The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1895-10-19

days yesterday and baked it in that
queer iron drum thing. John doesn't
like the bakers bread ere. There was
beetle in the last we 'ad- "
"Ooh. you will soon grow lazee. we
shall see. "
In the course Of the next few months
something very like friendship grew
up between these two dissimilar wom-
en-. John Port was often away, up and
down the line, and Ellen became fire.
quent visitor at the house opposite 1t
was larger house than her own, but it
always appeared hopelessly crowded
The smell Of sayory meats fingered in
that house, and odors of garlic, kero-
sene oil and bad tobacco, strangely blend
ed, never loft it. The dogs and the chill
dren left bones about, to be tumbled
over and kicked into corners The
clothes Of the household seemed to have
the habit of straying and were to be
met in unexpected places. The boots
and shirts of Mr.. Gasparez, the brilliant
raiment of his wife and the battered lit
tie garments of the children had alike
no abiding city. Nothing indeed, was
in its right place. The baby was lulled
to fitful slumber in an armchair, while
a tailor, hired for the day, squatted
sewing on a child's cot Mrs Gasparez's
abundant hair was generally brushed
and oiled ON the front veranda, and the
three elder children ate strange meals
at odd hours sitting ON the floor Of any
room they happened to be in, surround
ed by servants, puppies and tame birds.
Presently Ellen tried, both by precept
and practice, to instill little order into
the chaos, but Mrs. Gasparez, stout in
a white dressing gown, only laughed at
her efforts:
"Ooh, you are veree silleel What does
it matter? Wait till the babies come to
your house, and then you will not be so
particularlee neat
Although Ellen was too courageous to
make any confessions, the cruel heat of
a Bengal summer was revelation of
terror to her. She fought the heat with
her favorite prescription of hard work
Indeed her husband. who was great
deal away, hardly realized how much
she did. She cooked and cleaned, she
mended and made clothes, she even
washed clothes sometimes, earning
thereby bitter headaches and the scorn
Of her neighbor, but a firm sense of
right sustained her.
'Just think of what I'd be doing at
'ome, john" she pleaded when her
husband noticed that her fresh face had
grown white and her light step heavy.
81 don't come out ere to spend all your
money ON living like fine lady and
yet ERE don't need to wash my own
dishes, and that Abdool is learning to
cook quite nice. e can do lots of things
already. And, as for washing, wouldn't
your sister think 'erself in clover at
'ome with a sun like this to dry and
bleach the clothes? You let me ave my
own way, John. l can't sit idle and
shall ave to be do nothing for bit
when the New Year comes. " And at
the thought her needle sped more swift.
ly through the little white garment she
was making.
John thought her looking i'll, but he
supposed it was natural and inevitable,
and she never complained.
Then the rains came-at first a re-
spite from torment, presently torment
in themselves. A clinging, penetrating
damp infected everything. The tank
overlooked, and the green garden be-
came a dismal swamp, tenanted by
} many frogs. whose barking kept Ellen
from sleeping. A broad dado of damp
showed itself OH the walls of the little
pink house, and thin film of blue mold
spread over their most cherished treas
: ures. Ellen tried stoves in vain; nothing
could get rid of what she called "mush
room SMELL. John Port had several at
tacks of fever-sharp, short attacks such
, as he had grown accustomed to anC
: thought very little of, but it was terri
, BILE to Ellen to hear him raving in de
. lirium. She attached no Importance t.
her own sufferings from neuralgia
though a spike of pain seemed to b,
piercing through her left temple anC
; was her constant attendant all day long
81 don't believe in giving in, sale
Ellen when the autumn fever smote hei
in turn, and the ground seemed to glid'
from her tired feet, and objects wer,
7 three times their right size to weary
eyes, whose very lids felt hot. Jus
think of the colds / should ave beer
getting at 'ome," she repeated. will
persistent cheerfulness. 1.-The infuenz,
again most likely, and don't you tall
nonsense about this climate being so ba(
l for me, " said Ellen to her husband.
After the first few months, afte
: health and high spirits had tagged
came terrible nostalgia, and that, too
was hidden from John Port He neve
] guessed the passion Of longing for he
own people that filed his wife's heart
and it was very rarely expressed in he
r letters home; but, none the less, it wa
$ an ever present pain.
0 my, you are looking seeded" ssi,
I Mrs. Gasparez
Q II ave little fever at night some
, times" said Ellen, but it's nothing
and l suppose it will get cooler ever.
s day now. "
r 'Ooh, yes, it will soon be albright
and have some news to tell you. M,
] sister is coming to stay with mem,
D youngest sister, Miss de Cruz "
THAT will be pleasant for you" sal,
a Ellen heartily. SIS she nice grip
y MY, yesl She is beauteel Eye
] That ~. hat~ o., l,aw ..l To-