Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1913-08-01
LEAF FIFTH.
Only an Old Song.

AlIUe tudt III not DUSf WITH something
interesting | curt up on the bed and go
dream hunting only sleep too hard
TO do much catching But this torture
book found that out on me and stopped
1t the very first thing on page three
The command is to sleep as little as
possible to keep the nerves in good
cOndition-"eight hours at the most
and seven would be better" What
earthly good would a seven hour nap
do mei want tor hov~S 20 sleep and
twelve = al start To
see me stasser out of my perfectly
nice bed at 9 o'clock every morning
now would wiring the sternest heart
with compassion and admiration at my
faithfllness-to whom?
Yes, it was the day after poor Mr.
Carriers funeral that Aunt Adeline
moved up here into my house and set
tied herself in the big south room
across the hall from mine Her furni-
ture weighs ton each piece. and Aunt
Adeline is not light herself In DISPOSE
ton The next morning when ! went
IN to breakfast she sat in the vacant
that she was obviously trying to fill the
vacancy am sorry she worried her
self about that. Anyway. it made me
take a resolve. After breakfast went
into the kitchen to speak to Judy
Judy" said looking past her
head, my health is not very good, and
you can bring my breakfast to me in
bed after this" Poor Mr. Carter al
ways wanted breakfast on the stroke
of and me at the same time, though
ne rarely got me. Judy has two dead
husbands and she likes a ginger col
ored barber down town. Also her
mother is our washerwoman and in
fiuenced by Aunt Adeine Judy under
stands everything | say to her. After
I had closed the door I heard a laugh
that sounded like war vhoop and !
smiled to myself But that was before
my martyrdom to this book had be
gun. get up now
But the day after I came from the
city l lay In bed just as long as
wanted 10 and ignored the thought of
the exercises and deep breathing and
even take very much interest in the
lonely egg on the lonely slice of dry
toast was thinking about things.
Hillsboro is q very peculiar little
speck on the universe; even more pc
culiar than being like hen. It is one
OF the oldest towns in Tennessee. and
the moss on it is 50 thick that it can't
be scratched off except in spots But
It has a lot Of race horse and distillery
money in it. and when it gets poked
up by anything unusual it takes a gulp
of its own alcoholic atmosphere and
runs away on its own track at 2:05
gait, shedding moss as it goes. 1t
hasn't had a real joy race for a long
time, and I felt that It needed 1t.
rolled over and laughed into my pill /
low.
The subject Of the conduct of widows /
is a serious one. OF all the things old (
tradition is most set about it is that. |
and what WAS decided TO be the proper Il.
thing a million years ago this town /
still dictates shall be done and spends |
a good deal Of it's time seeing its di /
rections carried out For a year after
the funeral they forget about the poor
bereaved, and when they do remember
her they speak to and OF her in the
same tones of voice they used at the
obseduies. Then sooner or later some
neighbor is sure to see some man walk
home from church with her or hear
some old bachelors voice on her front
porch. Mr.. Cain took Mrs. Caruther's
little Jessie up in his buggy and helped
her out at her mothers gate just be
fore last Christmas, and if the poor
widow hadn't acted quick the town
would have noticed them to death be
fore he proposed TO her. They were
married the day after New Years and
she lost lots Of good friends because
she didn't give them piore time to talk
about it.
I don't intend to run any risk Of los
ne my friends that way. and | want
hem to have all the good time they
,an get out Of it. I'm going to serve
,ut mint jueps of excitement until the
lear old place is running as It did
yhen it was a two-year-old Why get
ngd when people are interested in
-ou? It's a compliment, after all, and
ust gives them more to think about
remembered the two trunks across
he hall and Rugged my knees up I'M
.er my chin with pleasure al the
bought Of the town talk they con
aimed :
Then just as had got the first plan
veil going and was deciding whether I
o wear the mauve meteor or the white
hilton with the rosebud embroidery as !
first julep for my friends sweet 7
ess came ia through my window that /.
,ok my breath away, and lay still
nth my hand over my heart and lis
aned. 1t was Billy singing right I'M !
er my window, and I've never heard q
Ina do it before In all his five years
{ was the dearest old fashioned tune =
yer written. and Billy sang the words
$ distinctly as If he had been boy
horister doing difficult recitatiye.