"Put up a sign by the front door that said:
'Beware of Leprosy.' That kept 'em away while it lasted."
Mrs. Armstrong laughed merrily. "I should think so," she said.
"But why leprosy, pray?"
"Oh, I was goin' to make it smallpox, but I asked Doctor Parker if
there was anything worse than smallpox and he said he cal'lated
leprosy was about as bad as any disease goin'. It worked fine
while it lasted, but the Board of Health made me take it down; said
there wan't any leprosy on the premises. I told 'em no, but 'twas
a good idea to beware of it anyhow, and I'd put up the sign just on
general principles. No use; they hadn't much use for principles,
general or otherwise, seemed so."
The lady commented on the neatness and order in the little rooms.
They were in marked contrast to the workshop. "I suppose you have
a woman come here to clean and sweep," she said.
Jed shook his head.
"No-o," he answered. "I generally cal'late to come in every little
while and clean up. Mother was always a great one for keepin'
things slicked up," he added, apologetically, "and I--I kind of
like to think 'twould please her. Foolish, I presume likely, but--
well, foolish things seem to come natural to me. Got a kind of a
gift for 'em, as you might say. I . . ."
He lapsed into silence, his sentence only begun. Mrs. Armstrong,
looking up, found him gazing at her with the absent, far-off look
that his closest associates knew so well.
Pages:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104