Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1906-10-19

| reSS 70 him came the echo or the
verdict of his fellows--that he was
cold, hard-hearted. selfish, a mIser and
screw" True he always had
laughed at the verdict and pointed
] ever to the utter and exact justice
OF his dealings with his fellows. II
they we're less wise. thrifty and self
denying than he-why that was their
look out. such was his philosophy
But somehow tonight this philoso-
ply did not seem so satisfactory as Of
yore. Somehow into the vision of his
gold bags and his mortgages and his
land and flocks and herds. there crept
the picture of the baby across me
street with its gladstone laughter and
the trusting smile of the woman and
the proud and protecting expression Of
the man in the dingy clothes, respond
ing to the woman and the child. And
also there crept into the vision OF his
ducats the sorrowful, wondering, re-
proachful eyes of the one woman who
could have crowned his life with joy
and would have done SO had he not
thrust her aside for the golden calf.
Savagely he sprang to his feet.
thrust the poker into the log sending
up shower of sparks and striding to
the sideboard gulped down a glass of
wine.
Fool, fool" he muttered, you're
getting in your dotage. You have won,
won man-can't you understand. What
of all this blithering nonsense?'
The door bell rang and moment
later woman was ushered into the
room. She was poorly clad and on her
face was written desperation.
'Mr. Dickinson" she said in a low
cause was so urgent L l.. In fact
came to beg. My baby is starving
and there is no fuel in the room. My
husband is dead"
81 never give to individuals" he
interrupted. harshly. II contribute
literally to organized charity. You
should apply to the Relief society or
to the poormaster. ="
At this moment she threw back her
head with characteristic gesture and
raised her eyes straight to his. He
stopped as though he saw ghost.
Mabel" he cried fiercely my God.
is it possible? Tell me, am l sane?"
Yes, Donald. it is l." she said
quietly. And you must know the ter
rible necessity which could drive me
to ask help from you. Nothing but
mothers love and terror could have
done it. | have tried the Relief So
ciety and they have the case under
advisement.' The poormaster will
investigate tomorrow In the mean
time my baby will freeze and starve.
So / come to you and lay my pride,
my self-respect, at your feet. | am
poor, desperately, pitifully poor and
you are rich. Donald, help my baby,
you can, you must"
Poor, Mabel poor" said Dickinson |
slowly. You don't know what it is to !
be poor. You who have known the /
love of husband and child. You are
rich, rich beyond the dream Of avarice.
It is l who am poor-it Is who needs
charity in my lonely, wretched ex- +
Istence."
She gazed at him in open-mouthed
wonder.
''You say your husband is dead?" he
went on.
Yes. these two years" she replied.
His life insurance sufflced for time,
but | knew nothing of business and
pad investment and the bank failure,
eft me stranded"
Mabel" he said slowly, "can you
forget and forgive the past and give
ne the right to care always for you
md your child? I have sacrificed
everything for gold and now that
lave 1t / hate it-hate 1t. | learned
I only tonight. Only tonight your
ace coming out of the freight made
ne to know | had grasped the shadow
md lost the substance. Come to me,
label | need you more than you can
,now. and | can give you and your
hid many things"
Donald" said the woman, steadily
,lecing her own hands into his out
tretched ones, 81 never have ceased
o love you God help me, | married
good men. but could not give him my
cart"
The log IN the CRATE burst afiame
nd the shadows vanished into the
orners.
"Now have | won. indeed Dickin-
on cried triumphantly as he took her
a his arms Now is success nine"
Together they went forth to the
HID
1906. by Daily Story Pub. Coz
The Helpful Bartender.