Waterbury Democrat., 1900-10-25
Copyright. 1887. sy F. Tsnnysoa Sssly.l

"What on earth does John Folsom want of a housekeeper?" asked the helpmates Of his friends at Fort En- ory, and in the busy, bustling town. "Why don't he marry again?' queried those who would gladly have seen some unprovided sister, niece or daughter thus cozily disposed of. It was years since EIinor'S mothers death, and yet John Folsom seemed to mourn her as fondly as ever, and except in mldwln- ter, barely a month went by in which he did not make his pilgrimage to her never-neglected grave. Yet, despite his vigorous years in saddle, sunshine or storm, and his thorough love for outdoor life, Folsom, now well over %, could no longer so lightly bear the hard life of the field. He was amazed to see how his sleepless dash to head of Red Cloud and his days and nights of gallop back had told upon him. Wom- en at Fort Emory who looked with ap- proving eyes on his ruddy face and trim. erect figure, all so eloquent of health. and who possibly contemplated, too, his solid bank account, and that fast-building house, the finest in Gate City, had been telling him all winter long he ought to have ;. companion en elder guide for Miss Elinor on her return; he ought to have some one to preside at his table; and honest John had promptly answered: ''Why, Nell will do all that" which Eecessitated their limiting that although Miss Fol som would be Q young lady in years. she was only child in experience, and would be much the better for some one who could take 2 mothers place. No enc could do that,' said John, with sudden swimmin. of his eyes, and that put ;l sudden stop to their scEemlnSs, for the time at least, bu. only for the time. Taking counsel together, and thinking how lovely it would be now if Mir. Folsom would only see how much there was in ,his unmarried 3ams,l or that widowed dame, the cotsrie at Elm ory again returned to the subject, un- til John, in his perpleNity, got the idea that propriety demanded that he should have Lousekeepsr against his daughters coming, and then he did go and do, in his ID asculins stupidity, just exactly what they wouldn't have had him do for worltk-invite a woman, of whom none of their number had ever heard, to come from Omaha and take the domestic management of his hearth and home. All he knew of her was what he heard there. She was the widow of a volunteer officer who had died of disease contracted during the war. She was childless. almost desti- tute, accomplished, and so devoted to her church duties. She was interest ing and refined and highly educated. He heard the eulogiums pronounced by the good priest and some of his flock, and Mrs. F4Gtcher, a substantial person of some 40 years at least, was duly installed.
 Fort Emory was filled with women folk and consternation-most of the men being afield. The seething ques- tion of the hour was whether they should call on her, whether she was to ke received at the fort, whether she was to be acknowledged and recognized | at all, and then came. mirabile dictu, Q | great government official from Wash | ington to inspect the Union Pacific | and make speeches at various points along the road, and Mrs. Fletcher mind you, walked to church the very next Sunday on the honorable secre- tary's arm, sat by his side when he drove out to hear the band at Emory and re l ceived with him on the colonels veran da, and that settled it. Received anc acknowledged and visited she had tc be. She might well prove woman worth knowing.
 Within a fortnight she lad made the new homestead blossom like the rose
 Within month everything was in per | feet order fer the reception of Elinol and her school friend-a busy, anxious
 month, in which FolSom was fitting tt
 and fro to Reno and Frayne, as we have seen; to Halls ranch in the Medicin' Bow, to Rawhide and Laramie, and thu
 reservations in northwestern Nebras
 ka; and it SO happened that he wa
 away the night Maj. Burlei-h, on hi
 way to the depot, dropped ;n to inquir
 if he could see MT. Folsom a moment ol
 important business. The servant sait
 he was not in town-had gone, sh
 thought, to Omaha. She would inquir
 of Mrs. Fletcher, and meantime woul
 the major step inside? Step inside, an'
 stand wonderingly at the threshold o
 the pretty parlor, he did; and the, i there was rustic of sill1en skirts o,
 the floor above, and as he turned t
 listen his ha2.arG, careworn face too
 on look something like that whic . overspread it the night he got the lei
 ter at Rcno-somethin. that told of be
 wildermcnt and perplexity, as quie
 modulated voice told the servant to tc
 the gentleman MT. Folsom might no
 return for several days. Burleigh ha
 TO excuse to finger, none to ask to hea
 that voice again; yet as he slowly dt
 seconded the steps its accents were sti
 strangely ringing in his ears. Wher
 on earth had he heard that voice bt
 fore?