Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-06-07
Martha
ButterWorth's S
Thanks
She Found Cause For Them
On That Thanksgiving Day
By CLARISSA MACKlE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, lg11.
Observation-Disclosures.

"Being alive, of course. for one
thing" retorted her roommate old
Mrs. Lloyd.
"Aliver' sniffed Martha. Every
body else in the world is alive as well
as / be- | don't consider that any
special act of Providence"
You're sacrilegious, Martha" said
Mrs. Lloyd solemnly.
II spose | be. | s'pose I 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 fervor that few
of its inmates understood. Most Of
them were simple minded old women
who had invested n little nest egg Of
savings in the institution to receive
dividends of lifelong home and de-
cent burial.
They had beer congenial company
until Martha Bunerworth came into
their midst. Many Of them had known
Mrs. Rutterworth in her younger days.
Then she had been quite parsonage
in the county. Tor her husband. Darius
Butterworth. had been known rs the
richest farmer within Il radius Of TWEEN,
tv-tive mites. But Darius had fallen
victim to the gold mine fever and
awoke one morning 10 find himself the
possessor OF 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
Butterw0rth farm and clamored their
disapproval of Darius crazy invest
meuts" proved TO be too much for
the patient. unbusnesslike Darius.
who, daZcd by the great misfortune
that he had brought upon his wife as
we'll us himself. romptly disappear
ed, taking the hcx Of beautifully en-
graved stock certificates with him.
The closest search fai'pl 10 reveal
the whcreabnutS OF the fugitive farm
cr, and the aforesaid relatives. still
censoriouS. bul in Il mute. heartbroken
sort of way. he!red Darius beWilder
ed little wife to close up all the affairs
, that hungry creditors had not already
bounced uruu. 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 Il position as house
keeper in the family of IL man wh"
had an invalid wife.
For five more years Martha Looked
for her husbands return. and then
hone died in her breast with the end
ing of the tenrh year of his absence.
Shortly after this IL severe attack OF
rheumatism crippled MalthaS busy
feet and SO she gave up her situation
and. taking her small savings. did
what her soul loathed to do-She he
came an inmate Of the old ladies
home in the adjacent bustling little
city.
She hated the home. She dcte*ted
the simple minced. rontented old Wo
! men. who were well pleased with
their lot Not one Of them had known
as great prosperity us Martha Butter
worth. and not ono 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
Butterw0rth'S story-and in ron'e
quence- all the others were soon pos
SeSSed Of it ;rlSo-thpy could not uA
derStand her deep rooted bitterness OF
spirit and they Withdrew from her
company and lett her alone.
Old Mrs. Lloyd. the woman VINO had
known of Martha's affairs. also knew
that Martha l.utterworth had been Il
very brilliant pianist in her day. Ee'
fore Martha had married Darius she
had TAUGHT music. and after she was
married she played for her huShhnds
pleasure For ten years her WORK
hardened fingers had not touched pl
ano keys-htr own piano had gone III
the auction sale that followed the gen
eral craSh-and in spite of Mrs. LoEdS
pleading that Martha enliven thcir
long autumn evenings with tunes
on the big square piano in the parior
OF the home Martha had aS steadfaSf'
ly refused !n touch it.
"Thankful indrrdr muttered Mar
tha amain nf:"r Mrs. Lloyd had LEFT
the room. ! ,ir:larr. Sometimes !
think if was man I'd swear'
She hnShpd aftpr that remark ana
hid her hin face in her hanAS'
"Evervtllinc'S gone wrong! she wall
ed softly "I'o thirk after had
saved $-m that rheumatic Should
catch r:p in the feet only to leave the
minute | @ct 'Htn this home! IT !
hadn't hcen So haSty ! might haye
gone on wcrking. would soon have
had mn'ai'y encu%h to set out ana HOOK
for narius. not that | expect he's
alive now" she hastily added. She
arose and paced her half Of tie
square room. Il hate this old place.
hate this homc" she said between
her clen~hed teeth.
Mrs. Lloyd. who WAS now standing
in the doorway. henrd her and drew
her mJuth in sudden dismay. I'D he
Don't be surprised if you have an at