Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-08-15

f'''~s1''s7sa 80
| She Broke Into Smothered Laugh.
of it, so don't say another word. No."
| The negative was so decided that
Grace was silenced. Her disappoint-
ment showed in her face, however, and
| keZiah fastened to change the sub
| ject.
| "How do you know" she observed,
but what my goin' to Boston may be
| the best thing that ever happened to
me? You can't tell No use despair
in, Annabel amt given up hope yet;
Why should I? Hey? Amt that some
| body comin'?"
| Her companion sprang to her feet
/! and ran to the window. Then she
broke into smothered laugh.
why, It's Ryan Pepper!" she ex.
claimed. He must be coming to see
you. Aunt Keziah. And he's got ON
! his very best Sunday clothes. Ora.
:, cious! l must be going. l didn't
! know you expected callers"
! Keziah dropped the tack hammer
and stood up
"Kyan!" she repeated. What in
the world is that old idiot comm here
for? To talk about the minister, I
s'pose. How on earth did Laviny ever
come to let him out alone?"
Mr.. Pepper, Mr.. Abishai Pepper. To-
cally called Ryan" (Cayenne) Pepper
because of his red hair and thin red
otI hjel,o
Characters" and in his case the
character was weak. He was born in
the village and, when a yougster, had,
like every other boy OF good family
in the community cherished ambitions
for seafaring life. His sister, La
yinia. ten years older than he, who,
after the death of their parents, had
undertaken the job of bringing up"
her brother, did not sympathize with
these ambitions. Consequently, when
Ryan ran away she followed him to
Boston, stalked aboard the vessel
where he had shipped, and collared
him, literally and figuratively One
of the mates venturing to offer objec-
ton, Lavinia turned upon him and
gave him piece of her mind, to the
immense delight of the crew and the
loungers on the wharf Then she re-
, turned with the vagrant to Trumet.
That was Kyan's sole venture, so far
as sailoring was concerned, but he
ran away again when he was twenty
/, five. This time he returned of his
own accord, bringing wife with him,
one Evelyn Colt of Ostable. Evelyn
could talk a bit herself, and her first
! interview with Lavinia ended with the
! latter's leaving the house in rage,
/ swearing never to set foot in it again.
| This oath she broke the day of her
sister-in-law' funeral. Then she ap-
! peared, after the ceremony, her bag
gage on the wagon with her. The be-
reaved one, who was sitting on the
front stoop of his dwelling with, so
| people say, most resigned expression
on his meek countenance, looked up
! and saw her
my land! Laviny," he exclaimed,
turning pale. "Whered you come
from %
Never mind where / come from"
observed his sister promptly. you
| just be thankful I've come. If ever
a body needed some one to take care
OF 'em, it's you. You can tote my
things right in" she added, turning
to her grinning driver, "and you.
'Bishy, go right in with 'em. The idea
OF your settin' outside takin' it easy
when your poor wife amt been buried
more'n an hour"
But-but-Laviny." protested poor
Ryan. speaking the truth unwittingly,
II couldn't take it easy afore she was
buried, could II"
GO right in" was the answer.
march,"
! Abishai marched, and had marched
under his sisters orders ever since.
She kept house for him, and did it
well, but her one fear was that some
| female might again capture him, and
she watched him with an eagle eye.
| He was the town assessor and tax col
lector, but when he visited dwellings
| containing single women or widows,
| Lavinia always accompanied him, tic
help him in his figgerin'," she said.
Consequently, when he appeared, I'M
chaperoned, on the walk leading to
the SIDE door of the Coffin homestead,
Keziah and her friend were surprised.
He's dressed to kill" whispered
Grace, at the window. Even his tall
hat; and in this fog! I 90 believe he's
coming. counting, Aunt Kezial"