Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

enjoy her dinner. She had always
prided herself on her hanging of skirt,
but that day her right hand had forgot
fen its cunning.
Don't worry. Doris" said Mrs. Giles
pie. putting another slice of boiled NUT
ton on the dressmaker's plate. Lay it
by till tomorrow, and begin Sarah
James school gingham.''
''Well, if you don't care" said Doris,
with look of relief. sit would be
great lift off my mind" and she ate
three pieces of mutton in her satisfac-
ton.
Did you know that Eben Doolittle
was sick?" said Mrs. Gillespie after din
ner. as she piled her basting-needle.
Doris looked up from the sewing ma
chine so quickly that keen observer
might have said she was startled, but
Mrs. Gillespie's glasses covered unsus-
pecting eyes.
They say he's threatened with a
fever. No wonder. Living alone, and
doing his own cooking and farming
both. when any man in his senses would
have hired housekeeper long ago, or
got married. which wonld have been
better still. They say he's worrying
about some payments he can't meet
next month. and, take it altogether. [
shouldn't wonder if he was pretty bad
off. Would you have this bingham
waist shirred at the top. or laid in plaits
all he way down. Doris ?''
The little dresmaker's heart was
humping so that she thought her COM
panion must hear it. But the placid
face opposite was absorbed in the plat
jngs and sbirrings.
Its all shirrings," thought poor
Doris. ''all puckered up close and tight,
and someb ody's got to cut the gather
.ug threads before things will come out
straight" (She and Eben Doolittle
had once been much more than friends.
but Fate had undertaken to do some
'shirring." and there was nobody at
hand to "cut the gathering threads."0
Doris answered Mrs. Gillespie as best
she could. and started the machine
again.
When night came she rolled up her
scissors, thimble and tape measure and
put on her things, despite Mrs. Giles
pies invitation to stay all night. Doris
wanted to be alone where she could
think hard, and the society of Sarah
Jane. who would have been her bedfe1-
low. was not conducive to contempla-
tion.
On her way home, she passed low
brown house standing back from the
road-a house dark and silent, but
which quickened her pulse by its mere
outlines.
81 wonder if the poor soul is there all
alone" thought Doris. "Any other
neighbor could run in and see after him
10 friendly way. but that's all out of
the question for mel"
When she reached home, she reused
her fire out of its all-day sluggishness,
and sat down before it without lighting
lamp. She could think better in the
dark.
Il wonder when those payments
must be made" she said to herself ssIt's
The 18th of February now"
Suddenly a twofold idea buzzed
through Doris Hilburn's brain like a
Fourth of July pin Wheel" and her
plaintive little face grew hot and rosy
in the dim. fire-lighted room
IF | only dared!" she said half
breathiessly-then with gathering
boldness. why not?. No one will ever
find it out and Eben viii not dream of nv
doing such thing. 1t may tide him over,
so he will pick up and get well. It may
be only the drop in the bucket, or it may
be the full gallon. but I'll risk it. which
ever it is
Pleasant dreams turned her humble
pillow into a cushion of down, and
draped her bare walls with the cloth OF
gold which too often. alas! must turn
10 hodden-gray with the first touch OF
dawn
But Doris cloth Of gold kept the glim-
mer Of its threads through all the nexi
day At noon she got through her din.