The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-06-27


shelter servant of Satan. Why, my
ancestors would turn in their graves.
Surely, Jere, you won't disgrace the
good old nance"
But Jere answered quietly anu
finally, my mind Is fully made up
"Then, Jere Ketchum, you can go
I won't have my other boy led
astray." And Abner Ketchum. left
the room, his lips white and set.
All the latent stubbornness in Jere
was aroused by his fathers last
words and all his mothers pleading
or his sisters tears could not make
him change his mind. And now il
was three years since he had left the
homestead, and although the mother
heart yearned for him, she suffered
in silence. Abigail heard her sigh as
they assembled the stairs and her own
rebellion against her father harden.
ed. If Abner Ketchum had seen the
notice of Jere's appearance in Salina
he gave no sign but sat completely
absorbed in the news. Mrs. Ketchum
brought out the mending basket and
putting the spools Of darning cotton
on the table set grimlyto work. After
some moments silence she asked,
What are you going to, do to-mor-
row, father?" ~
Abner Ketchum looked down over
his spectacles and shifted his feet
to more comfortable position on
the fender before replying.
"Guess Ill oil up those harnesses.
I've been waiting for Henry to do. it
but he's always too busy with his
studying. expect to be pretty busy
in a week or so. Why?"
swell, you see," replied Mrs.
Ketchum, rs she enveloped her hand
in great blue cotton sock, "that
fresh pork won't stand this warn,
spell and want to take a mess of it
over to Martha and, as my weeks
work is well under way, l thought
Abbie and l would go tomorrow"
Now, Martha was Abner's sister
who lived in Salina and was in SYM
pathy with Jere. She always kept
Mrs. Ketchum informed as to his
whereabouts. Mr.. Ketchum, however.
had never suspected 1t, so he said
somewhat pleasantly, "Well, l would,
mother. You've been working hard
putting up stuff for the winter and
the fall butcherin' Is always hard on
women-folks. guess daughter won't
be sorry for little change"
Abigail sat with reddening cheeks
and beating heart, not daring to
glance at her mother. Surely" she
thought, mothers made up her
mind to something"
Mrs. Ketchum finished her mending
just as the old clock wheezed and
whined, then struck nine metallic
II suppose you'll want an early
start" remarked Mr.. Ketchum as he
shot the bolt in the sitting-room
doUr.
'Yes, calculate to take the quar-
ter past nine car" replied his wife
did you have any word to send
Martina
You might ask her if she could
guess that porker's weight by the
size of the tenderloins, for / never
did see such tenderloins in a pig be,
fore. and Martha always was good
hand at guessing"
Miss Martha Ketchum welcomed
her sister-in-law in her usual warm
hearted manner and soon found that
it was more than ''mess of fresh
pork" that had brought her.
The mother and Abigail soon laid
their plans before Miss Martha and
she heartily approved of them. She
matinee that afternoon, as it was
Jere's first appearance in Salina.
Two o'clock found the little party
settled in good seats anxiously await.
ing the rising of the curtain.
Abner Ketchum built a roaring fire
in the kitchen stove, carefully spread
out piece of burlap on the spotless
floor and faithfully "oiled harness"
the greater part of the forenoon. He
looked particularly downcast as he
drew up his chair to the kitchen table
preparatory to eating the cold lunch
his wife had left for him.
This stuff don't taste right, some
how" he said, munching away on
cold sausages and bread. Guess III!
make some coffee" But the coffee,
too, had lost its charm and the man
absent mindedly sugared it twice, and
stirred and stirred as his thoughts
ran on. The pie remained untasted.
Altogether the meal was most un-
satisfactory. The old house shudder-
ed as II II, too, was overcome with
a sense of loneliness, and blind in
the spare room kept slamming in n
most refractory manner. Abner rose
to fix it. The spare room was an un-
familiar spot to him and he instinct
lively stopped on the threshold to
wipe his feet on the braided rug. The
blind fastened, Abner stood q mo-
ment In the room and looked proudly
at the great snowy bed with its red
embroidered shams; the old walnut
bureau had been his mothers; just
above il a boyish face stared at him
from out a gilded frame. Abner
looked and looked, he seemed almost
to devour 1t. "Dash IL ALL" he ex-
claimed, slamming the door, "Tm
getting to be n regular grannie about
staying alone. I'm going to get out