Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-05-09
NO. 1908.

Friend Mary Minton stood at the kitchen
table kneading the bread, snowy cap
surrounding her sweet old face like sort
of working day halo, a white apron tied
around her ample waist. At sixty her
color was as fresh as that of girl, her
eyes blue as the blue heavens above.
Ezra, her adopted son-Friend Minton
and his wife had been childless-had just
brought in a basket of russell apples, the
very last in the corner bin of the barn eel
lar He leaned against the kitchen win
dow, playing nervously with the big, vel
vety leaves of the monster fish geranium
that blossomed there. He was a tall,
manly looking young fellow, with clear
brown eyes, fresh complexion and hair
that grew in curly mat all over his head.
Friend Mary IS glance softened as she looked
at him. 1t was evident that he was the
very apple Of her eye.
"Why not, mother" said he. 81 know
the village gossips don't like the Calverly
family; but you're not one of the gossip
ing kind"
"She's very young, Ezra" meditatively
answered Friend Mary, land very pretty"
ooh, if you call those crimes'-
wait a minute, Ezra; thee has not
heard me out. regret deeply that instead
of going to live with Friend Warburton,
the minister's wife, she has preferred to
enter the factory, where there are so many
giddy girls and careless young men,"
"But the pay was so much better,
mother"
"Man doth not live by bread alone,'"
oracularly answered Friend Mary. "Thee
has been carefully brought up, Ezra. Thee
must consider what is right and seemly in
the way of matrimony. Thy father and
would break our hearts if thee went wrong
after all our hopes and prayers"
II trust 1 never shall do that, mother"
But thee must remember, Ezra, how
powerful an influence the wife exerts over
the husband"
Mother, are you very much set against
Eveline Calverly?"
Friend Mary hesitated for moment.
81 think it would break my heart, Ezra, "
she answered, ''if thee were to wed with a
daughter of Heth, like Eveline."
'Then that settles the question:" said
Ezra quickly "You have done everything
for me, mother. l was houseless, home.
less, friendless when you took me in and
cared for me, and should be an migrate
indeed to turn against your wishes now.
But, mother, let me go away for awhile
Let me go to Uncle Aaron, out in Mon.
tana, until-until get over this"
Friend Mary lifted her tender blue eyes
with pitying light to his face.
SIS it so hard with thee as that, my
SOM" said she. "Oh, I am sorryl IL
could almost find it in my heart"-
although" he interrupted, with a
forced laugh, "I'm not by any means SC
certain that Evelne would have me, even
If l asked her. Gerard Winthrop is going
there a good deal of late"
"Yes," quietly spoke Friend Mary, who
by this time had patted her white, firm
loaves into shape in their shining oblong
pans, all ready for the oven, land that is
one thing l do not like. He is interested,
they tell me, in great lottery scheme; he
is the agent for company down south.
The factory young people have bought
tickets. Eveline among the rest"
Mother, l can hardly believe that"
"The superintendent himself told me,
Ezra" said Friend Mary, closing the oven
door with a gentle click. "He regretted
exceedingly that Winthrop had gained
such a footing there. Yes, my son, per-
haps thee had better go to Brother Aaron
for few months. Thee needs change"
So Ezra Minton decided to take the step
that seemed like wrenching soul and body
apart. Friend Mary counted out his socks,
saw to the buttons on his shirts, refined
the little leather trunk with pretty paper
and shed few tears into the neat box of
handkerchiefs as she packed them away.
IF Montana were not such distance
off," she sighed to herself. ''Or if he could
go any other way except by those dreadful
flying trains! Thank goodness, l never
was on one, and, please heaven, l never
will bel To me it seems little short of a
tempting of Providence"
She sat sorrowfully in the chimney cor
ner on the evening of Ezra's departure
pairing the russell apples to make a dish OF
apple sauce. How loud the kitchen clock
tickedi How lonely the great silent room
seemedi
Il think did right" she said to herself,
land yeti
Hushl There was knock at the door.
The minister's wife perhaps, or Janet
Golbe, the old carpet weaver who lived
under the mountain, come to borrow the
dye kettle.
Come in, friend, whoever thee may be, y
said Friend Mary.
And Eveline Calverly entered the room,
looking, under her little daisy trimmed
bonnet, like veritable daisy herself
Are you alone, Mrs. Minton?" said she,
glancing timidly around. "Oh, want to
talk to you SO much''
II am alone, Eveline," said the widow,
her heart involuntarily warming toward
the pretty, fowerlike young thing whom
Ezra had cared for. But if thee does not
mind, thee may call me Friend Mary 1t
sounds more suitable in my earsn
IF it isn't too familiar" faltered Eve
line "You see, wanted to talk to some
one On whom could depend. II have
got lottery ticket here" showing the
white CLEAN of a strip of paper in her
hand ''Thsy coaxed me to buy it, and