Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-07

bSAuS dA4fC u NOhASOs ApA tAAC
thing" retorted her roommate, old
Mrs. Lloyd.
'Ahve. shifted Martha. Every
body else in the world is alive as well
as 1 be 1 don't consider that any
special act of Providence"
You're sacrilegious, Martha said
Mrs. Lloyd solemnly.
Il s'pose 1 be, l s'pose 1 be-" said
Martha drearily, and she stared from
the window down at the frost nipped
lawn of the old ladies' home.
Martha Butterworth hated the old
ladies' home with a fervor that few
of it's inmates understood. Most of
them were simple minded old women
who had invested little nest egg Of
savings in the institution to receive
dividends of a lifelong home and de-
cent burial.
They had been a congenial company
until Martha Butterworth came into
their midst. Many of them had known
Mrs. Butterworth in her younger days.
Then she had been quite a parsonage
in the county, for her husband. Darius
Butterworth, had been known as the
richest farmer within a radius of TWEEN
ty-five miles. But Darius had fallen
a victim to the gold mine fever and
awoke one morning to find himself the
possessor Of a big tin box full OF
worthless mining stock while even his
farm had been mortgaged to its full
value.
The horde Of censorious relatives
which Immediately gathered at the
Butterworth farm and clamored their
disapproval Of Darius ''crazy invest
ments' proved to be too much for
the patient, unbusinesslike Darius,
who, dazed by the great misfortune
that he had brought upon his wife as
we'll as himself, promptly disappear
ed, taking the box of beautifully en-
graved stock certificates with him.
The closest search failed to reveal
the whereabouts of the fugitive farm
er. and the aforesaid relatives, still
censorious, but in a mute, heartbroken
sort Of way, helped Darius bewilder-
ed little wife TO close up all the affairs
that hungry creditors had not already
bounced upon. and they agreed that
Martha should live in turn with one
and another Of them until Darius
should come back or something turn
ed up.
The bread of dependence is bitter,
and for five long years Martha But
terwOrth tasted gall and NORWOOD.
Then she packed up her few belong
ings and took a position as house
keeper in the family of a man who
had an invalid wife.
For five more years Martha looked
for her husbands return, and then
hope died in her breast with the end
ing of the tenth year of his absence.
Shortly after this a severe attack of
rheumatism crippled Martha's busy
feet and so she gave up her situation
and. taking her small savings. did
what her soul loathed to do-she be-
came an inmate OF the old ladies'
home in the adjacent busting little
city.
She hated the home She detested
the simple minded, COntented old wo-
men. who were well pleased with
their lot Not one of them had known
as great prosperity as Martha Butter
worth. and not one had suffered the
pangs Of fallen pride or endured the
grief Of uncertainty regarding loved
ones safety that she had, and, al
though one of them knew Martha
Butterworth's story-and in conse
uuence all the others were soon pos
sessed of It also-they could not I'M
derstand her deep rooted bitterness OF
spirit. and they Withdrew from her
company and left her alone.
Old Mrs. Lloyd. the woman who had
known of Martha's affairs, also knew
that Martha Butterworth had been Il
very brilliant pianist in her day. Be
fore Martha had married Darius she
had taught music, and after she was
married she played for her husbands
pleasure For ten Years her work
hardened fingers had not touched pr
ano keys-her own piano had gone in
the auction sale that followed the gen
eral Grassland In spite Of Mrs. Loyd's
pleading that Martha enliven their
long autumn evenings with tunes"
on the big square piano in the parlor
of the home Martha had as steadfast-
Iy refused to touch it,
Thankful indeed muttered Mar
tina again after Mrs. Lloyd had left
the room. Il declare. Sometimes ]
think if I was a man I'd swear"
She blushed after that remark and
hid her thin face in her banda
'Everything's gone wrong" she wall
cd softly ITO think after ! had
saved $500 that rheumatic should
catch me in the feet, only to leave the
minute I got into this home! II !
hadn't been 80 TASTY I might have
gone on working. / would soon have
had money enough TO set out and look
for Darius, not that 1 expect he's
alive now" she hastily added. She
arose and paced her half Of the
square room. II hate this old place.
hate this homew she said between
her clenched teeth.
Mrs. Lloyd. who was now standing
in the doorway, heard her and drew
her mouth In sudden dismay. I'D be
afraid to say that, Mrs. Butterworth
It's flying in the face Of Providence
to say such things. I've got sister
who IS crazy TO come here and stay,