Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1899-09-11
THE LATE MIR. KNAPP.

You see. she was such queer lfttl'
thing that we couldn't help taking he
60 our hearts At once. But there
that's Just the way with mel 1t al
ways seems TO me as If everybody
ought to know the people know. with
out any particular explanation
Well. It was just this way Thai
summer that mother and | wanted tc
paper the sitting room, though father
would have given mother his head II
she had asked for II, heads didn't count.
It was money we needed. and OF that
he had none. Then after much hard
thinking devised plan. and though
II was 3 great shock TO father and
mother At FIRST. i carried the day. and
che upsnot OF Il was that we adver-
tised for = summer boarder for our
spare room. Unless you have done
the Same thing At some awful crisis In
your life you can never for 4 moment
Imagine. Oh. reader, the awful mix
ture of hope and fear that held place
In our hearts until we received neat
ly written. briefly wordcd note. q ned
Phoebe Knapp"
Mother was taken with 1t at once,
and as she delights In all things mis-
cradle because she can make them feel
better, she was especially captlyated
by the closing sentence. which ram
Having recently met with bereave-
mont. the rest and quiet you offer Will
be = great boon to me-"
Widow. likely" sid father. as we
read this note aloud In his presence
Qor the NTH time).
''Miss or Mrs.. Katie7" asked mother
although we both knew the signature
By heart. yours sincerely, Phoebe
KNAPP"
I'm sure don't know. can't read
between tho lines" l answered. rather
nippantiy. fear.
The unknown was beginning to take
. sort OF weird possession Of me. 1t
seemed uncanny that everything
should turn upon the movements OF a
stranger whom We had never seen. and
wherever turned could not help see
lng = silent figure in long Grape veil
lifting IT. hand and commanding me
to do this or that. upon which was
already engaged.
However. We were all ready for her
It last. Al when father came from the
station and deposited upon the front
piaSaa = tiny little woman OF about 80
years Of 49,. with big. frightened gray
yves. AID delicate. sensitive features. a /
'rsaturs that would have looked small
alongside . robust child OF 10--the con-
rast between the little object and the
figure of my Imagination
vas 30 great that almost had a ut OF |
lysterics ON the spot. ! took refuge |
n flight, while mother cooed and cod
He'd the poor dear" and took her up
O her room. You see. mother was just |
n her element. while had all my no
ions to readjust to existing clrcum-
tances. My flights OF fancy will be
he death OF me some day father says.
l caught mother on the stair = mo-
ncnt ~ they were coming down and
reathed softly into her ear. Miss or
frs. -
II don't know. couldn't find out"
nawersd mother In that awful stage
'hisper Of hers that sends me nearly
lto fts whenever she tries 1t. But
ur boarder did not ssm to notice.
lade . venture on a bold stroke II
hall call her Mrs. Knapp. and then
be can correct mo II she doesn't like
/. I've always heard that 1t gives a
married woman much
reater offense to be called Miss than
does to address a single sister as
drs..' 10 here goes"
II hope you had a pleasant trip
own. M-m-." l said, pleasantly, al
wing my voice to die away on the
1t syllable ~ l found my courage
,sing out At the tip Of my tongue.
'uidn't say Mrs. Knapp after all. to
we me.
noticed with much amasement that
Their and mother avoided the pitfall
successfully as l did. during that
Ut meal. and we all went out on the
ASA after supper to enjoy the sun c
I. Here our guest set our minds at
st. !
How James would have enjoyed r
is!" exclaimed she. softly. as II half p
herself Mother nodded 20 vigor-
Ny and triumphantly behind her b
Ok that was afraid abe would mo- a
y II, and 20 FASTENED to nod In reply. S
. knew now. She was 4 widow. He
red to cit beside me and watch the Z
ting sun. oven In the city" abe went 8
softly. 1T seems terribly lonely Il
thout him. oh. II could only have
ought him out into such 4 peaceful u
zee ~ this. he might be alive now!
at last hot spell was 80 hard on him. II
houGht perhaps he had a sunstroke. t
I could not tell
Mothers eyes filled with sympathetic II