The Sabinal Sentinel. (Sabinal, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 29, Ed. 1 Saturday, October 7, 1899 Page: 3 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Borderlands Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries.
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the conversion of
CAROLINE MERRITT
By Harriet Carl Cox.
| tHMlD MERMTT was certainly u
Xu ,llos>t e.xpusperatiug man. lu thla,
lor u wonder, the whole village con-
curred, with the exception of his wife,
ohe maintained silence on the subject,
which was best, perhaps, inasmuch as
she was the cause of it ull.
He lie s the most down-trodden
atnl meek sort o' man you ever set eyes
on,,and *< ain't riglit that it should be
so, Mrs. itlake declared, us Lyford
Merritt, tlien under discussion, shuttled
along the dusty roud. “It’s dreadful to
5e“ u ntun so suppressed,” she sighed.
"It ain’t nature one bit.
Xonn* men are born meek and would
rather a woniun'd go ahead and Ikiks
!hc house uml hitn, too, ami then you
dou’t blame Vtu, but Ly ford ain’t tliut
kind. Fore his wife got hold of hint
lie used to be us up und coining us any-
one.”
A slight flush spread over her thin
cheeks as she felt u critical glance upon
her.
1 hat was the time he came a-court-
ing you, I s'pose?” her guest remarked
blandly. “I always heard you hud
some sort of words and then lie took up
with tlie new school-teacher and mar-
ried her riglit away ’fore your face and
eyes.”
Mrs. lliuke beat her cuke vigorously.
"He ain’t done nothing but be set
on ever since,” she declared ut length,
"so that he ain’t himself at all. And
that’s what’s so exasperating. No man
with any nut oral stand-up to him ought
to give in tlie way he does. That’s
what's the trouble. He seents to think
it’s all riglit.”
She poured the cake into a tin and
shoved it into the oven and shut the
door with a bang.
“We’ve all had spells of talking to
him," site went on, “but. there, it ain’t
no earthly good. He always sits so
good-natured and kind o’ nods his head
ns if agreeing, and when you come
to stop, lie looks up with his blue eyes
and says: ’Well, well, you don’t under-
stand. it may ssem kind o’ hard some-
times to outsiders, Mis' Hlake, but then
vou see, she's got the nerves.’
“Nerves,' scornfully, "As if any of
us couldn't get. up that kind o’ nerves
if we wanted to, it’s a mighty nice way
to rule the house. When her husband
wants to do anything, it’s always
nerves. She can't stand this and site
can’t stand that, and she won't even
let him sit down at the table in his
-hirt sleeves, ’cause that makes her
nervous, too. I was there once when
lie most forgot, and the look she gave
him was something awful. I5en said
he'll get divorced right away if he had
such a wife. 1
“But Lyford, he just stands it al-
ways, and it's terrible exasperating.”
She gave another glance out of the
window. Lyford Merritt was not. in
sight. Unconscious of his neighbor's
scrutiny and comment, he slowly
crossed the stubbly field' amt made his
w ty to tlie barn. There he deposited
the packages from the store, and then
went to the woodpile. He seemed in a
sort of brown study and ids movements
were uncertain.
“It ain't riglit for a man not to lie
master in It is own house.” He ruminat-
ed as if the sentiment had just been im-
pressed upon his mind. “It really ain’t,
and 1 am going to assert myself.”
The tbought caused a stick to drop
from his arms. He hastily picked it up
with a backward glance over his shoul-
der.
“I wouldn't do anything to hurt Caro-
line for anything in ibis world. Of
course. I wouldn't. She's a good wife,
a very good wife to me, and I’m thank-
ful I’ve got such a good wife, and I
hope 1 make her a good husband.”
He paused and slowly laid two more
sticks onto his burden and walked to-
ward the woodjiotise.
“And I’ve been thinking that perhaps
it ain’t good for her to have me always
giving in to her.” lie continued ns lie
returned for a second load. “1 read
somewhere the other day Hint women
was like horses. They like to have their
own way long’s they can. lint when you
make ’em mind they go all tlie better.
