The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1897-07-16
THRIFT.


His mother had insisted on calling
him Thrift. No one knew why she
had given him the quaint name. Then
when he was barely ? years old. she
died. She left him with great wealth
OF silent love, but that, like his name.
could not help him much. that IS. not
as far ns one can judge things. The
nelghbors said 1t was a cough that had
settled that carried her or. Proba
bly, the cough had something to do with
II. but a starved-out life Of lack OF af-
lection and hard work had good deal
more.
The neighbors also -hought that Mrs.
Watson never had much spirit. 1t
would seem as II they almost blamed
her for dying. and leaving a husband
with a child barely years old. They
had misglvlngs about the child. and
there they were right. Thrift was deaf
and dumb. His mother had struggled
against the knowledge as long as she
could. When she realized II, she kept
the knowledge TO herself with a fierce
love. But the cough came and settled
Thrills father took her death as apa-
thctlcally as he had taken her all her
life. Only Thrift seemed to realize
that fate was still against him. He lay
crying for hours alone in the little cot
tage. strapped into his cot 1t was a
weird. pathetic cry The neighbors
were kind to him. They took him in
turn to their cottages. but the element
Of teasing children and rough handling
Wa. dscordant to him. The women
meant well, but II was n hard winter
and money and tempers We're short.
Beside. Thrills baby nature was hard
to understand.
Brightness came into his life one day.
! II came in the gulse OF a little dress
maker. Jean Lawrence. She brought
him black frock. She had been busy,
so had put Off the making till she had
time. No one else thought of the little
mark OF respect 1t was a tribute to
custom. but II was the one tribute of
Mrs. Watson's llfQ
"Pulr little lamb" said Jean Law.
renee, as she came in.
Her eyes filled with quite unexpected
tears as she saw the lonely baby.
Thrift could not hear her. but some
thing sympathetic touched his under
standing. for he held out his hands.
"Puir little thing" said Jean Law
renee again. and she caught him VI
and covered him with kisses.
Then she put Thrift back in his col
and united the little black frock She
turned to go. for she was In hurry.
Thrills mood changed. His blue eye.
grew dark In the intensity of his pas
sion. He kicked and screamed Hi,
fluffy. fair hair was RULED. He looked
the picture of little demon.
"Presalrye us" said the little dress
maker 1t was the first time any exag
geration OF feeling had come into he
life. She was half fascinated and hal
terrified by this unexpected burst
"Presalrve usv' she repeated still NOR,
emphatically.
She never could explain afterwar,
what prompted her. but she stepped Il
the cot. wrapped blanket roun,
Thrift and did not stop to think III
she had deposited him safely in he
own house 1t was characteristic o
Jean Lawrence that she had never rea
sOned out why she had done this nc
ton. Certainly she never regretted II
IL was quite as easy matter to settl
the disposal OF Thrift with his father
He was only too glad to be rid of tn
burden.
The first clashing of wills occurre
over the same little black frock. Thrift
ungratefully refused to have anythin
to do with Il. Miss Lawrence was pei
picked. II would never do to dress hir
IN colors on sunday. She compr,
missed by making him white froc
with broad. black sash. IL set or tn
> Guilds fairness. but still more II salts
! fed her sense of fitness.
= Jean Lawrence always thought {
; that episode as an epoch In her If
The next epoch was the sudden resoly
Of Thrills father TO go to Americ,
e Jean Lawrence lived In a state OF tel
r sion tn he had sailed. 1t seemed II
. credible to her that he could wish
: leave his boy behind She only sa'
/ the extreme deslrahility of Thrift
e any manner aud way. Thrills faith,
d did not
n II was soon after this that Jea
y I.awrence's old lover returned to h
II native village. This caused mo-
thought in the village than Jean he
T. self gave to IL. Ii was ten years sim
John Forbes and she had been going
be married. and ten years is long tin
T. IN n woman's life. Since Thrift IA.
:. entered her life she was utterly obi
ious Of anything except her work II
II more money she made the more s.
could do for little Thrift.
Jean Lawrence had always kept
IN herself. and no one knew why she al
John Forbes had never married.
Her old mother was alive then, a