Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-02-20

$3.50 80 ~ AAN ~ ALANNA = 70
stayed single. I've said that never
would I want to loso my maiden iilu-
sions concerning love"
. . . .
At GraysOn Noah found his brother
Jason busily engaged in gathering
pumpkins from the Geld. Jason was
looking decidedly out Of temper when
he spied Noah coming.
Hello. brother" said Jason gladly;
I'm glad TO see you, but I'm afraid
you've come to a poor place. Nina's
gone Y e to Little River: seems Beu-
lab Fitch sent word she was going to
stay at your house for a few days and
wanted Nina to come over and spend
the day. She's gone, and I know when
she comes back that she'n tell me that
Beulab II be coming here for another
one Of her contrapted visits.
Gosh hang II, Noahi That woman
spends three months out Of the year
at my house. Why don't she ever
stay at homer"
you've got me-" said Noah sadly.
II figure that she spends four months
out Of every year at my house, and !
know she visits a lot at Jim Dunnel's
and the Peterbys. What I want to
know is WIN she should always be sit
ting around our houses instead of liV-
ing In that comfortable house Of hers7r
Jason had been thinking while his
brother talked A slow smile broke
owe his brnnzed face.
Help me get the rest OF these
pumpkins into the cellar and I'll tell
you a cure. l never thought Of It be
fore" he said enthusiastically.
The brothers worked for several
hours, and Just at dusk the last load
Of golden pumpkins went through the
yard and halted at the cellar door.
you put them inside while / get
supper" said Jason.
1t was while they were sitting over
g meal Of baked beans and baked APP
pies and milk that Jason Dibley I'M
folded bis plan.
The result Of the conference was
that when Nina Dibiey arrived home
that night on the evening train she
found a note pinned to the clock in the
kitchen.
Dear Wife-I told you last summer that
II Beulah Fitch ever settled down here
for another one Of her visits ia 20 away.
II It's her home, why. II amt mineI You
told me this morning that she was coming
In n day or two. and this afternoon Joe
Marks, the oil man. said Beulah told him
that she was coming to stay till Christ
mas. I know she'll come II she says so.
It's the last straw. Nina. I'm going
auvav FOR a mall ,pA Tft rurfNo 49,. w..
can get Benny Brown to help you with
the chores. Your arectlonate husband,
JASON DIBLEY.
And Nina. who was small and black
eyed and had a mind of her own some
times, sat down and wrote a letter to
Beulnh Fitch.
. . .
Beulah Fitch's comfortable old fash
Toned house was set ona hillside in a
grove OF chestnut trees. On this par
bcular November day, a week after
Noah's departure from home, Miss
Fitch came painting up the road from
the corner where the stage had left
her. Hlghmeadow was about ten
miles from Little River and an eqdal
distance from Grayson, the home Of
Jason Dibley. and It was a very pleas.
ant place In which to live. Beulah
had lived here all her ife-when she
wasn't visiting among her relatives.
She was rarely at home to offer hos
pitality in return, so the big house On
the hill was closed most OF the time,
except when Beulah rented 1t for the
summer season to city people.
Now she approached It with a dis
satisfied face. The wind wal blowing
bleRkly through the leahess trees, and
the ruddy sunset prophesied colder
weather. She thought Of the we'll I'll
ed coal bins and the great pile of fire.
wood. How the stoves would eat up
the coal and wOodl
Beulah Fitch looked generous and
hospitable. She was built On a large
plan, physically. but really she was
avaricious TO q degree. and as the
years wore on the fault ate deeper
into her character, while her bank &C
count increased.
"Tn have to make a fire." groaned
Beulah, for she loved comfort like a
cat, and she knew that she must have
a fire In the sitting room base burner.
"And I'll have to get some milk and
eggs from Peterson IN the morning
I'm glad ! stopped at the store and
ordered supplies. I'm most starved"
As Beulah paused to rest before
ascending the path that led around to
the back OF the house, a little boy
dptoed out from the lockwood borders
CT the front yard and addressed her
In a stage whisper.
"HeIlo. Miss Fitch Say, do you
know there's burglars In your houseT'
"Burglars1 Mercy met When-nOwF'
calculated Beulah, thinking OF the sill
YER spoons I'm the parlor cupboard and
the thousand and one treasures she
had always thought safe from ma
RAIDERS when she turned the key In
her front door. Hurry up. Billy
Smith. and tell me about I'll"
Billy Smith whimpered and backed
into fha hrohno