Not that 1 should ever try and t-nake
Caroline mind—” He paused aghast
— “but pethaps if I kinder took things
for granted tiiat she wouldn't mind my
•loing more tilings. 1 could do ’em and
slic’d like it.
“I’m a going to try anyway.”
It was undeniable that Lyford Mer-
ritt’s heart l.cnt somewhat faster than
usual ns it neared three o'clock on the
following afternoon. The town com-
mittee had ordained to have an extra
meeting. It was usually held at the
Pet kins', but Mrs. Perkins was sick,
and so Lyford had generously asked
them to come there.
A few hail already gathered and were
sitting in the shade of the big elm.
Others could be seen coming down tlie
road.
“I suppose we might as well go in,
seeing there are so many of us already,”
Lyfold remarked.
It was an unwritten law that the
meetings of the committee should al-
ways lie held in some parlor or the
church vestry. It was not compatible
with the dignity of the committee to
meet in barns or shops, as did other or-
ganizations.
The men sprang up and Lyford led
the way to the front of the house, where
they greeted Hie others. They stood
a moment and chatted, while a few
straggled up. then Lyford put his hand
rn the door.
It refused to open. He made several
attempts, but it would not stir. Me
grew red in the fact with the exertion.
“It’s unlocked all right, he declared,
"because I saw to that this morning.
Yon sec. we don’t use it very often, and
that’s the reason wh.v.^ I'll go Inside
and see If I can start
He left the mm and skirted tha
bouse, avoiding the kitchen windows
and stealing in the way back, where he
removed his shoes and quietly pauod
through the upper rooms and down the
front stairs, v\ hen he put on his shoes
again.
He tnnnnged to open the door. It
stuck, blit he hud forgotten tliut it
opened in. In fact. h« never remem-
bered Inn ing opened it ut all before.
The men tiled into the stuffy parlor,
some one suggested that the windows
be opened. Lyford stared for a mo-
ment. There were no screens in th«
windows.
“Oh. yes!" lty replied, with a deal of
energy. "Of course. 1 meant to have
them open and forgot. Mrs. Merritt
has been very busy or she would have
attended to it for nte.”
His blue eyes twitched and he drew a
deep breath as be pushed up the win-
dows and flung buck the blinds. He
saw n dozen flies durt in, and he gave u
quiet chuckle. His emancipation had
begun.
The meeting opened with its usual
solemnity, but it soon grew exciting
and there was n busy hum of voices.
The nten hod removed their coats and
they swung like draperies from chair
hacks, tlie family Hible on tlie marble
center table made un excellent desk for
the presiding officer, and ballots and
papers were liberally distributed over
the floor; some of the men were smok-
ing.
Lyford was making a speech. It wnj
a very excellent speech, on tlie freedom
of the Individual. His audience was in-
terested. Suddenly there was a hush,
lie turned and Mrs. Merritt stood in the
doorway. Lyford gave a little gasp
The eyes of the men were upon him,
and lie straightened visibly.
“The meeting of the committee, you
know, my dear," he explained, with the
faintest tremor in his voice. "I trust
we have not disturbed you." Ills eyei
were a bit beseeching.
Several of the men were on their feet
One was struggling into a coat. Mrs,
Merritt did not reply. Her keen brown
eyes swept the room and n peonUm
smile settled on her face.
“I was going to suggest"—Lyiord
made the great effort of his life—“I was
going to suggest, seeing it is so very
warm, that we prepare some sort of re-
freshment for the gentlemen. Caroline.’
There was a note of inquiry in lib
voice. Ilis wife turned, and, with u
hurried excuse, lie followed. A nervous
laugh front otic of the men broke the
tension of the moment.
“We shall have to give him an office,"
some one suggested.
He was gone some time, and then his
wife returned with hint. He carried a
big pitcher of iced tea, while she bori
a platter of spiked cake and jumbles
which site afterward supplemented w it!
loaf cake und pickles.
It was a very sociul intermission that
followed. Mrs. Merritt made herself
very charming, and Lyford was in tits
highest spirits. Then she retired and
the meeting went on. Lyford was tiom>
inated for school committee. lie ac-
cepted, of course. His wife had nevei
allowed him to run before. It would
make her nervous to think of his re-
sponsibility.
