Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-07-27


her. Her sister would die as she had
lived.
Ii was after ten o'clock, and he was
returning home now in high good
humor; coming along the quiet road
and talking 70 himself, rs his custom
was when greatly pleased. All had
gone well that day. His faction had
triumphed in the caucus. It was time
OF trial Party lines were slowly
weakening; party loyalty was shaken.
There had been trickery and cOrrup-
tion in our midst, admit it, We must
clear our skirts, uphold the glorious
banners Of the Right. Cor whole
sale devotion TO Principle and Right,
who so staunch as stephen Johns!)
The glorious privilege OF frcemen,
fellow-citizens" was repeating his
last and telling speech--"our glorious
privilege, repeat, il to
He stopped short as he reached his
gate. A little figure, cloaked and
hooded, going up and down the short
turf walk. confronted him.
..To-Bless me, Marcy. is that you?
How you startled me. child! thought
you were tho Woman in Black. TAX
ing constitutional, Ell? before turn
in? Mary had good days"
Mutely she pointed to the lowering
sky. .'Yes. see, clouded over. Rain
before morning, guess"
stephen. how strangely her
voice sounded!-''Stephen. it has
GOMEZ"
What; Already? The notice from
the State Committee? You see,
there'll have to be manipulation; they
want 10 have me for delegate; but It's
got to be fixed up pretty slyly. III
start for headquarters tomorrow.
The picture OF her sisters life with
this man famed up again within her.
In his bland indifference, his utter in
competence to grasp this sacred hour;
buoyantly trifing over the awful
depths where dear life had gone
down.
Abruptly then, since he would have
it so, and sternly almost. MARY died
at five; then rushing away from his
outstretched hands, and stumbling up
the stair. she took refuge in her own
room. boiling and locking her door
against his cries. Long past midnight
she heard him in loud grOans and
sobs. calling upon his darling wife,
his angel. for one Look. one word mOrc
With almost joy that his wife lay
mute and deaf to his irnploring, .Let
him call, let him cry. she said hcIf
aloud II Is his fault that she is an
angel and not woman stilli'
For a few weeks after his wifes
death it really seemed that chague
Of heart had come to stephen Johns.
He came home early from the store.
the village store 1T Holme. with "a
new and surprising interest In the
children that Mary had left to him.
Perhaps it was awakened by the sad
little train that followed her TO the
grave; perhaps ii was the whispered
and respectful sympathy Of the neigh
bors that accompanied the group.
lace and Pheeb, with baby Margaret
clinging to Aunt Margy's skirts, while
BERTHE clasped tight his fathers hand,
looking with timid, childish scrutiny
up into the blue sky overhead, with
err, they told him. his mother had
gone.
Even Marcy, shrewd observer as
she was for seventeen, almost began 10
believe wholesome change had come.
She opened her eyes wide when he suR-
gested that Pheeb's hair needed to be
cut, and showed an unwonted interest
in Tracy's sums mt night. and when
he actually 'hears' geography lcs-
son four evenings in succ ssion.
But II was but n spasn after all
His grief became an old story in the
village, and he soon dropped into his
old ways Long after the little house
hold was astir and the children had
started for school. fresh and CHEEKY he
would descend the stairs. Bless me,
Is it after nine? Hayn't time to eat a
crumb Of breakfast just a three.
minute egg and cup Of coffee. Marcy.
Don't trouble yourself, my child. Or
a chop II you have it handy"
There was no one in the village
could talk so wisely upon governments
al issues and interests. Iron! II was
only pedestal for his eloquence. In
depicting the magnificent rcsources OF
his native state, FORCES and furnaces
were as nothing to his heat; while the
kitchen stove needed met-ling sadly.
and smoke would come through the
broken pipe and bring tears 70 his
children's eyes. Railway problems,
moving OF the crops, called forth his
finest powers Of statement; but IL took
six weeks for him TO remember TO
bring home the buckwheat meal
Bridget wanted for her griddle-cakes.
Many well-sayed dollar from
Margy's three hundred year-the
sisters had inherited the same little
capital, but Mary's was gone long ago
found its way into shoes and stock
ings and creature comforts for Mary's
children.
'Is this all there Is to be Of itp''
thought Marcy. as a year went ny.
"Of life? Fire, light and clean clothes:
for there seems no room or time for
anything else"
From the designations OF picnic and
village sleighrides Miss Harding. a.
she was called in Holme, held herself |