Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-09-07

AthSON SMllH naU Il n0DDN.
He would stand at the foot of his
~ table carving knife in hand, while
he enlarged upon the ''soulless demo-
cratic tines emphasizing his SEN
tences by brandshing the carver in air.
His next aversion to a Democrat was
an old maid. Indeed the old maid was
even more odous to him. The Demo
crat he could forgive as being n fool, but
the old maid was beyond pardon on any
grounds. And yet, as in very mockery
of his pet antipathy. his only child,
Sarah. had developed into the hated OBJ
ject, right in his own household,
Sarah was tall and angular, like her
father. but her face was pleasing, and
her disposition mild and amiable, She
had never revolted against anything in
her life-not even against the injustice
of spending her youth in making pre-
serves, apple butter or piecing quilts,
while other girls We're making merry
Sometimes Sarah wondered where her
youth had gone, but while she was 81,
she could not recall having been young.
One day Jackson Smith received a
hurt and when DR.. Brown was called
III he told Jackson his days were num-
bercd. Then 1t was that his hatred for
old maids proved itself.
'I'll never leave this place to n wom-
an that can't get husband" he said
fiercely.
"But, father, Sarah's never had no
chance we've always kept her down,
demonstrated his weeping wife.
He waved his hand to silence her
"Woman, no old maid shall inherit my
place I've sent by the doctor for Law
yer Clarke, and he'll come tomorrow
There's money enough in bank for you,
but I'll fix it so that at your death it
will 90 with the farm. Jackson Cog
gan, my namesake, shall get 1t ALL
Tearfully Mrs. Smith impaired the
facts to Sarah.
Mother, would he turn you out of
the old place just because he hates
me?" And Sarah looked incredulous.
The elder woman nodded; then Sarah
kissed the round, sunburnt face and
said: "Mother. | never have revolted
against father. but I'm going to save
the place for you'll wouldn't mind so
much, but you shall never leave your
home. I'm going out now to think 1t
over" And putting on her pink sun
bonnet she went out the back door.
When some distance from the house
she sat down in the shade of tree, and,
while her heart beat loudly over her
fathers contemplated injustice she re-
solved to outwit him.
"There's Josh Mullin; he might-but
cant bear Josh; he chews tobacco, ana
his mouth always looks dirty. Henry
Hodge Is home, but he drinks so that
there's no dependence to be put in him.
She cast her eyes over the landscape,
| md on the next farm she saw the hgure
of n man In the field. Yes, there's John
Howard. but and her face grew
plnk-'I hate somehow to ask 1t of
him" Then the tear-stained face OF her
mother nassed before her mental vision,
and giving a jerk to her sunbonnet she
started down the path across the
meadow.
John Howard was hoeing corn. When
| he saw Sarah approaching he stopped
md leaned on his hoe, look of concern
| In his face.
"Is the old man verse Sarah?' he
! asked.
"Yes; DIR. Brown says he can't live
more'n two or three days, and-oh
John. it's awful the way he Is
"Yes, but you have been good, sac
rificing daughter Sarah, and you cant
blame Yourself for anything, you--
"Oh. you don't understand, John; he's
going TO leave everything toto Jack
son Goggan. and mother'n have to
leave the place she half sobbed,
"You can't mean it, Sarah? Why
why. that would be outrageous. What
! makes him talk of such a thing?'
"Recause-because i am an old
moid: he hates old maids And her
face grew pinker than the sunponhet'
Iobn Howard shifted the hoe to the
other arm and looked down.
"John, I've come to ask you-oh'
John. don't think me brazen; It's for
motber's sake. cant stand to see her
turned out and for my fault, ana II
you will only help me and-aha-eoihe