The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1907-07-10


from the kitchen to the rooms above.
"Pa!" screamed the voice
yes. Mri'"
You got them dishes done YETI"
Just about, but I've got the skill
lets TO wash yet"
Seems TO me you're turriblo put.
terry this morning
There was more dishes TO wash
than common, M'ri'.' replied the old
man. I'm a gently deprecating tone.
Wen finish 'em up iust as soon as
you can. and then mop up the kitchen
floor and give The dining room a real
brisk sweepin'. We must start in on
our reglar housecleanin next week"
A suggestion of q frown came into
the old mans ruddy face He hated
housework. and his aversion to house.
cleaning 0srounted to real loathing.
Maria pridnI herself on her thorough
ness, end her warfare against dust
and dirt was fierce and noncompromis.
ing. When her mother died. Maria
had promptly decreed that she and
her family should live with Pa. The
old mans mild objections had been
roughly overriden. and in less than
week after her mothers death Maria
and her husband and their four noisy.
unlovely children had invaded the old
mans home his house being larger
and better than the home of the Pen.
| nys.
From the day OF Maria's arrival in
! his home Pa had been set aside" so
far as his authority had been con
! cerned. A man of a gentle and yield
| ing spirit, who loved peace and har.
mony in his home, he had felt that 1t
would be better to yield to the domi
neering Maria than to be in state
of constant contention-"s "spatting," he
| called it-with her. He rebelled In
spirit when Maria dccreed that he
was now too old to be at the head OF
! the farm work.
One day n telegram came telling
Silas Penny of the death of his father
in a town so miles distant, and Maria
and Silas departed to attend the fu-
neral. Silas, like Maria, was an only
child, and when he came home he
! brought his mother with him. She
had felt that IL would be better for
her TO remain in her own home. as
she was woman of but 65 years and
In excellent health. But Silas had
protested that 1t would be better for
her to break up" and make her home
with him. He had already figured II
out. with the help of Maria that II
would be cheaper to have her live
with him, for her small farm could
then be rented and his mother could
save up" the money and thus in
crease the amount of the estate Sias
was to receive when she died.
Pas sympathy went out to Lucinda
Penny the moment he knew that she
was to be on inmate Of her sons
home, and before week had passed
Lucinda had come to the definite opln-
ion that II was burning shame" the
way Pa had to work. to fetch and
carry for his daughter. Naturally
enough. the old couple soon began
to give voice to their sympathy for
each other and to bewail the cruel
decree of fate that had placed them
in their unhappy positions.
Thus a year passed, and Maria had
grown more tyrannieal than ever and
Silas grumbled openly II his mother
spent any of her small income. Lu
cinda bore her unhappy lot in silence
and only she knew of the tears she
shed in the secrecy of the poor little
room in the attic to which she had
been relegated by Maria. Pa was her
only confidant.
One day Silas and Maria announced
their intention of taking their chill
dren the following week and drivinl
over to Penrose, 90 miles distant, tC
spend several days with cousin o
Maria's named Hugh Ray.
Il reckon, Mother, that you and p;
could do for yourselves few days
couldn't you?" asked Maria at th'
breakfast table.
81 should think likely" said Pa be
fore Lucinoa could reply and then h,
added with grim sarcasm: "Of course
: we're poor. weak critters, who can
do much more than crawl 10 ou
= woodpile and carpet loom, but
reckon We might skeer up strengtl
| tuuuku W hAOhlu anu BlA u
r a bite to eat, feeble and worthless a
, we are"
, Maria's face flushed, and Sila
i frowned and made a vicious stab at
b slice of bread with his fork. but. a
2 though he would not admit II, he ha
I a wholesome fear of his father-n.laW
and did not care to cross swords wit
> him.
: Almost numberlcss were the con
= mands as to the things they must an
+ must not do given to Lucinda and p
I by Maria and Silas the morning the
: left home.
5 The moment the wagon containin
e Silas and his family started from tn
+ barnyard humorous twinkle cam
j into the wrinkled face of Pa, and h
r shook one fist after the retreatin
d family and said
l. Scat"
i Seat"