The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1901-10-03
HER FAITH.

- -
SSAANeoyN0sNkoNkASAoS&0NANae
= CAN'T say, an won'ti Tain't IN
human natur," muttsred Ann
= Friend. always the samei Sun
ahine for others, shadows for mer'
'Whsrss the slats. honsyi WheFss
H. slater pipsd Q qua serinG voice. -
Ann stepped into the dim Kitchen and
began TO hustle about anergedcaly.
I'VE mum cross It OF. honey, No mum
eross II OF. IT'S the 21st to-day, and
~ boy comes homo on the 2eth. bless
he Lordr'
Here 'tis, mother-in-law. Bids quiet
. Bit while I sets the kettle On The
hob
give daysi nve days!' echoed the
old woman. I'VE mum b busy. honey.
and get the place sst clean, and the
sheets aired: ana I'm thinking. Ann.
II you was 10 put the things ready for
mo - might make the ginger cake no
used 10 Get such store BY. chr
''Now, mother-in-law. III not have
Jon messing round and making your.
self ILL" Ann spoke with decision.
'What's good enough Tor % 10 good
enough for him."
"But Ann-'tis my sen John-'tis
your own man, Amir
AIMS face grew harder and harder
- she left the kitchen and went MP
stairs to her bedroom.
II can't stay, nor I WON'T" said Ann
Friend, suddenly. - she stood looking
out Of the window. "Nobody could ex-
psct me to stay. She won't care %
long a. she's got him. and he won't
care 20 long a. he's got his liberty and
. roof over his head"
Bending down. she drew q box from
under the bed and began to pack into
Il the contents Of the one chest OF
drawers that stood in the room.
At the bottom Of the last drawer she
came upon q little bundle Of baby's
clothes, and for . moment tho hard
ness Of her face softened while she I'M
folded each tiny garment and exam
ined It carefully. Then tie cloud re-
turned. the clothes were once more
tied into q bundle and returned to the
now empty drawer.
'T1s well she died." she thought TO
herself. "'Tis well she can't b
Ashamed Of her father. ri leave them
there; he'll like maybe to zee how tail
she grew"
-Four years ago Ann Friend would
have told you that she was one Of the
happiast women in the whole village,
and the village itself would not have
disputed the fact Yet in two short
years tho happiness hed, the husband
WIS . disgraced man, and Ann, whose
good temper was proverbial, knew her
self to have changed into q soured,
hard woman.
The Inhabitants Of the little village
where Ann had been born ana bred
Iald among themselves that Mr..
Friend was Q rare good woman. and
had borne the Disgrace Of her husbands
Imprisonment a. few women would
nave borne It.
They never knew tho rage that took
possession Of proud Ann Friend when
he 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 worn.
NJ out his sentence In the neighborius
prison.
III you are innocent prove IT.. was
Ais wtfe's thought: but the thought
vas never put into words, for Ann wns
~ Of those strange eharacters whose
thoughts are worse than their actions.
The mother believed In her eon,s |
word. and counted the days for his f. |
urn; The wife allowed her to believ, |
hat she did likewise. Some OF tho |
lsdghbocs believed also In Johns limo. |
'sncs; he wife held her peaca ana
hey accounted her loyal. |
Every day Ann determined b hneet
|own her long rsssrve-to tai thA ola |
Woman that shs. Johns wife, would |
athsr Dc than b there In pes,oo 20 |
Welcome him homo; yet each day Nv
b momsntous words unspoken.
AZ last tAs morning OF the 2oth -.
aysd. The explanatory letter Va
ssatssa and pinned on The pincushiou:
y box corded and addressed etood A.
y outhoueo On TIE handcaxt ahe IN.
ended wheeling 10 the nearest statioa:
- old mother had been dressed IN her
- sunday gown and cap, he eo4feoI
eeod ssedy ON ths hob: ana stil tn
nsace q two ysars had not bssn
goken.
may - ws11 80 how peiseoss
01oo0 WIN hin" thouRht Ann n ahe |,