The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-06-09
copyright, by j. b. LIppineott co..


Abner Bennett frugally removed his
black cotton gloves and thrust them
with the handkerchief, still crisp in
the folds of its newness, into his
pocket. From another pocket he drew
a time-softened bandana; then he
gazed down on the freshly heaped
mound, white under its quilt of calla
and lauristinas flowers.
Anne was a good wife," he said,
brokenly. "She took good care Of
me in all the three years that we lived
together
A half-dozen men, awkward in their
seIdom-used best clothes, were un-
hitching teams from the scrub oaks in
the little cemetery A group Of wom-
en- closed around the mourner Their
sympathy opened the font OF his tears.
Anne was a good wife" he repeat
ed and the houseu seem empty
empty as a mud-dauber's nest in July
mstinctively his gaze turned to
Emmeline Riggs and dwelt there, de-
manding pity. 1t was Emmeline who
had been his early love. That was
in the days before Martha, the first
wife, or Cordelia, the second; it was
Emmiline's commiseration-her Gin
namon bread and lemon pies-that
had turned his widowhoods into pc
riods of mitigated mourning
Man is Of few days and full of
trouble" he quoted, his eyes again on
the mound. He cometh forth like
flower and is cut down" A gulping
sob interrupted the obituary Anne
knew that-she knew the enduring
strength Of women folks. 1t was
Anne who fumigated trees when the
orchard got the black scale pest 1t
was Anne who, when the COW took
down with anthrax He stopped,
overcome. 81 can't go back there
alone" he cried; 81 can't do it,"
Emmelines eyes radiated compass.
sion; she spoke for the company
NO ones planning that you should
she said.
The sun slanted shadows to the east
when the teams wound up through
acres Of sprouting grain, through an
orchard pink with petals, in the un-
painted house clinging, like a barnacle,
to the hill, There were rocks about
the back door; there were more rocks
at the front IN economy Abner Ben
net had selected for the home The one
place where nothing else would grow.
glance drifted comparing
Iy from the site to a grass-padded
knoll studded with white oaks then
she thought Of the three woru-out
women put away in the cemetery, and
= longing came to avenge them.
1t was Abner who helped her from
-he blackboard At the kitchen door
he laid his hand on her sleeve.
"Emmyline,' he said, impressiyely,
a prudent wife is from the Lord;
Anne was prudent She always used
'ubbish for lighting fires and saved
he hardwood for baking She used
lalf a spoonful of coffee to a cup, and
he shell of an egg for clearing. If
he pearly gates were ajar to-day and
Anne was to be a-peeking out, I'd like
o have her see things done her way"
Emmeline's eyes narrowed; she
opened her lips and snapped them into |
/ resoute line.
Within the kitchen box stood be-
lind the stove. 1t was filled with
Tried almond-shucks and corn-husks. |
\ patched bonnet still hung on a nail |
behind the door On the floor were
hrec rag mats
Abner tiptoed in, his new shoes ut
ering Sunday squeaks of complaint |
lie carried three grain-sacks.
Anne was a good wife," he sighed.
But she was a little mite extravagant
Il some ways" He got clumsily down |
md covered the mats as he added.
1T says in Exodus that all the chill |
iren Of Israel had light in their dwell
ings, but it don't say that they had |
ag carpete that'd fade That was
me point where Anne was Ikea stiff
lecked and stubborn generation"
Left alone, Emmeline Riggs stared
head Of her, with the coffee pot in
Ter hand. She fancied three patient
aces were watching out Of the sha-
.ow
Martha and Cordelia and Anne,
he breathed, hes a close-fisted old
Iypocrite, and If any one of you had
ad the spunk Of an angleworm you
wouldn't have stood it, Il was his
rst choice, and his second choice,