At six the meeting broke up. Lyford
escorted them to the gate and watched
them us they passed from sight. Titer
lie slowly returned to tlie house, gave «
long look at the disordered room
closed the door and shuflied off to tin
shed. There he sat for several moment:
and drew hard at his old pipe.
The supper bell rang. At the sound
he hastily started for the door. Hit
hand was on the latch, then he hesi
tilted. Ids hand dropped and he returnee
to the bench, sat down and ran his tin
gers through his hair.
The bell rang a second time. Hi
laid liis pipe down carefully, nrose.gnv*
his vest a pull, settled itis hat- firmly oi
his head, and steadfastly walked int<
tlie kitchen.
His wife was sitting by the tubh
pouring the tea.
He hesitated a moment. She looked
very pretty its she sat there pretties
than usual, somehow. I'crlmps she had
on a bettor dress.
“Was your meeting successful?" sin
queried, her eyes on t lie amber liquid.
"Very,” be replied, ns he crossed tin
room to where his coat hung on Hi<
wootlcn peg. “They nominated me fot
school committee."
Site nodded her head reflectively
“You will make a good one," she said
"They ought to put good men in office.’
He stared at her buck. "I'nt sorry thi
parlor—” lie begun.
"You needn't lie," site broke in, sharp
ly. “I guess—" She set the teapo)
down, and, arising carefully, wulkei
around tlie table and set it down at bet
husband's place. “I guess that a ttvar
has n rigid to do as lie wants to in hit
own house."
She glnneed at him proudly. One am
was in his coat sleeve.
"It's pretty warm.” site remarked
seating herself again, “and. Lyford
perhaps you'd be more comfortable i
you didn't put your eont on."
He sent a keen glauee in her diree
tion. and his blue eyes twinkled. Me-
elianienlly be replaced the cost ami
took the sent at the table opposite her
"I think that I should," he replied.—
Globe-Democrat.
I n provided.
Tlie Ikiston gentleman colored
deeply.
“Yes, twins,” he answered.
“Ha. itn!" exclaimed the other Itos
ton gentleman. "You were taken
somewhat by surprise, I dare say.”
“Very much by surprise! Yes, in
deed! Wc hud provided only one pnir
of spectacles, don’t, you know, ami
there was no end of trouble for awhile!
That parental education is possible,
nobody any longer doubts.—Detroll
Journal.
Foreign (nil I In I In Simla.
There Is much French anil Brlgi;
capital Invested in the principal rath
way lines of Spain, w hile England owns
many of the shorter lines and Is also at
the head of the mining Interest*.
WHAT HAPPENED TO
THE WOLF’S UNCLE
By William D. Hurlbert.
HPHE chipmunk waa curled up on a
|[ log in the sunshine fast asleep,
ind the Catuidu Lynx’a youngest son
sua watching hitn. The Kitten's eyes
were gleuming. His ears und his tail
twitched nervously, and he was crawl-
ing ueurer and nearer—slow.ly, stealth-
ily, step by step. And now he gathered
himself for u spring, crouched for an
Instant on the ground and jumped.
The Chipmunk struggled for a moment
■ml lay still, looking up piteously into
the excited eyes that were glaring down
upon him.
’Mother,” called the Kitten, “come
aere. I’ve got a nice, fat chipmunk."
There was a rustle among the dry
leaves and the Canada Lynx came run-
ning through the woods. The Kittsn
turned liis head to look at her. His
paws relaxed the least bit, the Chip-
munk gave a wriggle ami a twist, and
in another second a little striped Itody
had vanished down a hole between tin-
roots of a birch tree.
‘Oh! Oh!" cried the Kitten, "he’s
got away!”
He poked his paws into the hole and
pretended Hint he was still trying to
catch tlie Chipmunk, but he could no
more have followed him down that nar-
row, winding burrow than he could
lave curled up like a bee inside of a
moccasin flower. He was ashamed of
himself, and rather frightened, too, for
his mother was apt to be severe with
him, and he knew that she would be
very much disgusted.
