Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-09-11
CHAPTER iIi-Continued.

retOrt:
That's Jest like yew old maids-al
ways a-blamin' the men. Yew kin jest
bet / never would have let one of my
husbands go ter the poorhouse. II
would have mortified me dretful. II
must be a purity poor sort Of woman
what can't take the care of one mar
and keep a roof over his head. Why
my second, oliver G.. used ter Say
Obi" Miss Ellie wrung her hands
cant we do sometime"
Il could do a-plenty." mourned Miss
Abigail. "ef / only had been savin'
Here l git salary o. four dollars a
month. an not one penny laid away"
"Yew fergit," spoke some one gently,
that It takes considerable ter dress a
matron proper"
Aunt Nancy, who had been sneezing
furiously at her own impotence, now
found her speech again.
We're a nice set ter talk erbout
dewin' somethin'-a passed. o. poor ole
critters like us!" Her cackle of en-
Uttered laughter was interrupted by
the low, cultivated voice of the belle
of the home, Butterfly Blossy."
We've got to do something" said
Blossy firmly. I'd
When Blossy spoke with such de-
cision every one of the sisters pricked
up her ears. Blossy might be "a shall
ler-pate;" she might arrange the
goldenwhite hair of her head as be-
fitted the >crowning glory of a young
girl, with puffs and rolls and little
curls, and-more than one sister sus-
pected-with the aid of rats" she
might gown herself deliberately In the
mended hnery Of the long ago. the
better years; she might dress her
lovely big room-the only double bed
chamber in the house, for which she
had paid q double entrance fee-in all
sorts Of gewgaws, little ornaments,
hand-painted plaques of her own pro-
ducing. lace bedspreads, embroidered
splashers and pillow-shams; she might
even permit herself sutton who came
twice . year more punctually than the
line-storms. to ask her withered little
hand In marriage-but her heart was
In the right place. and on occasion she
had proved herself a master hand at
"nxin' things."
YES" said she, rising to her feet
and fiinging out her arms with an elo-
Quent gesture. we've got to do some
thing. and there's just one thing to do.
girls: take the captain right here
here"-she brought her hands to the
laces on her bosom-"to our hearts!"
At first there was silence, with the
ladies staring blankly at Blossy and
then at one another. Had they heard
Alright? Then there came murmurs
and ordinations. with Miss Abiaail's
voice gasping shove the others:
What would the directors say.
What do they always cay whe,. We
ask . favor?" demanded Blossy.
How much will 1t costr It won't
cost a cent"
Wont, eh?" snapped Aunt Nancy.
How on earth be yew goin' to vittle
himf ! haint had q second dish o.
peas this year."
Some men eat more an some less"
remarked Sarah Jane, as ill-favored a
spinster as ever the sun shone on:
generally 1t means 30 much grub ter
90 much weight"
Miss Abigail glanced up at the cell.
ing. while Lazy Daisy. who had re-
fused to tip the beam for ten years.
surreptitiously hid an apple into which
she had been biting.
Les have 'em weighed" suggested
. widow, Ruby Lee. with a pretty
well-preserved little face and figure.
an Ell tergether they don't come nm
TO the heartiest one of us"
Miss Abigail made hasty interrup.
Gels. haint yew never noticed that
the more yew need the more yev .itf
Before Jenny Bell went to live with
her darter didn't know what should
dew. for the Eaters was gittin' pootv
low. Yew know she used tar eat
twenty Ter meal. an then look hun
cry at the platter. An then ef old
Square Ely didn't come a-drivin' mn
one mornin' with ten bushel in the
farm wagon! He'd been savin' 'em
fer ~ all winter fer fear we might run
short In the spring. Gals, thar's one
thing yew kin depend on. the fore
sishtedness Of the Lord. hain't afraid
ter risk a-stretchin' the board an
keep o. thirty ter peFvide ample fer
thirty-one. Naow. haow many of yev
IL willin' ter try it?''
Every head nodded, Il am" every
eye was wet with the dew of merciful
kindness: and Mr.. Homan and Sarah
Jane. who had lung plates at each
other only that morning. were OBJ
served to Be- holding hands.
But haow on arth be we a-goin' ter
sleep himr proceeded the matron un-
easily. Thar haint Q extry corner In
the hull place. Putin tew people in
No. 30 10 out Of the Question-it's Jest
erbout the size Of . Cinderella shoe
box. anyhow. an the garnet leaks"
She paused. for Blossy was pulling
at her sleeve. the real Blossy. warm
hearted. generous. self-deprscating.
r think No. 30 = Just the coolest
little place for one! Do let me take Il
Miss Abigail. and give the couple ny
great big barn Of . room"
Aunt Nancy eyed her suspieiouGly.
"Yow aiht a-gwine tsr make Z fool q
yefseh. IN Jump over the broomstick
ag'hr Hoe Bissay's Old ssitor. BAN
~ DasSy, ~ ma1s uns q ~ semi
n0nnn1 V1GoeD only ~ nnoen1na.