The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1899-06-24


dlstilling sweetness from Abigail
Wray's clove-pinks and sweet will
Jams, and the girl sang gayly at her
work, as she put the coffee and hot
graham gems on the table, and nodded
to her father coming in from the fields,
with his blackribboned straw hat in
his hand.
"Well, puss." said the farmer, with a
smile, chow did you enjoy yourself last
might, listening to this fine new Tee
turer?"
'Oh. so much, fatherr' cried Abigail.
~'The hall was crowded, and l don't
know whether we all cried or laughed
Dftenest Oh. father" she added, what
a grand thing it must be to be able to
move peoples hearts like that!'
"Humph!" said Ellhu Wray. 'In my
time women used to stay at home and
mind the house and look after their
children, instead of going tramping
around the country giving lectures"
"But Miss Perceval has neither hus-
band nor children. father" urged Abb
gail. And don't suppose she has any
home to look after"
Miss Perceval? That's her name,
is it?"
Father, wish you'd go to hear herr
cried eager Abigail. I'm sure she'd
make you laugh and cry, too! You
couldn't help it. She isn't pretty, you
see, but she has such an expressive
face, with bright, sparkling eyes like
"A birdsv'
81 knew a woman once" slowly ut
tered Wray. who took to speechifying
in public. Nobody would have thought
1t of her, ether-the quietest, shyest
little thing In the world. But there is
mo accounting for women. l never
heard her, but I'm told she made sue
cess of it, Her name was Daggett."
Father, you'll go with me tonight,
won't your" coaxed Abigail. IDOL Just
TO please me. do so want you to hear
Miss Perceval. John Tracy-he's on
che committee, you know-he says they
pay her fifty dollars night. She must
have deal of money laid up. Oh,
wish l had a talent like that!''
tut. tut. my little glrlv' said the
farmer as he sprinkled sugar over his
heaping saucer of blueberries. 81 don't
wish it at all. What should l do If you
went lecturing half over the continent
and left me here alone?"
But, father, | must leave you some
time" reasoned Abigail. Every girl
does"
Then you're not going to become a
little old maid for my sake. eh, puss p
Abigail laughed, shot roguish
glance at him from beneath the dark
curtain of her eyebrows. and shook her
head.
"Ail girls marry. father" she said.
''Your Miss Perceval hasn't got mar
rIed, it seems"
''No, father. She can do better"
Don't you believe that my girl
said Mr.. Wray. "There is no better
fortune In all the world than to marry,
ff you can marry the person you love-"
Getting sentimental?' Abigail ask.
ed, clapping her plump hands.
at amt sentiment. child. It's com
mon sense" sturdily maintained Wray.
Father" abruptly spoke Abigail
~<Tve often wondered why you did not
marry again"
-IT' He looked up In amazement.
Because" added the girl, mother
never was much of a companion for
you. She was always sick and COM
planning, and she didn't care for books,
as you did, and she fretted at every lit.
tie thing. until | used to wonder at
your patience with her. Oh, you see
4 noticed all these things, child though
you thought l was. And she told me
once"
She checked herself abruptly. Wray
Cooked at her with grave surprise.
Told you what, Abigall?"
81 don't know whether ought to re-
peat 1t, father" said Abigail, coming
around to his side and resting her
clasped hands lightly on his shoulder
at was the day before she died; and
she told me lots of things, besides
that l did not know. She said she new.
er had any real right to your heart
that you never had cared for her, and
that she didn't deserve that you should
and that there was another girl"
There, puss. there" said the farm
er, with a strange culver in his sterr
eyelid. Mother was Eighty toward the
last. Wen forget these things"
"But. father. IL It's Lucia Lee-as
mistrust 1t Island If you'd be any hap
pier married to her. 1 won't make any
trouble" pleaded Abigail. 'I'l be the
best stepdaughter In the world; only
want you to be happy. father"
We'll, II isn't Lucia Lee" said Mr.