Susan Clegg and Her Friend Mrs. Lathrop | Page 8

do 't I never was one to fancy cobwebs about me.
They say 't every cloud has a silver linin', but I can't see no silver linin'
to a night like last night. When the rooster crowed f'r the first time this
mornin', I had it in my heart to march right out there 'n' hack off his
head. If it 'd 'a' been Saturday, I'd 'a' done 't too, 'n' relished him good at

Sunday dinner!"
Miss Clegg paused and compressed her lips firmly for a few seconds;
then she gave herself a little shake and descended to the main question
of the day.
"Well, what did Jathrop say?"
Mrs. Lathrop looked very uncomfortable indeed, and in lieu of an
answer swallowed her clover.
"You asked him, didn't you?"
"Yes, I--"
"Well, what 'd he say?"
"He ain't very--"
"My soul 'n' body! What reason did he give?"
"He's afraid your father's livin' on a annu--"
"Well, he ain't." Susan's tone was more than a little displeased.
"Whatever else father may 'a' done, he never played no annuity tricks.
He 's livin' on his own property, 'n' I'll take it very kindly o' you, Mrs.
Lathrop, to make that piece o' news clear to your son. My father's got
bank-stock, 'n' he owns them two cottages across the bridge, 'n' the
blacksmith-shop belongs to him too. There! I declare I never thought o'
the blacksmith,--his wife died last winter."
"Jathrop asked me what I th--"
"Well, what 'd you tell him?"
"I said 't if your father was some older--"
Miss Clegg's eyebrows moved understandingly.

"How long is it since you've seen father?" she asked without waiting
for the other to end her sentence.
"Not since your mother died, I guess; I was--"
"I wish you c'd come over 'n' take a look at him now 'n' tell me your
opinion. Why can't you?"
Mrs. Lathrop reflected.
"I don't see why I can't. I'll go in 'n' take off--"
"All right, 'n' when you've got it off, come right over 'n' you'll find me
in the kitchen waitin' for you."
Mrs. Lathrop returned to her own house to shed her apron and wash her
hands, and then sallied over to view Mr. Clegg. The two friends
mounted the stair together, and entered the old man's room.
It was a scrupulously clean and bright and orderly room, and the
invalid in the big white bed bore evidence to the care and attention so
dutifully lavished on him. He was a very wizened little old man, and
his features had been crossed and recrossed by the finger of Time until
their original characteristics were nearly obliterated. The expression
upon his face resembled nothing so much as a sketch which has been
done over so many times that its first design is altogether lost, and if
there was any answer to the riddle, it was not the mental perception of
Mrs. Lathrop that was about to seize upon it.
Instead, that kindly visitor stood lost in a species of helpless
contemplation, until at last a motion of Susan's, directed towards the
ordering of an unsightly fold in the wide smoothness of the
counterpane, led to her bending herself to do a similar kindness upon
her side of the bed. The action resulted in a slight change in her
expression which Susan's watchfulness at once perceived.
"Was it a needle?" she asked quickly. "Sometimes I stick 'em in while
I'm sewin'. You see, his havin' been paralyzed so many years has got

me where I'm awful careless about leavin' needles in his bed."
"No," said Mrs. Lathrop; "it wasn't a--"
"Come on downstairs again," said the hostess; "we c'n talk there."
They went down into the kitchen, and there Mrs. Lathrop seated herself
and coughed solemnly.
"What is it, anyhow?" the younger woman demanded.
Mrs. Lathrop coughed again.
"Susan, did I feel a feather--"
"Yes," said Susan, in great surprise; "he likes one."
"I sh'd think it was too hot this--"
"He don't never complain o' the heat, 'n' he hates the chill o' rainy
days."
Mrs. Lathrop coughed again.
Miss Clegg's interest bordered on impatience.
"Now, Susan, I ain't sayin' as it's noways true, but I have heard as
there's them 's can't die on--"
"On feathers?" cried the daughter.
"Yes; they say they hold the life right in 'n'--"
Miss Clegg's eyes opened widely.
"But I couldn't take it away from him, anyhow," she said, with a
species of determined resignation in her voice. "I'd have to wait 'till he
wanted it took."

Mrs. Lathrop was silent. Then she rose to go. Susan rose too. They
went out the kitchen door together, and down the steps. There they
paused to part.
"Do you believe 't it 'd be any use me thinkin' o' Jathrop any