The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-10-10
AN ANSWERED
PRAYER
B. M. QUAD
3, N. QUAD
Copyright. 1913, BY Associated Lit
erary Press.

V1 q vS1y oSAAVOo AAoSSSAs OS6ou &A'
Gregg's wife as they sat together one
evening. M (.
Mr.. Gregg nodded and sighed. He
was a bored husband. His wife had
a serious subject to bring up every
week Or two.
you. know our Polly?" queried the
wife in a half doubling way.
Mr.. Gregg was the father of Polly
and ought to be fairly well acquainted
with her. He nodded his head.
"Polly has another beau. and l want
to know what we are going to do
about it."
II can't do anything" slowly replied
the husband after a moments thought.
'but you can"
WHAT"
"You can butt in and crowd Polly
out and do the counting yourself. as
you have done with every other beau
she has had!
Henry Gregg. may the Lord for
give you, for I eve cant" walled the
wife as she covered her face with her
hands.
"But I'm right" he defended. "sup-
pose that when a young man called
here to e Polly I went to the door to
shake hands with him and tell him I
was glad to e him.
Suppose ! sat beside him in the
parlor for fifteen minutes limiting
around how nice it would be when he
and Polly were married"
Suppose I dinged it at him that
Polly was an angel and that he would
never have q chance to marry an
other.
Henry Gregg. you are an unnatural
father, and I'll Eve speak another
word to you on this matter. II Polly
lives to be ninety years old and never
marries 1t will be all your fault"
It was common gossip that Mrs.
Gregg was so crazy to marry Polly of
that she was making a fool Of herself.
No one had given her q tip. and the
girl had heard nothing. No one blam-
ed her. She was a sweet, sensible girl
and didn't even realize that there was
too much mother and not enough OF
herself about the affairs.
Mrs. Gregg had received a bad set
back from her husband. She felt that
he had usurped a privilege as sacred
as the cow of India. A daughters love
affairs and matrimonial prospects
ought to be left entirely in a mothers
hands. The wife had said that she
wouldn't discuss the matter further
with her husband, and she meant to
keep her word. but she must talk to
somebody. She hardly dared trust a
woman. but who then?
"Why. the minister of my church. OF
course" she replied after casting about
for a day or two.
care you in trouble. Sister Gregg"
asked the good man as she entered bis
study with tears in her eyes.
"Y-yes: great trouble"
concerning your husband?"
partly. He has come between me
and Polly"
Hem: How is that??"
"Why, he says I'm to let her benus
alone and that she is to manage her
own affairs. Did you ever hear the
Hke?"
Her parson had heard all the gossip
about Mrs. Gregg butting In. Parsons
know what is going on in their parishes
as we'll as anybody else. but they don't
repeat the gossip.
"How old is Polly?" was asked.
"Going on twenty"
"Hem. And she has another beau!"
"Yes-Will Somers."
"And he calls at the house,"
1.-TWO or three times a week"
81 see. Young Mr.. Somers is highly
spoken Of"
Hes Just as nice as can be. par
son."
But Mr.. Gregg objects to him?"
"Oh. no. no."
"Then l don't exactly understand"
"Why, I want him to know that I'm
glad he's counting Polly. and Mr.. Gregg
! says I'll drive him away. He calls II
butting In" !,
"Y-e-s. believe I've heard the word
before. Sister Gregg. don't you think
Polly Is old enough to he conrted?
49, s. 49, ##
why. yes"
And to be courted the way other
: girls are?"
.Without me aroundT was asked.
The parson nodded his head.
"But-but 1 want Mr.. Somers TO
know-know"-
Hell know"
..Then you won't advise me?'
II never mix up with family matters
If l can avoid It,"
"Well." said the discouraged woman
as she rose to go. III you won't advise
me L shall at least hope You will pray
for me-
"Umw replied the parson. leaving
the matter very much in doubt.
Three weeks later Mrs. Gregg tel. or
an icy sidewalk and broke a lee. Aftes
a couple Of weeks the pastor made 9
call. as 1t was his duty to DO d He
found her mending and cheerful She
welcomed him with a smile and said:
II have some, news for you. Polly