Democratic messenger., 1911-11-18
Martha
EyutterWOrtn'S S
Thanks
. She Found Cause For Them
on That Thanksgiving Day .
. Ry CLARISSA MACKlE .
BY CLARISSA MACXIE
Copyright By American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

's''t'.s'i''s'T't.~.s't.s
Give thanks for whatT demanded
Martha Butterworth tiercely.
Being alive. of course. for one
thing" rctOrted her roommate. old
Mrs Lloyd
ALIVE. shifted Martha. Every
body else IN the world Is alive MS well
ns | be don't consider that any
special net of Providence"
You're sacrilegious. Martha" said
Mrs Lloyd solemnly.
Il s'poee be. ! s'pose | be-" said
Martini drcarily. aud she stared from
the window down at the frost nipped
lawn OF the old ladies' home
Martini Buticrworth hated the old
ladies home with n fcrvor that few
OF It's inmates understood. Most OF
them were simple minded old women
who Ind invested little nest egg OF
savings In the institution TO receive
dividends of n lifelong home aud de.
cent burial.
They had been congenial company
until Martha Buttcrwortll came into
their midst. Many of them had known
Mrs. Butterworth In her younger days.
Then she had been quite Il parsonage
In the county. for her husband. Darius
Butterworih. had been known as the
richest farmer within radius OF TWEEN
ty.five miles But Darius had fallen
victim Ia the gold mine fever and
t,t1 ltt q h.a
possessor of n big tin box full or
worthless mining stock while even his
farm had been mortgaged 10 its fun
value.
The horde Of censorious relatives
which Immediately gathered at the
Butterworth farm and clamored their
dlsapproval OF Darius 'craZy invest
ments" proved 10 be too much for
the patient. unbuslnesslike 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 n mute. hcartbroken
sort OF way, helped Darius hewilder
ed little wife TO close up all the affairs
that hungry creditors had not already
pounced 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 wormwood.
Then she packed up her few belong
ings and took position as house
keeper in the family Of 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 n severe attack OF
rheumatism crippled Martba'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 bustling little
city.
She hated the home. She detestcd
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
quence all the others were soon pos
sessed OF II also-they could not un
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 Marthn's affairs. also knew
that Martha Butterworth had been
very brilliant pianist In her day. Re
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 pi.
ano keys-hcr 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-
ly refused to touch IL.
THANKFUL indeed muttered Mar
tina again after Mrs. Lloyd had left
the room. II declare! Sometimes
think IL was a man I'd swearr'
She blushed after that remark and
hid her thin face in her hands
"Everything's gone wrong!' she wall
ed softly. ITO think after | had
saved $500 that rheumatic should
catch me IN the feet. only TO leave the
minute got into this home. II |
hadn't been so hasty might have
! sraRa nu scarlfnu 1 xvnui1 cann haya