The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1899-09-02
Mrs. Folks New Bonnet.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
s 81 7 does seem like some folks has

Othtl iOAho mas MIS-.
Tom Polk shaded her eyes with her
nand as she watched carriage and
pair OF horses climb the hill on which
her home stood. The sole occupant of
the vehicle gave her pleasant bow in
passing.
See them plumes on her hat?
They're real ostridge. | know, an here
I've got to wear that oil sailor every
Gme | set foot off the place"
"She looks so sad" spoke up Mrs.
Folks mother from the doorway. "She
must a been through a heap of trou-
BILE"
I'd like to know what call she's got
TO look sad" tarty rejoined Mrs. Polk,
still gazing after the carriage as IT
rolled on down the road, Twin in that
great house, n not a chick nor child to
Bother her. If she was like us, strug-
glin' along to keep our heads above
water, an more mouths to fill than
whites to put In 'em, she might have
reason for lookin sad"
"Marthy Polk! What has come across
your do b'lieve It's because Ann
Enos had on new bunnet in meetin'
Sunday that you've been so snappish
all the week"
well, t does go agin me-" reluctant
ny confessed her daughter. IF l hadn't
wore my OF hat three years already. |
wouldn't say word. Ann is sech q
nand to brag an put on airs anyhow.
an when she toP me Sunday, after
preachin', that she knowed me a mile
OH by my hat, 1t was the straw too
much fer me-"
AT that moment the youngest Polk
pumped Its head against the table leg.
nillng the air with succession of
shrieks which the grandmother tried
20 hush on her capacious bosom, while
Mrs Polk picked up her neglected iron
and went to the stove for hot one.
Il s'pose faint no use frettln'," she
said, "but there's Sam needs a coat. an
Sarah James got no shoes, an the
twins Is nigh naked an'-Oh Lord. but
che por have troubles enufr," and Mrs.
Polk groaned and banged the iron
down on the coarse shirt she was iron
ing.
outside, the twins made mud pies.
Olissfully unconscious of their parents
woes, and Bobby lay fiat on his back I'm
the doorway, blinking up at the sky,
but watchful lest his mother step over
him and thereby check his growth. 1t
was Bobby's ambition to be tall, like
Jemuel Fink, who ran the scow ND at
the Ferry, and every week he meas
ured himself against the end of the
house. where a number of lines
scratched with a mussel shell showed
how much he gained.
''She might've let Tom built that
new-fangled hen house fer her, stead
o. havin' carpenters out from town"
Mrs Polk went on, in an injured tone.
''Sakes alivei Mis- Thornton amt
been moved out here two months vet.
what'd she know about Tom?"
'She knew enuff," snapped Mrs.
Polk. TON heard she was goin' TO
build 1t, an he went to see her, an she
told him she'd partly engaged a fellow
from town. He had done promised me
the money to buy the children some
things an me a new bunnet, but that's
the way it always Is"
Body rOlieu over on MS stomach and
eyed his mother inqulringly. She was
crying, and he didn't remember ever
seeing her cry but once before in his
life-that was when the twins caught
fire at butcherng time, she cried that
day when all was over and she found
they weren't much hurt.
IL jes' had my heart set on that bun
net; had planned 1t all out, red roses
an ribbon streamers an all, then Tom
didn't get the job" She wiped her eyes
on her apron. and Bobby swung him
self out the door and went around to
the wood-plle, where he sat down. He
poked his bare toes in the loose chip
dirt and grew thoughtful
He was very fond of his mother; in
deed, people sometimes taxed her with
showing partially to Bobby. He was a
round-faced little chap, with rosy
cheeks and eyes blue as the skies, and