Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-05-10


from the yard OF poor renter naar H.
NAPLES, broke the current Of his tbouohts
JUST as he was preparing himself to meet
the worst 'i'ee'
mat you. Marthas Well, good
mornin I'm In hurry, but glad ve
spoke after all. How'd We like eoin, nm
an helpin Mrs. Sanbourn for counle
weeks or such matter, p'ra'ns lonaar,
mat Is II yer mother can spare ye IN
90 what's right by ye-two dollars a
week-lf that'll do It's most too much
Tor Mary to feed an run us all. Go right
up an help her get dinner, eff yer can
III pay ye from this mornin'."
The girl was as much astonished
as Nelgnbor Wilson had been. She had
heiped them once before in "thresb.
ing time and got only dollar for a
week hard work. Compared with this
,he present offer was dazzling. So before
her employer was many rods awav she
was off, with light heart. to helm at the
great white house.
naturally a bashful man, Farmer
1oiin as he opened the gate almost wish
ed himself at work again in the pasture
out ms mind was made up, and brush
ing the hayseed from his overalls. he re-
adjusted the old hat rolled down bis
sleeves and started in.
Inc neat appearance Of the walk and
other evidences of thrift which abounded
were not lost on the visitor. He knocked
on the door and Mrs Baldwin met him
with puzzled look on her face. but
gave HIM kindly good morning." and
when he entered Helen herself offered
nm the great armchair.
The pale face and troubled eyes of the
girl were kind enough, but something in
them sent a pang of pity into the old
mans softening heart He had ALWAYS
SAID it was only the money Will might
get that made her partial TO him, but
during the day he had thought there
might be something else, and now he
| knew there was.
Pretty fair weather for the time O
! year, he at length said, after an awk-
ward silence in which the measured tick
OF the old clock seemed to gain in vol
ume at every swing.
lie would not have said even this bad
he known what the weather was. for &
strong spring shower had been gathering
and was about to break on the cottage
A moment later it did break, and wha
to do or say next the old man did no
know
When he came in they were about t.
spread the table for dinner, and afte
some delay country manners demanded
that they should proceed. Farmer JOIN
watched them closely, hoping a thirt
plate would not make its appearance cl
the snowy cloth But it was place,
there, and when dinner was ready Mrs
Baldwin with pleasant smile aske'
him to sit up and eat with them.
In vain the old man declared he wa
not hungry-that he had just eaten
very late eakfast-and that he hadn
a very good appetite anyway. The raj
sept pouring down, and in spite Of him
self Farmer John found himself seate
at the table with Helen and her mother
AS soon as they were seated Mrs. Bale
win glanced quietly at her neighbor, an
= then proceeded to ask plain, old fast
= ioned blessing. Farmer John had aske
bessing-but that was before the me-
: barn was built-for somehow during til
hurry and worry of the time, blessing
2 were often left out, and finally droppe
altogether. To be sure they were r.
newed the spring little Ben's sleepin
place was changed from the warm rool
off the kitchen to the narrow bed in Il
old orchard, but only for a year or S
and now it was never done.
t Perhaps the old mans conscience w;
disturbed by this omission-we cam
= say as to that-but somewhere in h
? crusty heart there was lingering /
spect for those who did not omit it til
! gave them warm corner where war
corners were exceedingly scarce. N
/ can we say whether it was this or the d
/ sire to say something in the right pla
S that caused him at the close of the bles
inc to astonsh his hostess with a We
, hearty amen.
|. OF course Mrs Baldwin and her daug
ter were puzzled as to the object Of t
!. old mans visit Mrs. Baldwin thong
o possibly it was some matter of busine
= out his evident embarrassment about
j Producing it was inexplicable.
n Helen, who never thought of 10
t Sanbourn except in connection with W
). Saubourn, feared his visit BODIED no go
for the absent boy.
II But they had not long to wait.
d 81 do know but might jis' S soon
We what come for first as last. Tai
i no pleasant job, know, but felt
Il though didn't do jist light toward
- in the matter bout VIII, an want
., tell We that I'm ashamed Nv myself
5. was too hasty altogether
l. This was not exactly what he b
II meant to say, but it was all he could S;
$ and it had to do.
Il Mrs. Baldwin, greatly astonished, mi
is AGED to say that there was nothing
him to be ashamed of They always
+ lieved he did what he thought would
u for the best, and had no reason to TIL
u he had done otherwise in tins ma''
Helen was too much overcome 10 spe
u but when the old farmer extended
lh hand and asked her to overlook the {
and he would do better 10y WIN,
I'd dark eyes filed and the girllsh &c
shook with emotion,
|! Farmer John had winked back 6
many tears in his day but this prove
- little more of that kind of work u
Nv even he could manage, and one ai'er
- other the great tears rolled down
- face
II, Mrs Baldwin was about to make Sc