The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-04-04
CHAPTER v.-CoSrrSUEp.

CHAPTER y.-CoSrrSUEp.
"what on earth does John Folsom
want Of a housekeeper2" 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. 1t was years
since Elinor's mothers death, and yet
John Folsom seemed to mourn her as
fondly as ever, and except in midwin-
ter, barely a month went by In which
he did not make his pilgrimage to her
psver-neglected grave. Yet. despite
his vigorous years in saddle. sunshine
or storm, and his thorough love for
outdoor life, Folsom, now well over so,
could no longer SO lightly bear the
hard life of the field. lie was amazed
TO see how his sleepless dash to head of
Red Cloud and his days and nights Of
galiop 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 n companion
an elder guide for Miss Elinor on her
return; he ought TO have some one to
preside It his table; and honest John
had promptly answered.: "Why, Nell
will do all that" which necessitated
their limiting that although Miss Fol
som would be a young lady in years,
she was only child in experience, and
would be much the better for some one
who could take n mothers place. "No
one could do that" said John. with
sudden swimming OF his eyes, and that
put sudden stop 70 their schemings,
for the time at least, but only for the
time. Taking counsel together, and
how lovely il would be now IL
Mr.. Folsom would only see how much
there was in this unmarried damsel, or
that widowed Dame, the coterie at En-
ory again returned to the subject, un-
til John, in his perplexity, got the idea
that propriety demanded that he
should have housekeeper against his
coming. and then he did 20
and do, in his masculine stupidity, just
exactly what they wouldn't have had
him do for worlds-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 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 eu.ogiums pronounced
by the good priest and some of his
flock, and Mrs. Fletcher. 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 afrld. The seething ques-
tion Of the hour was whether they
should call on her, whether she was 10
be received at the fort, whether she
was TO be acknowledged and recognized
at all, and then came, mirabile dictu, a
great government official from Wash
ington to Inspect the Union Pacific
and make speeches Mt various points
along the road. and Mrs. Fletcher,
mind you. walked to church the very
next Sunday on the honorable secre-
,ary's arm, sat 10y his side when he drove
out to hear the band at Emory and re-
,eived with him on the colonefs veran-
Ia. and that settled IL. Received and
and visited she had to
be. She might well prove a woman
worth knowing.
Within a fortnight she had made the
new homestead blossom like the rose.
Within month everything was in per-
fect order for the reception of Elinor
md her school friend-a busy, anxious
month. in which Folsom was fitting to
md fro TO Reno and Frayne. rs we have
'een; TO Halls ranch in the Medicine
Bow. TO Rawhide and Laramie, and the
in northwestern Nebras-
sa; and IL so happened that he was
lway the night Maj. Burleigh, On his
way to the depot, dropped in to inquire
4 he could see Mr.. Folsom moment on
important business. The servant said
lie was not in town-had gone, she
hought. to Omaha. She would inquire |
,f Mrs. Fletcher, and meantime would |
he major step inside? Step inside, and |
itand wonderiBgly at the threshold of |
he pretty parlor, he did; and then
here was a rustic of silken skirts on
he floor above. and as he turned TO
listen his haggard, careworn face took
IN a look something like that which
,verspread IL the night he got the let
er at Reno-something that told Of be-
vilderment and perplexity, rs quiet,
nodulated voice told the servant TO tell
he gentleman Mr.. Folsom might not
eturn for several days. Burleigh had
10 excuse to linger, none TO ask 10 hear
hat voice again; yet as he slowly de-
cended the steps its accents were still
tTangely ringing In his ears. Where
n earth had he heard that voice be-
ore7
CHApTEp VI