“You’re a great hunter, you arc,*’
said site, scornfully. “Cun’t you hold
onto vour game when you’ie caught
it?”
The Kitten began to whimper. “I
uouldn't help it,” suid lie. “I just looked
around to see if you were coming, and
he wriggled riglit out of my paws.”
“istop tliut crying,” said the Lynx.
“I’nt going to give you a whipping, and
if you cry I'll whip you all the harder.
“In the first place, you had no busi-
ness to touch the Chipmunk at all, for
he belongs to tlie Backwoods club.”
Here she gave him a box oil the right
ear that send him sprawling.
“In the second place, when you ilo
catch things you must hold onto them.”
Here she gave him a box on the left
car that sent him the ptlicr way.
“And in the third place you mustn't
gall me to look at your game until you
have made sure of it.”
And here site gave him a good, ohl-
'ashioned spanking.
Tlie Kitten took it manfully, but
when it was done, lie said: “Mother,
I don’t see why you should be so un-
?ry.”
“I’m not nngry,’’ said she. “I'm only
trying to teach you what you mustn't
do. Did you ever licnr about tlie Wolf’s
uncle, how he called some other wolves
to eat a deer, and how the deer was
gone when they got there, and what
happened to hint?"
"No,” said the Kitten.
“Well,” said liis mother, “I’ll tell you
about i*. and maybe it will teach you to
be careful.”
And this is the story that the Canada
Lynx told to her youngest son:
“It was a good many years ago. and
it that time there was a big pack of
wolves that used to hunt all through
these woods, front hero to Luke .Supe-
rior.”
“Was it tlie same pack Ilia* chased
the Buck and Hie Doe?” asked the Kit-
ten.
“Yes,” said the Lynx, "but you
mustn't Interrupt. In winter I often
saw their tracks on the snow. Some-
times I heard them howling, and if i
thought they were coming my way I
would hide somewhere and wait till
they had passed. They got awfully
hungry before spring, and I wasn’t go-
ing to take any dinners with them.
“One day just after the snow and ice
hud melted I was lying in the crotch
if n tree on the north shore of the
niinuneigtass, where Hie bank rises
high and steep from the very edge of
the water. I hadn’t seen or heard nny-
thing of the wolves for some time, and
I wasn’t thinking of them or of any
other danger, but as T lay there half
asleep I heard a little noise up the
runway, and two men came in sight,
carrying rifles over their shoulders.
.Ijist then a big buck came up from
the ether direction. When he saw the
men lie was so startled Hint lie stopped
short riglit there in ilw runway. It
was only for a second, lint it was just,
a second too long. Both the rifles
cracked and the deer drop|M-d dead.
The hunters skinned and dressed him
and then talked about what they had
better do with tlie carcass. They were
going to look at some bear traps, and
they,did not want to take it with them.
“ ‘Let’s hang jt up in n tree, out
of the way of the wolves,’ said one,
‘We can stop for it ns we come buck.’
“•All riglit.' suid the other, and they
tied the buck’s hind feet together with
a piece of liis own skin and hung him
to the branch of a tree that stood on
tlie very edge of Hie bank, it happened
to be the same tree Hint I was hiding
in. and as soon as they were gone I
scrambled down and Is gun my din-
ner. While I was. eating I heard tlie
faintest rustle among the bushes and
there stood a wolf. It wa» the uncle
of the wolf that you know. I’ve known
th* whole family for yenrs. I think
lie was the very leanest, bungrlest-
lnoking wolf I ever saw, and he seemed
perfectly delighted when he caught
sight of flint dead deer hanging from
the tree. But it was too high for hitn.
By raising himself on his hind legs he
could just touch It with his forepaws
and set it sw inging. but that was all.
“ ‘Don’t you wish you could T said
I. and I spat at him and told him to get
• piece of birch hark to stand on."
The Kitten’s eyea sparkled.
"I wish I’d been there.” said he.
“Be atill,” said his asoth
aubsided again.
