The Holly chieftain., 1919-02-13

them. How mysterious ana inSitlhs
they had become!
One evening a neighbor had brought
the Republican from the pOst-office-
opened 1t and read aloud these words
I'm large type at the top Of the page:
.Silas Wright Elected to the U. 3.
Senate"
"Well I want to know!" Uncle Pea
body exclaimed. "That would make
me forgit 1t II was goin' to be
hung. Go on and read what 1t says"
/ 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 10 Azariah Flagg of Albany.
written when the former was asked
to accept the place:
II am too young and too poor for
such an elevation. I have not had
the experience in that great theater OF
politics to qualify me for place SO
exalted and responsible. l prefer
therefore the humber position which
1 now occupy"
"Thats 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-ayesi"
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. 1t 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. Vividly 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 it.
ayes" said Aunt Deel. "there are
four perils."
My aunt rose and went into the
but'ry while sat staring at the
ragged old woman. Her hair was
white now and partly covered by a
worn and faded bonnet. Forbidding
as she was I 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 voice full Of pity:
"Pcor OIL Kate-ayesl Here's some
thin for ye-ayesl"
She turned to my uncle and said:
peabody Baynes, what'll we do
I'd like to know-ayesl She can't
rove all night"
"I'l git some blankets an make
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 tin-and put a
lighted candle inside of it. Then he
beckoned to the stranger, who fol-
lowed him out Of the front door with
the plate of food in her hands.
"Well declared It's long time
since she went up this road-ayes!" !"
said Aunt Deel. yawnlng as she re-
sumed her chair.
"Who is OIL Kate7" I asked.
"Oh, Just poor Of crazy woman
wanders all 'round-ayes
"What made her. crazy7"
"Oh, guess somebody misused and
deceived her when she was young
ayesl It's an awful wicked thing to
do. Come, Bart-go right up to bed
now. It's high time-ayesl
II want to wait til Uncle Peabody
comes back" said I.
"Why2"
Tim afraid she'll do somethin'
to him."
Nonsense or Kate is just as harm
less as a kitten. You take your can
die and go right up to bed-this min
ute-ayes!"
went upstairs with the candle
and undressed very slowly and
thoughtfully while l listened for the
footsteps Of my uncle. I did not get
into bed until 1 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 hreeze that