Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1908-03-13
q Thanksgiving Story)


(Copyright)
Mats wife stood In the back door,
looking across the east meadow, and
shading her eves with her kand watch
ing her fathe~-in-law ami little son dis
appear over the field
Il wish / had made father put some
grape-leayes in his hat" she said;
he minds the heat so. and it's sure to
be hot by noon. If it is, hope
Marthy Will keep them to dinner"
She was a slim. girlish-looking WON
an and her cheeks were pink and
dimpled. Her ripples Of brown hair
We're drawn down behind her ears,
into tight knot. with quaker-like pre-
cision. but escaped into little curls in
spite Of her.
The pret5iness Of Mats wife was an
established fact. and one for which
she had felt very sorry. ever since
she overheard Mats sister saying
scornfully, soon after the wedding;
NAT always seemed well-balanced. as
most meu-which isn't sayin' much.
He stayed a single bachelor till he
was 40 and then got took in by pair
of laughing eyes and a baby dimple.
Him near 80. and she p. An TO think
OF him magryin' Annett Durand. No;
l cant say there was anything against
her father, only he never did nOthin'
but paint pictures. He came here 10
Strangville a widOwer, with this chile.
She was ten then. That's all any
body knew about him. in Strangyille,
you have to have a grandfather to be
anybody
Until recently, Annett had not
thought that she possessed any Of
her artist fathers talent. but she
knew that his love for all beautiful
things was hers. Secretly. unknown
to her husband she took lessons until
her work was pronounced by critics
to be even better than her fathers.
She had never repeated 3Iartha's
words to her husband. for she was too
loyal and knew Nat too well for that.
Her woman's instinct told her that
Jealousy Of her place in Mats affec-
ton was al the bottom Of it, more
than any i'll viii to herself-for Mar
tina was Mats twin-sister. Annett felt
keenly the injustice of the dislike. and
resented the thought that she had
been married merely for her pretty
face. She made up her mind then and
there-and her viii was quite equal
to Martha's Own-that she would win
the affection and respect of her hus-
handle for-fTr- ~ -Df+a oe +hor,,-o1--e-
She had grown TO love Mats eccentric, (
handsome old father he was so much /
like her husband and this alone
would have made him dear 70 her; /
but, with Martha, it was quite a diff 4
ferent matter.
The young wife wondered some
times how this hard. Seeding woman
could be Nathaniel's twin sister. For
to protect and defend those weaker
than himself was as natural az to
breathe to Nathaniel Strang.
This had been the foundation of his
love for Annett, perhars He had
seen her lonely and sad after her IA
hers death. and his pity had been
reused. Almost before he knew il
himself, she had become the one
in the world to him.
He had never been a nan of many
words. I know that I am not half
good enough for you. Annett," he
lad said. nor young enough neither;
'ut I love you, and III try every day
live 10 make you glad you married
ne"
Not a very sentimental wOoing per
laps; but Annett looking into his
-onest eyes. was satisfied. and tried
ravely to enjoy the rose of love that
vas hers. and not feel the thorn.
Since little Nat had come. Martha
ad seemed more friendly. for a child
5 great point of sympathy often.
etween even those who do not ike
aeh ogher
Martha was honestly very fond of
he boy, who was now almost three
ears old.
Annett had made her husbands
ONE so attractive and inviting a place
nat Mats father had long ago grown ]
} think that there was nobody ike
is daughter-in-law. {
In truth she had made herself al s
lost invaluable to him, since his
youble" came. $
Three years before, a travelling doc q
IT had visited Strangville-a quack
ould perhaps be a better term c
hose name was Bromwell. He held v
lch evening a concert and a dime
useum performance, consisting of g
ind-reading. sleight of hand. and
aiding the future. $
The last evening OF the doctors il
ay in the village, Mr.. Strang had v
zen giving his opinion rather too
eely, as to the Reading of the Flu s.
re; in fact, he had ridiculed the d
hole thing.
The doctor finally became angry. d
ID offered TO tell Mr. Strang an IN II
easant fact in his own near future. d
The old man only threw hack his
ad. and laughed the more. "
Well, sir" cried the irate doctor. a.
QUIZ know it soon enough, 1 guess. v,
I you may have it to think on RI
lille. On the 22d day of next Sep 10