Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-09-02

bedfellers"
He leaned back In the old chair.
creaking out a dismal echo to the
auctioneer's Going. going. gonei"
while the flush deepened in Angy's
cheek. Again she fastened her gaze
upon the indomitable red rose which
hung pendant earring on the right
side of Abraham's head.
"Yew wouldn't "a had folks a-comin'
here ter bid jest out o. charity, would
yew?' she demanded. An anyhow"
In more gentle tone-the gently posi-
tive tone which she had acquired
through forty years OF living with
Abraham-"we hain't so bad off with
one hundred dollars an tew cents. an
-beholden ter nobody! It's tew cents
moren yew need ter git yew inter the
Old Mems, an them extry tew cents
III pervide for me jest bewtiful" Abra-
ham stopped rocking to stare hard at
his resourceful wife, an involuntary
twinkle Of amusement in his blue eyes.
With Increased firmness, she repeated.
Jest bewtiful!" whereupon Abe. scent
ing selfsacrifice on his wife's part, sat
up straight and snapped, "Haow SO,
haow so, mother ?"
It'll buy a postage stamp. won't
it"'-she was fairly aggressive now
an thar's envelop what want put
up ter auction in the cupboard an
paper bag l kin iron out-ketch me
a-gwine ter the neighbors an a-beg-
gin fer writing paper-an' I'll jest set
daown an write a line to Miss Hal
sey. Her house hain't a stuns throw
from the Old Mems: an I'll offer ter
come an take keer o them air young
uns o hern fer my board an keep
an-ten cents a week. / was a-gwine
ter say quarter, but don't want ter
impose on nobody. Seem that they
haint over well-ter-do, / would go fer
nothin, but | got ter have somethin'
ter keep up appearances on, so yew
won't have no call ter feel ashamed
or me when | come a-visitin' ter the
num- lnvoluntarily. as she spoke,
Angy lifted her knotted old hand and
smoothed back the hair from her
brow; for through all the struggling
years she had kept a certain, not I'M
pleasing. girlish pride in her personal
appearance
Abraham had risen with creaks of
his rheumatic joints. and was now
walking up and down the room, his
feet lifted slowly and painfully with
every step. yet still his blue eyes flash.
Ing with the fire of indignant protest.
Me a-bunkin' comfortable in the
Old Mems, an yew a-takin' keer O.
them Halsey young 'uns fer ten cents
a week! l wouldn't take keer o. 'em
fer ten cents a short breath. Thar be
young 'uns an young 'uns," he eluci-
dated, but they be tartars! Yew'd
be in yer grave afore the fust frost:
an who's gwine ter bury yer-the
taown" His tone became gentle and
broken: mo, no. Angy. Yew be
good gal, an dew just as we calclated
on. Yew jine the Old Ladies': yew'ye
got friends over thar, yew'll git erlong
splendid. An I'll git erlong tew. Yer
mountaineering his shoulders back.
he assumed the light, bantering tone
so familiar to his wife-"the Door
house doors is always open. I'd Jest
admire ter go thar. Thar's a rocking
chair In every room, and they say the
smiling his broadcast smile in his at
tempt to deceive.
Both wink and smile, however, were
lost upon Angy, who was busy divid-
ing the apple sauce in such a way that
Abe would have the larger share with
out suspecting 1t. hoping the while
that he would not notice the absence
OF butter at this last home meal. She
herself had never believed in butter
ing bread when there was Sass" to
eat with It; but Abe's extravagant
tastes had always carried him to the
point OF desiring both butter and
sauce as a relish 70 his loaf.
"Naow. fur's I'm concerned" Dur.
sued Abe, Il haint got nothin' agin
the poorhouse fer neither man ner
woman. I'd az lief let yew 20 than
Std o. me; fer / know very well that's
what yew're a-layin' out fer ter do.
Yes, yes, mother. yew can't fool me
But think what folks would sayl
Think what they would sayi They'd
crow, Thar's Abe a-takin' his comfort
IN the Old mems hum. am Angelina.
she's a-eatin' her heart out in the poor
houseH"
Angeline had. indeed. determined to
be the one to go 20 the poorhouse: but
all her life long she had cared. perhaps
TO a faulty degree, for what folks
would say" Above all. she cared now
for what they had said and what they
sun might say about her husband and
this final ending 20 his downhiI road
She rested her two hands on the table
and looked hard at the apple sauce
until 1t danced before her eyes. She
could not think with any degree Of
clearness. Vaguely she wondered If
their supper would dance-out OF sight
before they could sit down to- eat II.
So many Of the good things Of life
had vanished ere she and Abe could