The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1895-04-25

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variety Of emotions. few slseptical
souls pretended not 20 believe IL, but
they were in hopeless minority, and
the subject was discussed In all its
bearings. The Atkinses had suddenly,
and by no effort of their own, become
very important citizens. Mrs. Smith,
the wife of one of the ministers, told
the ladies In the sewing society
that she thought II shame that none
of them ever went TO see the Atkinses
They've got souls 10 save IL they air
pore, she added. judiciously overlook
ing the fact that report said they were
no longer beggars. Mrs Kelly, the
lady who had avowed her intention of
never helping them again, looked quite
abashed, and secretly resolved to sen6
Mrs Atkins a pitcher OF buttermilk
that very evening.
;ext morning Mrs. Atkins hersel;
set forth for visit TO Johnson's store.
entirely unaware of the rumor that
was abroad. She entered the place
rather timidly and in q very apologetic
tone asked for pound of bacon, a lit
tie coffee and box OF snuff, adding. as
was her invariable rule, that she would
! pay for the things as soon as berries
| gifts ripe" AS Mrs. Atkins had made
this same promise every time she had
| entered the store, there was no reason
why il should have particularly i'm
pressed Mr.. johnson; yet he seemed de-
| lighted, and hastily produced the things
she wished, but in much more generous
| quantities. How would you like a nice
ham?" he asked, holding up the article
in question. Mrs. Atkins hesitated.
She was as honest as her limited
means would permit, so she shook her
head, saying he would get tired of
waiting for his pay. mo, indeed he
! insisted; take your own time to pay
for it. | don't mind waiting a bit on
good customer" Thus urged Mrs.
! Atkins took the ham. and added several
| unaccustomed luxuries to her list. He
would not allow her to carry the
things, but sent them in his delivery
wagon, and gave her at parting a po-
lite ''call again" Mrs. Atkins went
home in a truly astonished state of
mind, related her remarkable adven-
ture TO the old man and the children,
and wound up by declaring that Jim
| Johnson's been converted, and know
it, else he never would have did it."
The Atkinses enjoyed a square meal
that morning, the first in many a
weary day.
The two churches-there were only
two in the town-seemed to vie with
each other in paying delicate atten-
tions to the hitherto neglected family.
| To be just, the two ministers and their
wives had endeavored to induce the
Atllinses to Join the church." but
their efforts had not been crowned
with success, largely, it seemed, be-
cause Mrs. Atkins and Mandy, the
oldest girl, had "nothin' to wear"
But now the other ladies of the church
developed sudden interest in the
matter, and upon receiving the usual
reply one of them boldly asked:
We'll, why don't you git dress at
Boothby's? He'll wait till you git the
money" Mrs Atkins, who was getting
a little accustom ed to her unexpected
turn of good luck, plucked up heart
to go to Boothby's, the largest dry
goods and general merchandise" store
in the place, and, though somewhat un-
certain of her reception, managed to
express desire for certain purple
calico toward which her heart had n
clined, but which she had never
dreamed of possessing. Mr.. Booth5y
was most affable; certainly she could
have the goods. and anything else she
wished. A pink calico for Mandy
was added, and the enterprising mer-
chant succeeded in pressing upon the
bewildered woman various articles of
adornment entirely unsuitable to her,
but of which he had found some trouble
in disposing.
Thus it went on. Mandy and her
mother became regular church goers,
arrayed in their elegant new caliCoes,
and even the old man had n new suit
of store clothes" sold him on time
and somewhat against his will by an
accommodating merchant of the town.
In vain the Atkinses protested that
they did not know when they could
pay for all these luxuries; these gen.
erous friends smilingly waved aside
all such scruples and protested that
they were perfectly willing to wait,
Thus the winter passed, the Atkinses
daily growing in favor. 1t had been a
hard season, but, thanks to the indul-
gence of their now numerous friends,
they Jared well, and the oldest boy had
position that enabled him to earn a
little.
Spring came, and with il the pen
sion officer came to the town again.
He stopped at Johnson's store one day
to purchase some cigars, and that
smiling merchant took occasion to
question him n little. when Is ole
Bill Atkins goin' to get his pepsion?"
he asked.
"Atkins-Bill Atkins? / don't re-
member anyone of that name. Oh,
yes, you mean that old half-blind fell
low that lives at the end of the town.
Why, he won't have any pension at all.
He applied, and | examined the case
when | was here before. His blindness
has nothing TO do with his war service.
There is no reason in the world why he
should have pension. lie has known
ever since was here last fall that he
wouldn't be allowed anything
SO saying, the pensiou-man paid for
his cigars and strolled out of the store;
but the silver lay unnoticed on the
counter. Mr.. Johnson stood with his
mouth wide oren and his eyes staring
at acancy.-Lippincott's Magazine.
What lie Supposed.