The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-04-25
THE NEWS FROM PETERsHAM.

Mrs. Peak had been to Petersham
herself, to spend Thanksgiving with her
niece, and brought the first account of
old MIR. JohnSon's illness.
Mrs. Jesse johnson. his daughter-in-
law, had come in for few minutes
Thursday afternoon, and had said it
was the first me since she could re-
member that the old gentleman had not
been in his seat in church on Thanks
giving Day. And they all felt as if it
were a great break.
HE would insist upon setting at the
table," said Mrs. Jesse, '.but he looked
too feeble to be out of his bed. These
bad colds take hold of a man of his
years"
After the visitor had gone Mrs. Peak
and her niece Martha had talked a good
deal about the changes in the family
which would be sure to come when Mr..
johnson died.
81 know that Jesse's folks are de-
pending upon getting a lift" said
Martha. "Mis' jesse has limited as
much to me more than once, for she
says Jesse's got more than he can carry
in his business, and everything would
be easy if he only had little more
cap tai. Truth is. / have an idea that
he teased good share away from his
father now, and the old gentleman isn't
so ready as he used to be 20 further his
projects. And there's William, his
other son, know it TO be fact that he
is intending TO 90 out West when his
fathers taken away. HS has had no
ton of it for good while; his wife's
sisters folks are all out there and do
. ing welt"
They'll he very much missed as a
family" said Mrs. Peak; show Peters
ham has changed from what it was when
/ was girl!'
When she went home the next day
she was quite downhearted, and told
Asa Fales, who happened to be in at the
depot when the train came in and Of
fered to carry her home, that old Mr..
Daniel johnson was breaking up-at
least. SO his family seemed 10 think.
Asa Fales was deeply concerned; the
two villages were only few miles
apart and he had been Petersham
boy. ltwas old Mr.. johnson to whom
he owed his rise in the world, and he
remembered that he might never have
owned this flourishing country store if
it had not been for this kin friend s
assistance.
Pesides, he had been confident of Mr..
,Johnson's support--if he could make
up his mind to buy a large tract of
wood and which would pay well for
being cleared the very next winter. He
was already indebted to him. however.
and it would be a very different thing if
he wee the debtor of the eager heirs.
SO with al this in his mind he ques-
toned Mrs. Peak. anxiously. and they
concluded that Mr.. Johnson's end was
mo- far distant.
''Of course he made great effort to
get to the table on account of its being
Thanksgiving" said Asa, sorrowfully,
..but l m afraid he'll give right up now.
I'd ride over to see him to morrow. but
L can't get away. IT'S right in my lsy
time; I'm buy ng up a great deal of
wood this fall. and some of 'em are
brin !ing it in now on wheels instead of
waiting for snow
1.-The snow does keep off late this
year, said Mrs. Peak. "Here it's the
first o December, and there's only been
one urry that was hardly more than a
hoar-frost."
They had reached the little gray house
behind the lilac-bushes, where Mrs. Peak
lived alone. ami as she unlocked its side
door and went in, it seemed strangely
cold and lonely.
must look about for lively kit
ten" she said TO herself; "they're
s ght of company. and what trouble it
ga would be no harm. 1 declare it
makes me ieel lonesome; all the olks |
have always been used to knowing seem
TO be dying off. 1 always set good
deal by Daniel johnson.
Two neighbors looked up the road a
little later than this throug III their kitch-