Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-02-23

grandfather was better FOR him tflin
Captain Harding. l wiSh't she'd tell
what she's dom and where she goes. |
don't make out the rictur'. Louisa.
you'll never learn that child to walk
If you carry him SO. And it's bad for
your hnck tn carry such burden"
That's what mothers backs are
made for" said Louisa. laughing and
kissing her mother. Kisses were rare
among them, hut in those days Louisa
felt as If she must be Grace and her.
self too.
Whether she was sorry or glad, the
days went 10y with Grace, and In their
course she began to understand through
the little she saw of her husband that
they were critical days. Its make or
break" he said to her once. And as
she saw his preoccupatiOn and his
anxiety day after day and the breath
less way In which he lived she felt
breathless herself. She scanned the
market reports and specials; she listen
ed as she could to the talk Of stocks
and points and margins, yet she could
make out but little, and 1t was all very
harasslng. She thought she had under
stood at last that everything depended
on an arrangement called a deal, which,
If 1t could be brought about, meant
wealth beyond dreams for all concern
ed. and, If 1t couldn't. meant ruin But
1t was going to be brought about; 1t
couldn't fail; women couldn't under
stand business of this sort; she must
possess her soul in patience. And she
tried to do as she was told. But she
knew now that her husband had every
thing staked on one throw She leaned
| over him in his snatches of sleep, NUT
tering and tossing In his dreams. and
as she smOothed the lock lightly from
his forehead she felt she would take all
the anxiety from him II she could give
MIN either success or peace Of mind.
He had grown white and gaunt Of late
eating nothing. waking before light, sit
ting lost In thought. starting at slight
sounds with all his nerves on edge, hur-
rying as he walked as IL he pursued
something flying from him.
He was very much later for dinner
one day than ever before Early in the
! afternoon telegram had come and had
been brought up to her. kilograms
| usually went to the downtown desk.
She waited, expecting her husband, n
long while. and then, as he did not
come, she opened it. She said 1t might
be from home. But she was conscious
that that was not the reason she OPEN
ed it.
1t was very simple message and In
very terse language. "Gone up" But
she knew in an instant what 1t meant,
and she summoned all her forces about
her.
Her husband came In after awhile
rather more boisterous than commonly.
DO you know where my old silver
watch is?" he asked while making his
toilet
"Why. to be sure; in the upper draw
er In my dressing case"
with the two keys" he laughed.
you're a sentimental woman. I sup
pose you have some fancy or other
about those keys. You're all ready for
the dinner and look like a princess.
Toggery's becomin' to you. You like
it."
II don't know" she said. II used to
like my old pink ginghams"
$50 did II! he exclaimed. "rsresome
work. this going out to dinner business
I'll be ready in no time. Which Is 1t
tonight? Harder work than when l
went trainin' 18th the militia"
1t was several times in the course of
| thof tl,oS Co nxot,
looked at his wife with a smile Of
triumph In spite Of circumstances
With what an air she carried It OF, he
thought. How she became wealth and
splendorl And yet the girl in the pink
gingham dress had been as pretty.
The truth was that for the first time In
this career Grace felt sure Of herself
and on her own ground.
WELL" he said to her when they
were again In their rooms, II don't be-
lieve any Of those men felt as proud
Of their wives as 1 did Of you. This is
the sort Of life you were meant for.
It's too bad-Tm sorry. But now brace
up. I've something to tell you"
mo. you haven't" she said. laughing.
her great blue eyes blazing. 1t seemed
to him joyously. And she drew the tel
egram from under book.
by Georgev he cried, gazing at her
with fresh admiring pride. "You beat
the record! That's what I call sand!
| And you knew 1t all the time! Well,
there 1t Is. amt no match for these
fellers. BY selling my watch and your
jewels and furs Wen get out whole and
have enough to buy little stock of
fresh goods for the store. And-and-
what do you sayr
THAT we can't start I'm hour too
soonw she cried
'Then we'n go back and Just open up
the store and dust 1t out as II nothin'
had happened, as II we'd been out to
see the world and had seen It and was
satisfied and was back again to the old
stand with some new notions" he said
gayiy. Slowed our wild oats, 20 to
| say"
And I'll give you raised biscuits and
doughnuts for your breakfast. And I'll
feed my chickens and have my plants.
Ill have a Jack rose. Why, Charlie,
we'll be real happy yetr'
You better believe! And with this
load OF my shouldersi Itll be nuts to
your grandfather, though"
Hell like to hear you talk. He'll be
at the store early and late. And some
days." said Grace. one glad smile
breaking after another across her face,
I'll bring my sewing down to the
store and visit with you myself. And
every day I'll see father and the rest Of
them at the old place. And I'll have 20
much to tell mother and Louisa that
they'll think I'm making it up. And
Louisa's babylon. Charlie, It will be
Just too sweet for anything! I shall
Feel as II I'd been born over againr'
"And II we find q silver mine in tho
back yard We'll board It up" said he.