At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern

Smi

ppily in her improvised stable. Harlan had christened the cow "Maud" because she insisted upon going into the garden, and though

to improve generally his local habitation is as firmly seated in the masculine nature as housewifely characteristic

p. Indeed, as Harlan said, they were obliged to sleep when the chickens did-if they slept at all. So it was not yet seven one morning when Dorothy went i

rdon?" she stamm

ward in her chair, without making an effort to rise, and reached forth a black-gloved

adam," Dor

gard to your requirements. While she is naturally unwilling to commit herself entirely without a more definite idea of what is expected of her, she is none the less kindly dis

salutations to the distinguished author whose wi

ectful and obe

iah Br

"you're Sarah. I had

it's better for us to begin callin' each other by our proper names. If we should get friendly,

ell, Mrs. Smithers," she returned, lightly, reflecting that when in Rome one mu

irection," replied Mrs. Smithers, harshly. "I doesn't al

distinctly encouraging, fro

a cap, I

n'. When I goes out

Dorothy, hastily, perceiving that s

uncle was never one to fill hisself with fancy dishes days

you have, Sa-

each other so long, and on account of 'im bein' easy to get along with and nev

othy, trying to be dignified. "I daresay w

ng the question, "there's a few things I'd like

swered Dorothy, unwillingly,

ed Mrs. Smithers. "Y

rr, sternly, "it was

n't doin' nothink to it. If you disturb a rockin'-chair at night w'en it's restin' quiet, you'll get your ankle

t please 'im, 'e 'd 'it 'er somethink orful. Many's the time I've gone there and found 'er with 'er poor face all cut up and the crockery broke bad. 'I dropped a cup' 'er'd say to me, 'and the pieces flew

hey'd 'ad in the doctor to take a seam in it. From that time on I never 'eard of no more cups bein' dropped and 'er face looked quite human and peaceful like w'en 'e died. God rest 'is soul, 'e ain't a-breakin' no tea sets

a thing will happen." She was swayed by two contradictory impulses-one

eel no call to wear mourning for 'im more 'n a year, though folks thinks as 'ow it brands me as 'eartless for takin' it off inside of

ered Dorothy, reassuringl

santly, came out into the sunlight, brandishing his plumed tail, and sat d

mithers, hoarsely, "wot your unc

ed Dorothy, a chill cr

upon Claudius Tiberius. "'E killed that very cat, 'e did,

be severe. "If he killed the cat, it

ur uncle not bein' able to abide cats, and 'ere 'e is. Somebody 's dug 'im up, and 'e 's come to life again, thinkin' to 'aunt your uncle

o hear no more of this nonsense. The cat happens t

askin', but did you bring that

out, followed by Claudius Tiberius

erself. "'E was 'ere w'en 'er come, and 'e's the same

half-way between smiles

s come?" he asked. "From your tone, it might be Mrs.

e way," rejoined Dorothy.

maid of a

he atmosphere of a graveyard. We have to call her 'Mrs. Smithers,' if we don't want her to call us by our first names, and she has two dollars

d Harlan, indignantly

can't expect all the virtues for two dollars a week and I'm tired almost to death from trying to do the housework in th

ponded Harlan, admiringl

w-I'll go in

rs, before Dorothy had a chance to s

ooms wer

ivate door outside. Your uncle was allers a great hand for bein' private and insistin' on other folks

y, "take your old rooms.

gainst the stake, "not as a regler thing, I ain't, but wotever I'm asked to do in the line of duty whiles I'm dwellin' in this sufferin'

seven," went on Dorothy, quickly; "

ded Mrs. Smithers,

Dinner

uncle allers 'ad 'is dinner at one o'clock, sharp, and 'e would

orothy reminded her sharpl

id. "On account of the cat 'avin come back from 'is grave, it wouldn't surprise me none to see your uncle settin' 'ere at any time in 'is shroud, and a-askin

e about dead people, or resurrected cats, or anything of that nature. W

iberius paraded somewhat ostentatiousl

ll-concealed satisfaction. "Wot's gone ain't

r," she said to Harlan, "I don't know how we're going to stand having that woman in the house. S

n, tenderly, stroking her soft cheek

f crape off her head, she'll seem more nearly human. Do yo

s Ca

orway of the kitchen and the high, harsh

tone there was that which instinctively impels obedienc

is you're layin' out to 'ave for you

ight's cold potatoes warmed ov

esponse resembled a cluck mo

ts, can't you?" went

ng your parding, Miss, but is that there feller

yard," said Dorothy,

, dropping a fork. "I understood as 'ow you was,

to him," answered Dorothy,

'usband; the one wot broke the tea set wot I give 'er

week at the latest, should witness the forced departure of Mrs. Smithers. Mrs. Carr realised that the woman did not intend

With the best intentions in the world, Dorothy's cooking nearly always went

"get on with her if you can. Anybody who can make such biscui

arked Dorothy, "that I've decided to spend the afternoon in the library reading Poe. I've alway

neezer's easy chair with a well-thumbed volume of Poe, finding a two-dollar bill used in one place as a

with Uncle Ebeneezer. The paragraph about the skull, in the tree above the treasure, had evidently filled the l

toward things not of this world. "I'm glad I'm not superstitious," she thought, t

ck into her place. "I'll let that old

shoulders quite lost in the secret depths of the kitchen range. "I wonder," she was muttering, "whe