The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1900-08-03

"Where's the slate, honey?, Where's
the slater piped a quavering voice, as
Ann stepped into the dim kitchen and
began to hustle about energetically.
1--WE nun cross it off, honey, we nun
cross it off. IT'S the 21st to-day, and
the boy comes home on the Goth. bless
the Lordw
Here tbs, mother-in-law. Bide quiet
q bit, while l sets the kettle on the
hob"
Five days! five daysw echoed the
old woman. 1--WE nun be busy, honey,
and get the place set clean, and the
sheets aired; and I'm thinking Ann,
If you was to put the things ready for
me as I might make the ginger cake he
used to set such store by, eh?"
''Now, mother-in-law, I'll not have
self ILL.," Ann spoke with decision.
whats good enough for us is good
enough for him."
"But, Ann-'tis my son Joints
your own man, Amir
AIMS face grew harder and harder
as she left the kitchen and went up
stairs to her bedroom.
81 can't stay, nor 1 won'tv said Ann
Friend, suddenly, as she stood looking
out of the window. Nobody could ex-
pect me to stay. She won't care so
long as she's got him. and he won't
care so long as he's got his liberty and
q roof over his head"
l.
under the bed and began to pack into
1t the contents of the one chest Of
drawers that stood In the room.
At the bottom OF the last drawer she
came upon a little bundle of baby's
clothes, and for a moment the hard
ness Of her face softened while she I'M
folded each tiny garment and exam
ined 1t carefully. Then the cloud re-
turned, the clothes were once more
tied into a bundle and returned to the
now empty drawer.
"'T1s well she died." she thought to
herself. "'Tis we'll she can't be
ashamed of her father. IN leave them
there; he'll like maybe to see how tall
she grew"
Four years ago Ann Friend would
have told you that she was one of the
happiest women in the whole village,
and the village itself would not have
disputed the fact. Yet in two short
years the happiness fled, the husband
was a disgraced man, and Ann, whose
good temper was proverbial, knew her
self to have changed into a soured,
hard woman.
where Ann had been born and bred
said among themselves that Mrs.
Friend was a rare good woman, and
had borne the disgrace of her husbands
Imprisonment as few women would
have borne it.
They never knew the rage that took
possession of proud Ann Friend when
the shadow of disgrace fell upon her
home. They never knew the bitter
contempt that filled her heart when she
thought of the father of her child work
ing out his sentence in the neighboring
prison.
eff you are innocent, prove It," was
his wife's thought; but the thought
was never put into words, for Ann was
one of those strange characters whose
thoughts are worse than their actions
The mother believed in her sons
word, and counted the days for his re
turn; the wife allowed her to believe
that she did likewise Some of the
neighbors believed also in Johns limo
cence; the wife held her peace, anc
they accounted her loyal.
Every day Ann determined to break
down her long reserve-to tell the ole
woman that she, Johns wife, would
rather die than be there In person t.
welcome him home; yet each day saw
the momentous words unspoken.
. At last the morning of the 26th ar
rived. The explanatory letter wai
written and pinned on the pincushion
the box, corded and addressed, stood IL
the clubhouse on the handcart she In
tended wheeling to the nearest station
the old mother had been dressed In he
best Sunday gown and cap, the coffe,
stood ready on the hob; and still tn,
nilence of two years had not beer
broken
81 may as well see how prison.
agreed with him." thought Ann, as sh,
looked at the clock. and saw 1t wa
just upon 7:30, and then felt irritate,
with the consciousness that thi
thought had been behind all her &C
lions for the last two hours