Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-10-13
THE WILLOW
TEAPOT
A Mistake Of Twenty Years
Explained
BY CLARlssA MAcKlE
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.
BY CLARlssA MAcKlE
1870 by American Press
Association.

EN~~~~N~4~>~
Although the Horner sisters hat
lived in the same house for fort.
years, during twenty of those lon,
years they had not exchanged n word
No one in Rosedale knew why Abb
gail had suddenly taken up her resi-
dence in the north wing Of the ole
house and Sophia had settled her be
longings in the sunny south half Al
the time conjecture had been rife. but
the nine days wonder had settled into
a strong conviction that they had dis
agreed over the ''prop'ty." for it was
shortly after old Judge Horner's
death that the estrangement began.
Every Sunday morning the sisters
stepped primly down the graveled path
TO the gate and In wordless silence
wended their way to church and up
the aisle to the Horner pew. In vain
had the pastor demonstrated with them
singly and together. While open to
reason and conviction on every other
point, they were dumb regarding the
(duSe VI kutlT WUTuleSS STIllp.
1t was June now. and Sophia was
digging among her pansies. She was
slight and pale, with a pleasant. mild
face that now and then startled one
by settling into firm lines around the
mouth AbigaiPs features were cast
in sterner mold. and the lines about
her mouth were deeper. and this char
acteristic feature in both sisters was
known as "Horner spunk." and it was
generally agreed that "Horner spunk'
was at the root of the trouble.
Abigail stood under the cedars with
n copy of the county paper in her
hand She was slowly reading an ar
ticle for the fifth time:
The Rev. Paul Weemers, pastor Of the
Park Methodist church, New York, will
preach in the First church at Rosedale
on Sunday evening next. It will be re-
membered that the First church of Rose
dale was Mr.. Weemers' first charge. and
his return will be the occasion of much
pleasure to his old friends and parishion-
ers. Mr.. Neemers will be accompanied
by his wife
She looked across the lockwood hedge
into Sophia's garden. The news would
interest Sophia as well as herself.
Abigail thought Of this as she stood
there looking at Sophia's STOPPING
form. There was a certain stern in
tegrity about Abigail that urged her
to break the long silence and to i'm
part the news she had read to her sis
ter. There was an underlying tender
ness. too, toward her younger sister
that the bitter resentment of years
could not destroy. She resolved that
Sophia should not be taken unawares.
She leaned over the hedge and drop |
ped the newspaper under Sophia's
nose
Sophia squeaked with surprise as the |
paper ratified among the pansies. and |
there was blank astonishment in her
nearsighted eyes as she lifted them to
gaze upon the grim, uncompromising
face Of her sister.
The latter pointed to the paper with
an old time gesture of command, and
Sophia, adjusting her spectacles,
sought the wrong page with agitated
eagerness. Then she turned the sheet,
and presently nervous cluck and the
dull reddening of her cheek announced
that she had found the item. In her
excitement the younger woman spoke.
HE will CALL" she said softly, as If to
herself.
The next day was Saturday, and all
day long Sophia's lavender muslin
hung on the clothesline, bending and
swaying in the soft west wind like
misty wrath Of Sophia herself. Abb
gail looked sternly upon the dress. She
had been on her way to the front
chamber to look over a well preserved
summer silk, but the sight of the dress
seemed to proclaim the boldness Of
Sophia-a boldness that was unexpect-
I'd and that seemed to rouse a stern S
in the older woman. She t
eddened darkly and went hastily l
downstairs again. t
In the solitude of her own front l
DOM she, sat and thought. The stern Il
pbringing Of the Horner girls had
iscouraged the coming of suitors, and o
was not until after their fathers I
cath that Paul Weemers came to p
reach at the First church. He had il
cen equally attentive to both sisters,
nd it was perhaps natural that each 81
lould believe herself to be the pre- te
'rred one and the other an interloper. dC
hen Paul received a call to a larger to
lrish be came to say goodby. and "
hen he asked old Hannah if Miss SO
orner was in the sisters appeared it.
Suddenly Abigail was
He'd away, and when she returned to st
e parlor the young minister had gone
I'd Sophia was standing at the win ''I
Nv with a bewildered look on her ha
city face. oil,
Then white rage had taken pos
ssion Of Abigail and her tongue had DO
osed upon the frightened Sophia. who th
rned fercely with upbraiding contra So
ctions. After that scene. which no wi
e witnessed. began the long silence. ]
was Of these things that Abigail was ha
mixing. We
The next day was Sunday. and So So
la stepped down the path alone, her q
'rn hymn book clasped in her NIT "
bed hands. She cast many anxious, e
ckward glances at the north wing for
lere Abigai's stern profile was out int
-