but
she was turrible upsettin'. Jim has
ter rig up nights now ter eat supper
put on his coat an billed collar; an
he says he's got so he don't da'st ter
open his head They're all so, too
Mis- Hopkins, an Sue, an Aunt Jane
don't none of 'em da'st ter speak"
why, Nathan!-why not?"
"'Cause of-Katy. Jim says there
don't nothin' they say suit Katy-'bout
its wordin' l mean. She changes it
an tells 'em what they'd orter said"
why, the saucy little baggage!"-
the rocker resumed it's swaying, and
Mary Kelsey's foot came down on the
porch floor with decided, rhythmic
pats.
The man stirred restlessly.
But she amt sassy, Mary" he de-
INJURED. "Jim says Katy's that sweet
an pleasant about it that We can't
do nothin She tells 'em she's kerr
rectin' 'em fur their own good, an
that they need culturin'. An Jim says
she spends all O. meal-time tellin'
bout the things on the table-salt, an
where folks git it, an pepper, an
tumblers, an how folks make EN-. He
says at first twas kind o. nice an
he liked ter hear it; but now, seems
as if he hain't got no appetite left
ev'ry time he sets down ter the table.
He don't relish eatin' such big words
an queer names.
"An that amt ALL" resumed Ma
than, after pause for breath Jim
can't go hoein' nor diggin' but she'll
foller him an tell bout the bugs an
worms he turns up-how many legs
| they've got an all that. An the
moon amt jest a moon no more, an
the stars amt stars. They're spores
an planets with heathenish names an
rings an orbits. Jim feels bad-pow-
can't see no way out of it. He knows
they hain't had much schoolin', any
of 'em, only Katy, an he says that
sometimes he most wishes that-that
she hadn't, neither"
Nathan Kelsey's voice had sunk 81
most to whisper, and with the last
word his eyes sent furtive glance
I'd hn cfn n-ch Ia
figure in the low rocker The chair
was motionless now, and its occupant
sat picking at a loose thread in the
bingham apron.
IL wouldn't "a spoke of it,"
stammered the man. with painful hes
itation, "only-well. We see, You"
he stopped helplessly.
81 know" faltered the little wom-
an you was thinkin' of-Alma."
"She wouldn't do it-Alma would
MT" retorted the man, sharply, al
most before his wife had ceased speak
ing
mo, no, of course not; but--Na-
than, we don't think Alma'd ever be-
ashamed of us, do ye?"
1OuISG nOl. dSSCilCu lNdlldH, Dul
his voice shook. Don't We worry,
Mary" he comforted. alma amt q
soin' ter do no kerrectin' of US"
Nathan, IL think that's correct
in" suggested the woman, a little
breathlessly.
The man turned and gazed at his
wife without speaking. Then his jaw
fell.
We'll, by sugar. Mary! You amt
a-goin' ter begin it; be YEP he de-
manded.
why, no, course mott" she laughed
confusedly. Come, it's time ter shu.
up the house."
The date of Alma's expected arri-
val was yet a week ahead. AS the
days passed, there came a curious
restlessness to the movements Of both
Nathan and his wife. II was IN the
last night of that week of waiting that
Mrs. Kelsey spoke.
chatham she hogan with forced