"'Just you wait,’ aald the wolf, and
off he went ut the lop of his speed. 1
knew what he was after, and I ate as
fast as I could. He would be hark be-
’fore long with the whole pack and 1
might have to tuke to the tree again
to get out of their way. Hut they must
ltuve been further away than 1 had
thought, for it waa nearly an hour be-
fore I saw them coming, and by that
time they were too late.”
“Hod you eaten It all?” asked the
Kitten, eagerly.
“Goodness, no!” said hit mother.
“You don't suppose 1 could cat a whole
deer, do you? Now, if you interrupt tue
again I’ll give you unothcr whipping.
The wolf hadn't been gone but a little
while before 1 noticed that the dee('a
earsass was hanging lower. The knot
which held it to the branch was slowly
slipping. Probably the wolf himself
hud started it when he set the earsass
swinging. I hung on and ute us long
as 1 dared, and then l climbed up to
my crotch again. A gust of wind same
along and the tree began to sway bask
and forth. The knot slipped more und
more, und at lust it gate way entirely
and the carcass fell to the ground. It
rolled over and over down the hill and
tumbled into the lake with a great
splash.
“Well, 1 sat still in the tree and wait-
ad to see what the wolves would do. A
little longer and I heart! the rustle and
patter of their feet, and than they came
in sight—13 or 20 of them. They were
not much more than skin nml bones,
and they looked as If they hadn’t eaten
anything for a week. But they thought
Hint they were going to have a grand
feast now. Their mouths were open
and their tongues were hanging out
and you should have seen their eyes
glisten."
The Kitten's own eyes were big and
round and he was listening with nil his
cars.
"The wolf, who had' been there be-
fore. our wolf's uncle, came first, lend-
ing the pack, but when lie reached tlie
foot of the tree and saw Hint the deer
was gone lie stopped short and stood
perfectly still. Ilis head and tni)
drooped and lie seemed to shrivel tip
and grow smaller. For n minute there
wasn’t a sound. Then hr gave a how I.
nml in nil my life I never heard another
howl like tliut. It was fear and shame
and despair. It was tlie end of every-
thing for him, for ho knew that in an-
other minute the pack would set on him
and kill him. Do you remember how
that i«an cried w hen he was caught in
the bet* trap the other day?"
Yes, t\e Kitten remembered, and it
made him shudder even now.
"Well, it was worse than that. it
made me treiw'de so that 1 almost fell
out of the tree, and I hid nty face in nty
paws and held on with all nty might.
I'm sorry for the Chipmunk when you
liud hold of Jhim, if he felt the way that
wolf did.”
The Kitten looked guilty. They both
glanced toward the hole and caught a
glimpse of the Chipmunk's nose and
the top of liis hend. He had been listen-
ing, too; hut lie disappeared as quick as
a wink when lie saw that they were
looking at him.
“What became of tlie wolf?” asked
the Kitten. “Did they kill him?”
"No,” said the Lynx. "The whole
pack gave a howl of disappointment and
rage, and when I looked down again
they were all ready to spring upon him,
but just then came another rifle shot,
the lone wolf dropped dead, and all the
rest scattered and ran for their lives.
The two hunters stepped out of the
hushes, and I heard one of them say:
‘Well, I never saw anything like that
before.’ ’Neither did I,'said the other,
‘and I don't want to see anything like
It again, or hear it, either. 1 believe
I'll have a nightmare fora week.’ They
skinned the wolf and pulled tlie (lend
deer out of the water, and in a few min-
utes they were gone.
"Well. I learned two lessons that day.
One was not to boast until I was sure."
"And what was the other?” asked
the Kitten, for his mother liad stopped
talking.
"I don't like to kill things as well as
T did when I was young," said she,
speaking rather hesitatingly, as if she
was half ashamed of it. “I have to do it
sometimes, to get enough for you und
vour brothers and sisters to cat. but I
don't enjoy it the way I used to.”
“Do you Uiiuk you'll remember?” sin
asked, after a minute.
“Yes, ma'am,” said Hie Kitten, very
meekly.
"You'll be careful about boasting aft-
er this?”
“Yes, tnn'am.”
