Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1919-01-31

l them. How mysterious and inviting
they had becomei
One evening a neighbor had brought
the Republican from the post-office.
I opened 1t and read cloud these words
in large type at the top Of the page:
"Sllas Wright Elected to the U. 8.
| Senate"
"Well want to known Uncle Pea
body exclaimed. "That would make
me forgit Il II I was goin' to be
hung. Go on and read what It says"
) I read the choosing of our friend
for the seat made vacant by the res
ignation Of William L. Marcy. who
had been elected governor. and the
part which most impressed us were
these words from letter Of Mr..
Wright to Azariah Flagg Of Albany,
written when the former was asked
to accept the place:
81 am too young and too poor for
such an elevation. have not had
the experience In that great theater of
politics to qualify me for a place so
exalted and responsible. I prefer
therefore the humber position which
I now occupy"
'That's his way" said Uncle Pea
body. ''They had hard work to con-
vince him that he knew enough to be
Surrogate"
big men have little conceit--ayes y
said Aunt Deel with q significant
glance at me.
The candles had burned low and I
was watching the shroud Of one of
them when there came rap at the
door. It was unusual for any one to
come to our door in the evening and
we were a bit startled. Uncle Pea
body opened 1t and old Kate entered
without speaking and nodded to my
aunt and uncle and sat down by the
| fire. Wildly I remembered the day
Of the fortune-telling. The same gen.
tie smile lighted her face as she
looked at me. She held up her hand
with four fingers spread above 1t.
Ayes" said Aunt Deel, ''there are
four perils."
My aunt rose and went into the
but'ry while I sat staring at the
ragged old woman. Her hair was
white now and partly covered by q
worn and faded bonnet. Forbidding
as she was did not miss the sweet
ness In her smile and her blue eyes
when she looked at me. Aunt Deel
came with plate Of doughnuts and
bread and butter and head cheese
and said in a voice full Of pity:
"Poor OIL Kate-ayesi Here's some.
thin for ye-ayesi'
She turned to my uncle and said:
| peabody Baynes, what1l we do
I'd like to kn0w-ayesl She can't
rove all night"
"Tll git some blankets an make
a bed for her, good 'nough for any.
body, out In the hired mans room
over the she'd" said my uncle.
He brought the lantern-a little
tower of perforated finland put
lighted candle inside of 1t. Then he
beckoned to the stranger, who fol.
lowed him out of the front door with
the plate Of food In her hands.
"Well I declared It's a long time
since she went up this road-ayes"
said Aunt Deel, yawning as she re-
sumed her chair.
"WhO is OIL Kate?" I asked.
"Oh. just poor OIL crazy woman
wanders all 'round-ayesl"
"What made her crazyr'
"Oh. guess somebody misused and
deceived her when she was young
ayes! It's an awful wicked thing to
do. Come, Bart--go right up to bed
now. It's high tlme-ayesl"
II want to wait It'll Uncle Peabody
comes back" said I.
"WhyT
Elm afraid she'll do somethin'
to him."
Nonsense or Kate is just as harm.
less as kitten. You take your can
die and go right up to bed--this min
ute-ayes
I went upstairs with the candle
and undressed very slowly and
thoughtfully while listened for the
footsteps of my uncle. I did not get
into bed until heard him come in
and blow out his lantern and start
up the stairway. AS he undressed
he told me how for many years the
strange woman had been rowing in
the roads "up hill and down dale.
thousands an thousands o. miles,"
and never reaching the end of her
journey.
In moment we heard low wall
above the sounds of the breeze that
shook the leaves of the old "popple"
tree above our roof.
whats thatf" whispered.
II guess it's oil Kate ravin'," said
Uncle Peabody.
1t touched my heart and I lay lis
tening for time, but heard only the
loud whisper of the popple leaves.