Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work

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While Beth and Kenneth were in the garden this sunny afternoon James

came to say that a man wanted to see "one of the politics young ladies."

"Shall we send him about his business, Beth?" asked the boy.

"Oh, no; we can't afford to lose a single vote. Bring him here, James,

please," said the girl.

So presently a wizened little man in worn and threadbare garments, his

hat in his hand, came slowly into the garden. His sunken cheeks were

covered with stubby gray whiskers, his shoulders were stooped and bent

from hard work, and his hands bore evidences of a life of toil. Yet the

eyes he turned upon Beth, as she faced him had a wistful and pleading

look that affected her strangely.

"Afternoon, miss," he said, in a hesitating voice. "I--I'm Rogers, miss;

ol' Will Rogers. I--I s'pose you hain't heerd o' me before."

"I'm glad to meet you, Mr. Rogers," replied the girl in her pleasant

voice. "Have you come to see me about the election?"

"It's--it's sump'n 'bout the 'lection, an' then agin it ain't. But I run

the chanct o' seein' ye, because we're in desprit straits, an' Nell

advised that I hev a talk with ye. 'Frank an' outright,' says Nell.

'Don't beat about the bush,' says she. 'Go right to th' point an'

they'll say yes or no."

Beth laughed merrily, and the boy smiled as he wielded his brush with

delicate strokes.

"Ye mustn't mind me, miss," said Will Rogers, in a deprecating tone.

"I'm--I'm sommut broke up an' discouraged, an' ain't th' man I used to

be. Nell knows that, an' she orter came herself; but it jes' made her

cry to think o' it, an' so I says I'll come an' do the best I kin."

Beth was really interested now.

"Sit down on this bench, Mr. Rogers," she said, "and I'll listen to

whatever you have to say."

He sat down willingly, bent forward as he rested upon the garden bench,

and twirled his hat slowly in his hands.

"'Taint easy, ye know, miss, to say some things, an' this is one o' the

hardest," he began.

"Go on," said Beth, encouragingly, for old Will had suddenly stopped

short and seemed unable to proceed.

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