“And you won't touch the Chipmunk,
or anyone else w ho belongs to the Hack-
woods club?”
“No, ma'am.”
“Then run along home. It’* nlmost
time for supper. I'll come In a minute."
Tlie Kilteu scampered tiwoy through
tin- woods, and the old Lynx followed
more slowly. The Chipmunk came out
of his hole and climbed up onto his log
(gtee more. The sun was getting low
in the west, lint the light still came soft
and warm between the trees. The
Chipmunk felt, very safe and very com-
fortable and he curled himself up on n
hunch of moss and went to sleep again.
-—Chicago Daily Record.
A Sprig of Rosemary
, By Julia Schayor.
carried It Into hit office ia the (tea*
stone building on the corner. When ha
was seated at his desk it was still la his
hand. He looked at It eurioualy. It
had lurge, oval, dull-green leaves, deli-
cately serrated; a pungent, wholesome
The l-:tf|>litint's Gumption.
“The elephant," oliserved tlie ma-
hout, "knqw* more than some people."
'Hie acrobat doubted It.
"For instance,” continued the ma-
hout. looking innocent, “an elephant
| would know better than try to bent a
hotel bill by nailing his trunk to the
floor to make it seem heavy.”
Here the ocrobat got red in the face
myl walked away, while the elowr. and
the equestrienne laughed quietly.-— De«
troit journal.
DUflnetlnn.
“They tell me your daughter la Icuto-
fng to sing.”
"I don't know. She la taldaff vooal
examscs."—Indianapolis JonraaL
|T was at the corner of Ulonk street
I and Umndwuy. An old woman was
standing on the curb looking uncer-
tainly about her—now at the endless
chain of street cars, now into the faces
of passers-by. She wa» a countrified
old woman, stout and plain, yet with
such goodness In her fsce, such simplic-
ity, such ull-cntbrscing human kind-
ness, as to make it, for eyes that really
see, lovely to look upon.
It was u hot summer afternoon, nnd
she, too. was wurmly clad in dark,
homely garments. Near her feet on the
curbstone was a large enuniei-cloth
satchel, witlt a robust cotton umbrella
strapped to it. On her left arm hung
a good-sized basket filled with growing
plants—old-fusltioned things seldom
seen outside of furmhouse gardens.
Wifti her riglit hand incased in a gray
cotton glove, site was fanning her heat-
ed face with a corner of her black shawl.
Her pleasant gray eyes wandered from
face to face of tlie hurrying throng, as
if seeking sympathy, but few gave her
oven u easiml glauee, utul of those few
only now uud then one gave iter a sec-
ond look lit np witlt momentary curi-
osity or umuseipent. The woman was
so obviously out of place—as much so
as un apple tree or a clump of ciutiu-
liion roses would ltuve been.
The guileless wlstfulness of her
bright old eyes pierced the hard crust
of worlilliucss mid conventionality, and
crept into their hearts, und more than
one was moved to ask the stranger if
site needed help or information, lint the
little crevice closed quickly and they
pusseil on. Only tlie look remained im-
prisoned in their bosoms, nml they re-
called that day tilings they hud not
though of for many a year.
Tlie woman hud urrived on a noon
train, expecting her nephew, William
Henry Varner, to meet her at the sta-
tion. She had wuited a long time for
liim. then. Dunking her letter lind mis-
carried, site decided to go on to liis
house up town. She liad been there be-
fore, nml she knew how to reaelt it,
lint she mis timid about going alone.
Y'ililnm Henry was her only brother's
eliild, and had grown up on a farm.
He was a smart boy, and hail grown
up into a smart man. He was a pros-
perous provision dealer in New York
now, married to a nice girl from his
own township, and living comfortably
in liis own house cut Harlem wuy.
