The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-01-23

the Republican from the post-ofIice,
l opened it and read aloud these words
in large type at the top of the page:
"Silas Wright Elected to the U. S.
Senate"
"Well / want to know" Uncle Pea.
body exclaimed. "That would make
me forglt it if I was goin' to be
hung. Go on and read what it 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 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. 1 have not had
the experience in that great theater of
politics to qualify me for a place 50
exalted and responsible. L prefer
therefore the humber position which
l 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!"
said Aunt Deel with significant
glance at me.
The candles had burned low and
was watching the shroud of one OF
! them when there came q rap at the
door. 1t was unusual for any one to
come TO our door in the evening and
we were q bit startled. Uncle Pea.
body opened it and old Kate entered
without speaking and nodded to my
aunt and uncle and sat down by the
fire. Vividly l remembered the day
| If the fortunetelling. The same gen
tie smile lighted her face as she
! looked at me- She held up her hanc
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 ut the
ragged old woman. Her hair was
white now and partly covered by q
worn and faded bonnet. Forbiddina
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 a plate of doughnuts and
bread and butter and head chez Sc
and said in a voice full of pity:
"Poor OF Kate-ayes! Here's sonle
thin for ye-ayesW
She turned to my uncle and said:
peabody Baynes, what'll we do
I'd like to know-ayes! She cant
rove all night"
I'll git some blankets an make
bed for her, good 'nough for any
body, out lin 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 I declarei It's q long time
since she went up this rOad-ayes y
said Aunt Deel, yawning as she re
sumed her chair.
"Who is OF Kate?" I asked.
ooh, just a poor OF crazy woman
wanders all 'rourl-ayesp
"What made her crazyg'
ooh, guess somebody misused and
deceived her when she was young
ayes! It's an awful wicked thing te
do. Come, Bart-go right up to bed
| itrh
81 want to wait It'll Uncle Peabod.
comes back" said l.
"Why?"
T-Tm afraid she'll do somethin
to linn"
Nonsense! OF 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 1 listened for the
footsteps Of my uncle. l did not get
into bed until 1 heard him come liz
and blow out his lantern and start
up the stairway. AS he undressec
he told me how for many years the
strange woman had been rowing il
the roads "up hill and down dale
thousands an thousands o. miles
and never reaching the end OF nc
| journey.
In moment we heard low wa
| above the sounds of the breeze tina
shook the leaves Of the old "popple'
| tree above our roof.
"What's thatT / whispered.
81 guess it's OF Kate ravin'," sale
Uncle Peabody.
1t touched my heart and lay lis
tening for time, but heard only thu
loud whisper Of the popple leaves.