The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-02-17
Farewell to the DObSOnS.
BY MAY ROBERTS CLARK.
IN EVERY community, no matter how

democratic, one family, at least, is
considered beneath the social level.
Their lower rank does not come from
any difference of wealth, intellect or
morality, but is due, almost entirely, to
the general shiftllosness of the neglect
ed family. Often the Judgment of the
neighborhood is just, but it is not al
ways so.
Mrs. Dobson once said, bitterly:
.How do they know? We never had
any chance here in Nebraska. We were
as good as the best where we come
from, and I'm sure I've worked hard
enough to be somebody; but what can
a woman do with seven children, and
man as lazy as the Platte river?"
Mr.. Dobson looked up with a good
natured grin, but said nothing. APP
parently he took no more notice of his
wife, who went Off to spread her meager
washing on the gum weeds. He tilted
his rude chair back against the trunk
of a giant cottonwood, and looked over
the landscape with lazy enjoyment.
From his position he could see down
long vistas of dark, shining, blue-green
corn stalks and beyond them the Platte.
"Abner," called his wife, plaintively,
Just look at me. / reckon Mrs. Bar
nard hasn't got any such sand burs as
we have. She don't get priclSed to
pieces when she goes to spread her
washing. / do wish you'd" but she
stopped hopelessly.
mis- Barnard don't have to spread
her washing" corrected Abner, dog
gedly; she's got yards and yards of
clothesline and pins and baskets and
machine"
Melvina Dobson glanced at her hus-
band anxiously. Never before had he
seemed uneasy or envious. 81 reckon
Mis- Barnard has her drawbacks" she
admitted, generously.
Yes" answered her husband, mood
lily, land Barnard amt no more willing
than I'd be if was him. His paw left
him money, and mine didn't. 1 know
one thing, though, If I was Barnard,
Mis- Barnard wouldn't wash, if she did
have machine. I'd sell the pigs first"
Melvina looked at him gratefully. ST
know it, Abner," she answered, sooth-
ingly, "you always have been good to
me. If there amt money enough for
both, you always want me to have it.
reckon faint your fault that we are
so poor; don't care for myself, but the
children"
She broke off suddenly, and went in
to get the scanty dinner. Abner took
down his rusty hoe and passed reluc-
family into the neglected potato patch.
He was working with great delibera-
ton when his half-grown daughter
passed, without speaking.
"Salliel" he called.
The girl seemed not to hear him. She
held her head with an air of offended
dignity, and looked neither to the right
nor to the left. A second call from her
father brought her to a defiant pause.
II say" he called, lazily, "what afls
you? Have / done anything?"
Reckon not, she answered, sullenly.
"And your nav don't seem natural.
Is she ailing?"
The girl looked him full in the face,
and her eyes were not pleasant. ooh,
maw," she answered, sharply, 'why
nav is kind of worn out with church
socials and things, nav is. It's most
made her sick, sewing on her new silk
dress, and doing up her hair. And now
there's the party at Sansens."
"Sansen's?"
Yes, when they move into the new
house. Everybody has been asked, even
Mis- jenkins, 'cepting NAV. Nav has
such fine clothes and is so stuck up, that
she wasn't bid"
Abner turned the hoe in his hands.
and watched potato bug travel calmly
from one hill to another. Somethingi in
mis- attitude touched the child. Sudden
ly she lost her look of defiance, and
said, brokenly:
Nav couldn't go, anyway, she's got
nothin' to wear. Her old gray dress
turned yellow in the sun years ago.
Mrs. Barnard gave me some dye for
Easter eggs, and when heard about
Sansen's party, 1 thought I'd color
maw's dress and have it ready"
A tragic silence followed. Abner
looked up questioningly.
"She can't wear it no more" an
swered the girl, unsteadily; sit turned
brown and green, and went all spotted
and speckled."
For minute the silence was heavy:
then Abner said, gently: "Neger mind,
sallie; I'm real proud of you for trying.
Now you run along and help your NAV.
You're a good girl, Sallie."
The child went back to the shabby
sod house with smiling eyes, and left
her father to his own devices. From
the force of long habit he sat down to
cultivate his thoughts, while the bugs
and the weeds waxed strong among the
potatoes. What he thought to-day was
something new and strange, and not
agreeable. Often his mind reverted to
the coming party.
When the company finally assembled
at the Sansens' they repaid Abner Dob
son for his speculations by freely and
frankly discussing him and his.
"Oh, folks like the Dobsons don't
care" insisted Mrs. Sansen; "they could
get ahead if they wanted to. Sansen
md me didn't have anything but mort
gage when we started, and now look at
h.af Co., 4 2