Whenever there nrost a domestic emer-
gency in Ms family anil they arose
with astonishing frequency Aunt Ab-
by cante on to nurse William Henry’s
wife. For that matter, they would
have liked to keep her with them all
the time; but Aunt Abby would not
leuve her home—the home of her
humble farming ancestors for several
generations. Site was essentially of the
soil, u country woman in every fiber of
her being. The city was to her a
monster, splendid but full of terror,
whose glittering scales pained her
eyes, whose incessant roar hurt her
cars, accustomed to tlie quiet fields and
woods. Not for worlds would she live
in tlie city,
lint she dearly loved William Henry,
and l.ucilla und Hie children, ami was
glad to come und stay with them dur-
ing emergencies like the one pending,
l.ucilla was a country girl, too, and
loved tlie old place, uud when Aunt Ab-
by came in she always brought some-
thing from her old home. This time it
was some pluuts for Ltieillu's window
garden, frtim the place where Wililititi
Henry’s folks used to live. She had left
a good deal of soil about the roots, and
i but made the basket very heavy. Her
arm ached sorely, lint she would not set
the basket down for fear some one
might tread on it, or even steal it while
site was ti<11 looking, anil she kept u
sharp eye also on tlie black satchel.
Aunt Aldi.t rend tlie papers, and her
opinion of New York morals was not
high.
She began to feel very tired, and
wished Willliiin Henry had not missed
her, and wondered how she happened
to leave her palm leaf fun on the train.
"I'm get tin’ all hel up!” she said to
herself, wearily.
Sin- had thought that she knew just
w IlicJi kind of a ear to take to get to her
nephew’s house, but they came along so
fust, uud looked so iniicii alike that she
was getting doubtful. And site meant
to be very cautious. She was morally
certain, that once on Hie wrong car,
her doom wus sealed. There wits no
knowing to what dreadful den she
might lie lured, robbed and murdered,
and no one would ever know what be-
came of her. She liad read of numbers
of people disappearing mysteriously
that way. So she let cur after car pasa
until she could feel quite, quite sure.
When site had been standing there
some time in the lint sun, a handsoni*
coupe stopped near her, and an old gen-
tleman stepped out. He was n very fine
looking old getiHemun, indeed, eleun-
shuven. rosy, nnd soniewhnt pompous.
Ilis hair was silver white, and so were
Hie heavy brows under which were
eyes ns hard und bright as polished
steel; Ids mouth was the mouth of a
man who loved immpund pleasure, but
it was not altogether a cruel mouth. As
he stepped on to tlie curb lie noticed the
woman standing there with her basket
of country plants, looking vaguely
about her. and fanning herself wearily
with u hlio-k shawl.
Il» had a quick sense of the pic-
turesque, tliia smooth-shaven old gen-
tleman. and he was one of the few who
looked n second time. Ills eyes softened
it little, too. It was vH fa breath of
clover fields and orchards had been
waited to him by that bit of black shawl
in the cotton-gloved band.
Done one la passing bad broken off
a ram* from on* of the plant*, rad M
4 „• ir
d a
carried It Into
building
waa seated at his
hand. He looked at
bad large, oval, dull-green lea'
cately serrated; a pungent,
odor rose from it, prevailing over the
other odors in the room—odors of Rus-
sia leather, of tobacco and of the street.
The gentleman inhaled its fragrance
long and deeply.
“What ia it?” he usked himself, -f
seent to remember—ah, yes! 1 have It
It is—rosemary I Yes. That's what ift
is. Rosemary!”
The steely eyes softened still more,
nnd fixed themselves like those of one
hypnotized. The full, proud mouth
grew tender.
“There was a clump of rosemary ix
mother’s garden,” so ran his thoughts,
"and near it was a great mat of ciovsr
pinks. They bloomed in June. I can
smell them now. There was a huge
bush of southernwood there, too, and
some tawny lilies, and spidervvort, and
monkshood, nnd striped grass. Strange
how the old names come back to me!
