CHAPTER XIV

newAbelwasaway,butthedreadfuloldcreaturewhowasscrubbingthekitchenfloortoldhimCissywouldn’tseeanyone.TheoldcousinhaddiedandRoaringAbelhadhadtwoorthreedisreputablehousekeepers—theonlykindwhocouldbeprevailedontogotoahousewhereagirlwasdyingofconsumption.ButthelastonehadleftandRoaringAbelhadnownoonetowaitonCissyand“do”forhim.ThiswastheburdenofhisplainttoValancyandhecondemnedthe“hypocrites”ofDeerwoodanditssurroundingcommunitieswithsomerich,meatyoathsthathappenedtoreachCousinStickles’earsasshepassedthroughthehallandnearlyfinishedthepoorlady.WasValancylisteningtothat? Valancyhardlynoticedtheprofanity.Herattentionwasfocussedonthehorriblethoughtofpoor,unhappy,disgracedlittleCissyGay,illandhelplessinthatforlornoldhouseoutontheMistawisroad,withoutasoultohelporcomforther.AndthisinanominallyChristiancommunityintheyearofgracenineteenandsomeodd! “DoyoumeantosaythatCissyisallalonetherenow,withnobodytodoanythingforher—nobody?” “Oh,shecanmoveaboutabitandgetabiteandsupwhenshewantsit.Butshecan’twork.It’sd——dhardforamantoworkhardalldayandgohomeatnighttiredandhungryandcookhisownmeals.SometimesI’msorryIkickedoldRachelEdwardsout.”AbeldescribedRachelpicturesquely. “Herfacelookedasifithadworeoutahundredbodies.Andshemoped.Talkabouttemper!Temper’snothingtomoping.Shewastooslowtocatchworms,anddirty—d——ddirty.Iain’tunreasonable—Iknowamanhastoeathispeckbeforehedies—butshewentoverthelimit.Whatd’yesp’oseIsawthatladydo?She’dmadesomepunkinjam—haditonthetableinglassjarswiththetopsoff.Thedawggotuponthetableandstuckhispawintooneofthem.Whatdidshedo?Shejesttookholtofthedawgandwrungthesyrupoffhispawbackintothejar!Thenscrewedthetoponandsetitinthepantry.Isetsopenthedoorandsaystoher,‘Go!’Thedamewent,andIfiredthejarsofpunkinafterher,twoatatime.ThoughtI’ddielaughingtoseeoldRachelrun—withthempunkinjarsrainingafterher.She’stoldeverywhereI’mcrazy,sonobody’llcomeforloveormoney.” “ButCissymusthavesomeonetolookafterher,”insistedValancy,