Mrs. Wilson Woodrow

“ But perhaps its meaning, its hold upon the affections, and its place in the life of Zenith are more clearly presented in the words of Mrs. Thomas, than by any contradictory and halting descriptions.
"How'd ever us poor women bear our lives without the Aid Society?" she asked Frances indignantly. "It gives us somethin' to dress up for, once a week, an' somethin' to sharpen our wits on an' loosen our tongues over, at the same time. Besides, we're a-doin' for the heathen in the uttermost parts of the earth, an' the poor that's always with you—when you don't set the dog on 'em." ”

“ You've always been slack with your rent, and I've never pressed you, as I might another, seein' as you're Sile's sister; but my stock of patience is about used up. You've got a house full of lodgers, an' every one of 'em working, an' there ain't no reason why you should hold back the rent on me.'"
"'The boys is havin' bad luck,' she says, sort o' sullen.
"'Bad luck nothin'!' I says. 'They've been workin' in the best payin' mines around. If they've had any bad luck, it's playin' faro. ”

“ And why do you think that is so?" lifting his head and fixing her with his piercing gaze. "Because they are no shams. They live and act from within. They are natural. Why, did ye know"—with a touch of pride—"that I am the only person in Zenith that little Angel will have anything to do with? She and I wander over the hills all day sometimes. She won't have Campbell about," with a chuckle. "Her mother says she's to go to Sunday school." He gave a great laugh.
"Well, why not?" asked Frances coldly. ”

“ Evans. "Mis' Thomas, will you see to the tea and coffee. Everything's ready on the lower shelf and the kittle's boilin'. Which will you take, Missioner? Tea. Mis' Thomas, make a specially nice cup for Missioner. Well," drawing a long breath, "I suppose you've heard about my trouble with Sile, girls?"
Mrs. Thomas groaned as she poured the coffee and passed the cups. Mrs. Landvetter sighed and counted her stitches lugubriously; but Mrs. Nitschkan threw her head back with an habitual, devil-may-care gesture:
"Gosh A'mighty! what does that matter?" she cried. "Dogs an' men is just alike. ”

“ Nitschkan. "The last time we was sewin' on those duds for worse heathen than ourselves, the Bishop, he says to me, 'Don't look so down in the mouth, Mis' Nitschkan, you're doin' the Lord's work.' 'Well,' I says, 'I ain't so sure of it. If it's the Lord's work for a woman to set all day an' stick a needle in an' out of a piece o' goods, why, I'm boun' to disagree with him.'"
"You vas born to disagree, Nitschkan," said Mrs. Landvetter, from the rocking chair before the stove, where she had deposited her huge bulk. ”

“ Well, you know what men are, and you know just how easy one man can get around another, an' you all know that men ain't got no more sense than children, for all they're as obstinate as mules. Well, where are we now? So deep in debt at the store that I'm ashamed to show my face. But what can you expect? Sile hadn't no bringin' up to speak of. You all know what his folks was. I read him the family pedigree good an' strong the night we quit."
"What did he do?" asked Mrs. Nitschkan, leaning forward eagerly, "hit you?" ”

“ Evans eagerly, "is it true that Sile's up bachin' on Corona, in old man Beebee's cabin, an' that he's gone to work at the Mont d'Or?"
"Yes," affirmed Frances, since no one else seemed to know. "It must be. I saw him going to work this morning. He—he—doesn't look very happy."
"I hope he ain't," said Mrs. Evans emphatically. "He don't deserve to be." ”

“ Evans," murmured Frances.
"Aw, men are the deuce, ain't they?" advanced Mrs. Thomas philosophically. "Best let 'em alone, if you can, only that ain't so easy. And yet," generously, "they're sort o' nice, too. Gentlemen have always been very kind to me, 'ceptin' poor Seth, of course; but then, you can't hardly call husbands 'gentlemen,' can you?"
Gaining the village, the ladies paused to pick up Mrs. Nitschkan and Mrs. ”