The lilac bushes in the corner were like
trees to me in those days. I used to sit
under them and play at matching
blndcs of striped grass with sister
Mary, nnd wonder why her hands were
so w Bite, and why mother never let her
work hard. 1 know now. Hhe faded
away and died, and there was only me
left. 1 remember those Sundays in
summer, when I w as not ullowed to play
or run about. How long they were, und
bow hot! Like to-day, but with such a
difference! Mother always had a
spray of rosemary and a pink folded in
iter handkerchief when we sturted for
the meeting house, and some caraway
seed in Iter pocket, which she gave nte
now and then during ths service when
rbe saw I was nlmost asleep. I tusta
them now and smell the rosemary and
tlie pinks, and the pine odors coming In
at the open window, und the varnish
on the pews, all mingled together. And
I hear the rrenking of the women's
fans, nnd the horses whinnying under
the sited behind the meeting house,
and Hie minister’s ilvouing voice—now
it all comes buck to me!
“And Abby— Abby Grover—her folks’
pew wus arross from ours, and I used
to try my best to make her laugh in
meeting, lint 1 don't think 1 ever suc-
ceeded. She was u nice girl, Abby was.
Not pretty, but with something uliout
her tliut wus better than beauty. And
Iter eyes and ltuir were reully lovely,!
remember.
"Abby generally wore a sprig of rose-
mary pinned to her dress when I went
over to see Iter .Sunday nights iu sum-
mer. That wus ufter we grew up. Ws
used to sit on tlie orchard wail and talk
until tlie whippoorwills begun cryiug,
and Abby's mother would come to tlie
door uud say the dew was foiling and
site guessed wc better come in.
“I fancy 1 did most of tlie talking,
though, for Abby was one of your si-
lent, deep sort. 1 told her all my plans
for getting away from the farm nnd
making my fortune In the city. And
she would listen patiently, though 1
must have been a terrible bore, and
look at me witli her nice elcur eyes and
say: ‘llow ambitious you ure, Joey!’
Joey! Fancy anyone culling tne 'Joey'
now!
"And Itowr proud she was of me when
I began to get on in tlie world—und
she helped me, too, Abby did. She lent,
me Iter little savings front school-teach-
ing, and, later on, when the furm came
to her, site raised money on that to start
me in business. In there anything a
woman will not do for a man she
lores?”
At tills point, the color deepened on
tlie old gentleman's forehead nnd a
deep breath like ii sigh expanded his
glistening shirt front.
“Of course, [ paid her hack, every dol-
lar, with interest," went on his
thoughts, “and I meant to keep my
promise of marriage, too. It was Abby
herself who broke the engagement
when she found out t lint (loved another
girl better. It was the right thing. She
did not seem to tuke it mlicit to heart,
cither; hot she never married. At least
I never beard that she did. It is 25
years or more since 11 aw the old place.
There was nothing to draw me there
after Hu- old folks died. I wonder I
wonder wliat become of Abby! Dead,
probably. She would lie an old woman
if she were living—not. so very old
either. She was two years younger
Hum I, and I am not yet turned <53 —"
A clerk come in und laid a telegram
on the desk. The old gentleinnn took
it. Tlie steely look came buck to his
eyes.
The old woman in the black shawl
was still standing on the street corner.
Site looked tired and anxious, nnd the
plants in tlie basket had wilted sud-
ly. The cars looked more alike than
ever, nnd she did not dare to stop on**.
A pollremnn on tlie corner had scowled
at iter unpleasantly two or three times,
and Aunt Abby felt almost randy to
drop, what with the heat and the fa-
tigue und the, dread that the police-
man might speak to her, nnd she 1m*
hopelessly disgraced thereby.
Suddenly her face broke. Into a de-
lighted smile. A ruddy, youngish man
came hurrying up to her.
“Wall, there!" exclaimed Aunt Abby.,
as he shook hands witli her nnd kissed
her, nnd Iwgun asking questions nml
answering them all in the same breath.
in tlie station, snd then on the street
nnd wondered if the plant* would come
up again, and asked how Lucllla was,
etc.
Meantime the man hnd-plckcd up the
black satchel and the basket and hu»-
| tied Aunt Abbv good-naturedly into tha
| ear, arm the two were goae.
gotten on the floor
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Sevier, Hal. The Sabinal Sentinel. (Sabinal, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 29, Ed. 1 Saturday, October 7, 1899, newspaper, October 7, 1899; Sabinal, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1107997/m1/3/?q=central+place+railroads: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .