The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-10-08

arose--the voice which had jealously
guarded the right OF saying grace at
table In the Old Ladies' home for
twenty years-not, however. In the Gus.
tomary words OF thanksgiving. but In
a peremptory Brother Abel"
Abraham looked up. Could she pos
sibly mea that he was TO establish
himself as the head OF the household
by repeating grace7 Brother Abel"
she called upon him again. "Yew've
askt q blessin' fer one woman fer
many a year; supposin' yew ask II
fer thirty"
Amid the amaxement OF the other
and murmured-no one knew what
words: but all understood the over.
whelming gratitude behind his inco-
herency. and all Joined heartily In the
Amen. Then. while Mrs. Holman. the
cook OF the week. went bustling out
into the kitchen. Aunt Nancy felt that
Il devolved upon her TO explain her
action. II would never do, she thought,
for her TO gain a reputation for self.
placement and sweetness OF dispost
ton at her time OF life.
Son. | want yew TO understand one
thing naow at the start. Yew treat
us right. an well treat you right
That's all we ask o. yew. Miss Ellie.
past the radishes."
IN do my best" Abe fastened to
assure her. "Hy-guy. that coffee smells
some kind o. good. don't Il? Between
the smell o. the stun an the looks
o. my cup. itll be 30 temptin' that I'll
wish ! had the neck OF q giraffe. a
could taste II all the way deown.
Angy. ! be afraid we'll git the govt
alvin so high. Look at this here
cream"
Smiling. joking. his lips insisting
upon joking TO cover the natural feel
ing OF embarrassment incident TO this
first meal among the sisters. but with
his voice breaking nov and again with
emotion. while from time 10 time he
had TO steal his handkerchief TO his
old eyes. Abe passed successfully
through the-to him-elaborate break
fast. And Angy sat In rapt silence.
but with her face shining 80 that her
quiet was the stiffness Of eloauence.
Once Abe startled them all by rising
stealthily from the table and seizlng
the mornings newspaper. which lay
upon the buffet.
II knowed ~" caviled Lazy Daisy
soto voce TO no one In particular.
He couldn't wait for the news TIL
he was through eatin'!" But Abe had
folded the paper into a stout weapon,
and, creeping toward the window. de.
s%patched by q quick. adroit movement
a fly which had alighted upon the
screen.
Il hate the very sight o. them air
pesky critters" he explained half
alphabetically. THAR. thar's another
one" ard slaughtered that.
MY, but yew kin get 'em. can't
yew?" spoke Miss Abigail a~dmiringiy.
Them tew be the very ones I tried
ter ketch all day y~iste'day: ! kin see
as a f~iy.ketcher yew be a-goin' ter be
with a farm ter me. Set deown an
try some o. this here strawberry pre-.
sarve."
But Abe protested that he could not
eat another bite unless he should get
up and run around the house to
"joggle deown" what he had already
swallowed. He leaned back In his
chair and surveyed the family: on
his right. generous-hearted Biossy.
who had been smiling approval and en-.
enlargement at him all through the re-
past: at his left. and Just beyond
Angy, Miss Abigail INDUCING In what
remained on the dishes now that she
die severed the others to have finished;
Aunt Nancy keenly watching him from
the head OF the board: and all the
other sisters "betwixt an between"
he caught Mrs. Romans eye where
she stood in the doorway leading into
the kitchen, and remarked pleasantly:
"Ma'am. yew oughter SCI, up u pan.
cake shop in York. Yew could make
q fortune at II. ! hain't had sech a
meal o. vittlee sence | turned fifty
year O. age"
A battered smile overspread Mrs.
Romans visage. and the other sisters,
noting II, wondered how long Il would
be before she showed her claws In
Abraham's presence.
"Hy.guy, Angy." Abe went on. "yew
can't believe nothln' yew hear. kin
yer' Why. folks have told me that
yew ladies' What yew hlttin' my
foot fer. mother? Folks have told
me-" a twinkle OF amusement In his
eye at the absurdity. that yew fight
among yerselyes like cats an dogs,
when, law! never see sech a clever
lot o. women gathered tergether In
all my life, An | believe-mother, |
hain't a-sayin' nothin'l Jest want
ter let EN- know what | think on EN-.
| believe that thar must be three hun.
derd hearts In this here place std o.
thirty. But dew yew know, gals, folks
outside even 20 30 fur q ter say that
yew throw plates at one a~nother!"
There was q moments silence; then