Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-07-12

so much mind my clothes being dirty i
only had clean handkerchief TO blow
my nose on; so kind OF got in the way
of carryin' an extra handkerchief round
with me TO give"
But Aunt Mary stopped him with
sudden vigorous gesture.
mot another word, Abijah !" she cried
in tragic voice. Hcan't stand it The
idea OF all those good handkerchiefS
travelling round the country in the pockets
OF good-for-nothing loafers! Not your
hemstitched ones, Abijah ?"
Uncle Bige could not answer in words
but his downcast head nodded assent.
"Well, all I've got 10 say is that you're
TOOL, Abijah Cheney That's what you
air |" And then she relented suddenly
at sight OF his conscience-stricken face
"Howsomever, there's worse things than
being fool. You've good heart
Abijah."
"l'll 90 10 town and get some more,
Mary" said Uncle Bige meekly.
"No, you won't You'll use some oi
my extra ones. Let me see. You Can
have that blue bandanna Sister Jane gave
me for my birthday six year ago."
Uncle Bige got out OF his chair. 81
guess Tll 20 down TO the lower field" he
said, "and see how The hands are getting
along with that ditch. Come on, Sam,
he added 10 me.
We LETT the house and started across
the barnyard, when a sudden call from
Aunt Mary stopped lis.
"The handkerchief - she cried from
the porch. Come back here, Sam, and
get il"
went back obediently and got The
handkerchief-an unusually gorgeous one
OF deepest blue. gave il 10 Uncle Bige,
who stuffed it into his hip pocket.
"Pears like your Aunt Mary's getting
kind OF flighty," he observed, as we
started on again.
He let down the bars and we came out
into the field where the men were dig
ging a ditch. We stood and watched
them a while. They didn't seem to need
any "bossing"; so Uncle Bige said that
he would work little himself. Taking
off his coat, he climbed down into the
ditch and picked up mattock.
Now, Uncle Bige isn't exactly built for
that kind OF work, for he weighs consld-
erably more than two hundred pounds; |;
pretty soon he had to stop TO blow little
and TO wipe the sweat off, and saw the
men winking at one another behind his
back.
In a minute he went on again, with the
sweat standing out on his face like rain
on pane OF glass but he kept wiping it
off and worked right steady. Ever since
he had that attack OF heart disease that
Doctor Sprigg told him was only his sus-
pender buckle, he's been touchy about
peoples laughing at him. SO he kept
digging away for some time; then he
stopped and saw him feeling his cheeks.
"Sam," he says to me in low voice,
"my face feels mighty hot and stingy.
Does il look all right? ?"
When took a good look at it, my
heart jumped right up into my throat. for
all along his cheeks and down his neck
he was deep purple. o.
Twas so scared couldn'tsay anything;
but he saw from my face that something
pretty serious was the matter, and he sat
down on the edge OF The ditch with lit
tie groan. ,,, -,
what get for talkin' 10 that scabby-iaced
tramp! It's just nine days since he
stopped me down there on the river road.
My last handkerchief, too Git away
from me, Samr'
The men had dropped their tools and
come crowding round, but Uncle Bige
waved them back.
"Don't come ne2r me, boyS" he
groaned. awe got the smallpox "
They did not need 10 be told twice.
They stood back and stared at him with
their eyes popping out.
"Pve had it," William Briggs said, after
a minute. "Let me git We home, sir"
mo, can't go home !" and Uncle
Bige groaned again. THAT'S the worst
OF it. Mary's never had it. Take me
over TO the old COW house, William
that'll do as well as any place to die in,
reckon. Sam, you'd better 20 and break
it 10 Mary"
William took him under the arms and
they tottered off toward the COW shed
while | ran home. ! reckon must have
looked pretty frightened, for Aunt Marl
Simply keeled over into chair wher
she saw me com ing. Good graciou:
Sammy p she began.
"Uncle Bige's got the smallpox !"
gasped.
always knew that Aunt Mary was
remarkable woman. II seems that it jus
takes something unusual to bring her out
She's a good deal like road horse W!
had once. That horse was so lazy By
nature that he wouldn't make over fiv;
miles an hour, no matter how hard yor
whipped HIM but just let him hear an
other horse coming up behind, cluppetty'
clup, and he was off like streak. Aun
| Mary was always Just that way Ihi
time, she gulped hard once or twice; ant
then she got up out of the chair and wen
| to the door,
"Where is he?" she asked, looking
out.
"They took him over to the old Gov
| shed He said YOU might catch II III n