The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-04-06
q h%idebound old catamarap. Think Of

q hidebour,d old catamaran. Think of
1t. :%'anruel--a deacon asking an elder
10 drink. a deacon calling an elder
names. Il deacon shaking his fist I'm.
DER an elders nose. You must wonder
WI! ! didn't perish two days ago,
when heard of it. Samuel, can you.
Will you. say that you were tempo.
rarliy insane over the great discuv.
cry?"
Dolby 10 Silent.
The deacon could have at least nod.
ded Ills head In the affirmative and
MADE things easier. but he did no such
thing. He turned over a leaf in the
almanac and read that sheep always
see an object upside down and that a
city girl on her vacation in the coun.
try always seelns to be standing on
her head.
And when the elder wouldn't drink
with you." sobbed Mrs. Dolby, you
began %whooping for the star spangIed
banner aud treated seven men at once
yes. sir. seven-and I've got the ma mes
OF all. And when you were drinking
you said you didn't care a hang for
the expense. for dad was rich. Oh.
the shame of It-slanging and e
Ing and drinking beer! I'm alive,
Samuel-rm alive just now, but 1
shan't be long No woman can carry
SUCH a burden and live. Why. I'm
ashamed to go to the we'll after a pail
OF water: Yes: there were eight of
you. and you spent 40 cents. while
nave to darn my stockings six times
over | shall now weep for i've min.
utes and then tell you the rest"
Sobbing and weeping followed. They
might have affected some men. but
Deacon Dolby sat there and read that
q barrel OF cider was fourteen pounds
heavier than a barrel Of water and
Y turned a hair. Right to a sec.
0nd. when the five minutes were IN.
Mrs. Dolby choked down the lump in
her throat to say:
And you lever said a word to me
when you came home. You touched
your lips to the kerosene can TO take
the smell of beer away and then sat
and dozed. You never said the
north pole had been discovered.
might be looking for It yet for all of
you. Such conduct, samuel-such con.
duct! They say Captain Kidd was a
bad man. but he could have been no
worse than you. Mrs. Watkins saws
ought to forgive you If you'll 20
on your knees and promise, but
dunno-I dunno. Samuel, are you
awful sorry"
Mrs. Dolby Retires to Die.
Samuel didn't say. He smiled a lit.
lie at b picture of himself on his
Knees, but 1t was a private smile, and
Mrs. Dolby didn't catch It. Besides,
reading grew more interesting as
progressed. There right before his
Eyes vas the statement Of a New
farmer that cows could be
:aught to eat old fence rails and dote
IN them If the said rails were first
'oaked In whisky. The cost of the
whisky was being mentally figured on
when Mrs. Dolby rose up and said:
swell. the end has comev
No answer.
Il am going out to freeze to deathv'
No answer.
Il cannot be moved from my pur.
rose. But you may kiss me goodby if
'ou want to-"
No kissing.
"All right. Samuel. l shall die, but
shan't haunt your second wife. |
be so mean as that"
No answer.
Then she passed out of the door and
vas gone. and that little private smile
+ the deacon's broadened. He laid
[own the book. went to the kitchen
fter an apple and was drawn up to
he stove and eating with great relish
When Mrs. Dolby walked in on him.
Ter ears and nose were red and her
eet like ice. but she didn't say so.
she did say was:
Samuel. | think it would cost the
a fortune for kerosene. They
ven burn a light in the pantry at
light"
Mrs. Dolby had decided to live on.