The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-08-26
The Two Homes
ooooooooooooooooooooooe


MarthA's castles. thar had lottsred
for days. fell nat Grandma'am bought
the reaslee place. Not for one In.
slant cid Martha deceive herself With
the idea that she had done this In or.
der 70 pFesent the property 10 her sou
and his wife. She had not snmmered
and wingered Jonathan Bartlett and
his mother 20 many years Tor nothing
with her brief statement they had
10 Be content she dirulEed no more
Of her plans. They inferred. Of course
thar she was moving inio the Peaslee
house. bnt 10 All their Inquiries she
preserved = dogEcd silence Even whsn
Moss Marble. the local expressman.
came 70 move the goods Ersndna'am
superintsnded the proceedings Ia per.
son. while Jonafhan and Martha stood
braveiy b.. parryinE Moses ioeoss re.
marks and pretending. for the speech
Of people. that they understood and
thoroughiy approved
After the lasi load had xone grand
rna'Am gave a comprehensive look
about and started down the road.
''Cood.bye.- shs called. I'm going
20 the Peasies place
Jonathan drove into the yard from
market tho next day. more fully In
Termed.
She's started an old woman's home.
I guess he connded 70 Martha. as b.
brought IN the packages from the
wsxon: = didnt say much. an Rnsas
most folks don't suspect but what we
knew All about r. Kart Harkstf's
doln' a good deal Of iaikin'. though.
Hes sorne than . woman for meddlin'
Ia other folks affaira Mary Traoey's
mothers moved over there with her.
an she's got the two Simpson Eirls
out o. the poorhouse. an Mis' Bees
rcuin' over tomorrow an folks say
thsretI b. more a. soon AZ she's hae
time 10 turn round. It's maxim lots
Of talk drove round by there on
the way home. an ! SO mother out
andsr tbs window down on her knees.
sdisEin' away
Planting bsAns.- said Martha. soft.
~
-Yes. thought likely myself Ifs
pretty late. but she'll make EN- grow
n anybody can. Mis- Tracey vas look
ln' out Of the window. watchin' her.
called 70 mother. but abe didn't an.
sEer. Maybe she didn't hear me She
didn't tern roEae. But shs Amt 20
very deaf. an ! hollered.-
~. ....t. ...ff.s gu4a = .G~l~ af.~sta
went out without answering Walking
IN the garden. shs heard a noise in
xrsndma'am's room. Che crept to the
window and softly parted the vines.
Jonathan was standing In the empty
room.
IT don't seem right with mother
gone" he said under his breath. She
turned quickly away. and something
that was not dew fell on the scarlet
runners.
The weeks went By. dull and un.
sventful. except for the comments OF
the nelEhbors.
One day Bart Hackett passing.
heard digging in the Bartlett yard
THAT you. Jonathan he called.
what you planting this time OF
Fesrg"
Martha's voice replied: mo. Bart,
IT'S me. was iuet looslng the earth
round Mother Bartlett's beans here"
-she's got great place up there.
amt sheY volunteered Bart Makes
as old boys kind Of envious. asked
EN- tother day when was round that
way II they couldn't tuck me away
somewhere. but Dell Simpson started
her evorlastin' gigglIng and said. Not
unless you marry one Of us. Bart and
I tell you skipped out lively. ] Amt
run single harness all these years to
try tandem hitch now specially
With q mare in the lead. But a place
like that must be mighty nice to live
IN, particularly n you amt got no
great shakes Of home"
After he had gone Martha stood
watching the scarlet runners with
syes that did not see.
Jonathan seldom mentioned bis
mother. He had locked the door OF
the empty room and carried the key
in HIS pocket. That night Martha had
q long talk with him.
Six weeks later Dell Simpson went