The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1899-11-30
THE LATE MIR. KNAPP.

tnatS Just the way Win me! IL u
ways seems to me as If everybody
ought to know the people 1 know, with
out any particular explanation.
Well, it was just this way. That
that mother and l wanted to
paper the sitting room, though father
would have given mother his head II
she had asked for 1t, heads didn't count,
it was money WI needed, and of that
he had none. Then after much hard
thinking I devised a plan, and though
it was a great shock to father n
mother at first, l carried the day, n
the upshot of it was that we adver-
tised for a summer boarder for our
spare room. Unless you have done
the same thing at some awful crisis in
your life you car never for a moment
imagine. Oh, reader, the awful mix
ture of hope and fear that held place
in our hearts until we received a neat
ly written, briefly worded note, siLned
phoebe Knapp"
Mother was taken with it at once,
and as she delights in all things mis-
cradle because she can make them feel
better, she was especially captivated
by the closing sentence, which ran:
Having recently met with a bereave-
ment, the rest and quiet you offer. Will
be a great boon to me-"
Widow, likely" said father, as we
read this note aloud in his presence
(for the fifth time).
Miss or Mrs, Katie?" asked mother.
although we both knew the signature
by heart. yours sincerely, Phoebe
Knapp"
I'm sure I don't know. I can't read
between the lines" l answered, rather
hippantly, I fear.
The unknown was beginning to take
a sort Of weird possession of me. 1t
seemed uncanny that everything
should turn upon the movements of a
stranger whom we had lever seen, and
wherever l turned l could not help see
ing a silent figure in a long Grape veil
lifting it's hand and commanding me
to do this or that, upon which I was
already engaged.
However, we we're all ready for her
at last, and when father came from the
0tdIIOI ulu uCpOo1IOu upOA AN ~
piazza a tiny little m of about SO
years of age, with big, frightened gray
eyes, and delicate, sensitive features, a
creature that would have looked small
alongside a robust child of 10-the con-
trast between the little object and the
commanding figure of my imagination
was so great that l almost had a fit OF
Mysteries on the spot. l took refuge
in flight, while mother cooed and cod
died the poor dear" and took her up
to her room. YoG see, mother was just
in her element, while l had all my no
lions to readjust to existing circum-
stances. My flights of fancy will be
the death of me some day, father says.
I caught mother on the stair a mo-
ment as they wers coming down and
breathed softly into her ear, Miss or
Mrs. ?"
II don't know. I couldn't find out, -
answered mother in that awful stage
whisper of hers that sends me nearly
into fits whenever she tries it. But
our boarder did not seem to notice. ]
made a venture on a bold stroke. 81
shall call her Mrs. Knapp, and then
she can correct me if she doesn't like
it. I've always heard that it gives
middle-aged married woman much
greater offense to be called Miss thar
it does to address a single sister as
Mrs. SO here goes"
81 hope you had a pleasant triI
down, M-m-," / said, pleasantly, al
lowing my voice to die away on thu
: last syllable as l found my courage
oozing out at the tip of my tongue.
! couldn't say Mrs. Knapp after all, t.
save me.
l noticed with much amaZement tina
. father and mother avoided the pitfal
e as successfully as l did, during tina
: first meal, and we all went out on tn
: piazza after supper to enjoy the sun
d set. Here our guest set our minds a
rest.
How James would have enjoye'
n this!" exclaimed she, softly, as if hal
G to herself. Mother nodded so vigor
g ously and triumphantly behind he
back that / was afraid she would nc
g tice it, and so fastened to nod in reply
d We knew now. She was a widow. "H
h loved to sit beside me and watch tn
q setting sun, even in the city," she wen
| on softly. sit seems terribly lionel
without him. Oh, if l could only hav
brought him out into such a peacefl
place as this, he might be alive now
e That last hot spell was SO hard on hin
I thought perhaps he had a sunstrok
IL but / could aot tell
{ Mothers eyes nlled with sympathett
. tears, and as she laid her hand gent
IL over that of Mrs. Knapp she inquire
8, fenderlY. Chow long is it since he die!