Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-08-28
CHAPTER !.
The Tea liable.

small. glossy gray head bent over the
squat brown teapot as she shook out
the last bit of leaf from the canister
The canister was no longer hers. rei
Their the teapot. nor even the battered
old pewter spoon with which she
tapped the bottom of the tin to dis.
lodge the last flicker of tea-leaf dust.
The three had been sold at auction
that day In response to the auction.
eer's inquiry, What am bid for the
lott"
Nothing in the familiar old kitchen
was hers. Angelina reflected. except
Abraham, her aged husband, who was
taking his last gentle ride in the old
rocking chair-the old armchair with
painted roses blooming as brilliantly
across its back as they had bloomed
when the chair was first purchased
forty years ago. Those roses had
come to be a source of perpetual won
der to the old wife. an ever-present ex-
ample.
Neither time nor stress could wilt
them a single leaf When Abe took
the first mortgage on the house in
order to invest in an indefinitely locat-
ed Mexican gold mine, the melodeon
dropped one of its keys. but the roses
nodded on with the same old sunny
hope; when Abe had to take the sec
Ond mortgage and Tenaly Gold be-
came a forbidden topic of converse
ton, the minute hand fell OF the par
lor clock. but the flowers on the back
of the old chair blossomed on none
the less serenely.
The soil grew more and more bar
rem as the years went by; but still the
roses had kept fresh and young. 80
why. argued Angy, should not she? II
old age and the pinch of poverty had
failed to conquer their valiant spirit,
why should she listen to the croak-
ing tale? II they bloomed on with the
same crimson haunt of color, though
the rockers beneath them had grown
warped and the body of the chair
0reaked and groaned every time one
ventured to sit In It, why shouldohe
not igncse the stiffness which the
years seemed to bring to her joints,
the complaints which her body threat.
ened every now and again to utter,
end fare on herself, a hardy perennial
bravely facing life's winter-time?
Even this dreaded day had not tax.
en- one fraction of q shade from the
glory Of the roses, az Angeline could
see In the bud at one side of Abra.
hams head and the full-blown flower
below bis right ear; 20. why should
she droop because the sale of her
household goods had been somewhat
disappointing! Somewhat? When
the childless old couple, still sailing
under the banner of q charity-forbid-
ding pride. became practically reduced
to their last copper. Just az Abe's
joints were "loosenin' up" after a i've
years siege Of rheumatism, and de-
cided to sell all their worldly posses
sions. apart from their patched and
threadbare wardrobes and q few mea-
ger keepsakes. they had depended
upon raising at least two hundred dol.
lars. one-half of which was to secure
Abe berth In the Old Mems home at
Indian Village, and the other half to
make Angelina comfortable for life. II
a little lonely, in the Old Ladies' home
In their own native hamlet of Shore
Vile. Both institutions had been gen.
erously endowed by the same estate.
and were separated by a distance of
but i've miles.
might az wal be I'VE hunderd. with
my rheumatic an yer weak heart /"
Abraham had growled when Angy first
proposed the plan as the only dieni. |
fed solution to their problem of living
But" the little wife had re1oined
it'll be a mite O. comfort a.knowip' a |
body's so near. even eff yer can't xit |
tew EN-"
Now, another solution must be found |
to the problem; for the auction was
over. and instead Of two hundred dol.
lars they had succeeded in raising but |
one hundred dollars and two cents.
That air tew cents was fer tia
dour-sifter." inwardly mourned Anrv
an It's with double an tribble ser
It's been . good friend ter me fer nirh
on ter eight year."
Tew cents on the second hunderd
said Abe for the tenth time. Eve
counted It over an over. One hun.
derd dollars an tew pesky pennies
An ! never hear q man tell 40 MANY
lies In my life as that air auctioueer
Yew'd a thought he was sellin' out
the empery O. Rooshy. Hy-guy. II
sounded splendid. Fust OF thought
he'd raise US more n we expected.
An mebbe he would have tew. Anxv"
a bit ruefully. 'ef yew d a. Let me
advertise little sooner. DOM
s'pose half Shoreville knows yit that
we was gwine ter have auction sale"
He watched the color rising In her
cheeks with curious mixture of pride
IN her pride and regret at its conse.
luences. ITS no use a-talkin.. moth.
Or. pride and poverty makes Uneasy
,edfellers."
He leaned back in the old chair.
'reaking out q dismal echo to the ,
'uctioneers Going. going. gone!" ,
While the flush deepened in Angy's
meek. Again she fastened her gaze :
lpon the indomitable red rose which
lung . pendant earring on the risht {
ide Of Abraham's head. II
"Yew wouldn't a had folks a-comin' I
ere ter bid jest out o. charity, would {
ew!" she demanded. An anyhow"
more gentle tone-the gently posi- q
I've tone which she had acquired I