Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1914-12-18
CHAPTER l-contlnued.

Dan" she said, "11l tell you some
thing. These expensive laundries ruin
your shirts right Off, and when
washed EN- they lasted whole year.
They amt irened right, either"
"Oh, my Godl" groaned Slade, help
lessly, plying her lack OF understand
ing rather than being angry with her.
Il wish you'd forget, Mary, that
had to let you wash and scrub once.
We're up now. Let us kick the lad
der out from under us and stay up
forget how we got here"
But don't want to forget" remon-
strated the little wisp of a woman op-
posite him. 81 was perfectly content
ed those days. I amt now. l hate
this house. | hate it. It's too big.
The help scare me, so many OF EN-
I'd like jest one hired girl and my old
sitting-room set" She stopped medi-
tatively, her thoughts wandering back
to the early days when her husband
took his pick and dinner pail and
tramped off to the mines. and she
sang as she bent over the washtub
and busted herself at the kitchen
stove
Her husband sat with face averted.
his imagination carrying him far into
the future-a vision of honor as chief
executive of the state and power in
keeping with the untold riches he had
accumulated.
That's it," he finally exclaimed, Il
want to go ahead and you want to
stick over your washtubs. / need the
support of big people-got to mix with
'em, and be one of em. And you
won't"
mo. don't have to-" replied Mary.
Il needn't"
you don't see the necessity of join
ing me?" he asked, testify.
81 don't know how"
do you want to know how?" he
persisted.
NO" came the provokingly indiffer-
ant answer.
You're putting the bars up In the
middle OF the road" he continued
land I'm making up my mind to
change things"
Suddenly Mary's lips quivered and
q hurt look showed in her eyes behind
the misty tears as she realized that
whatever she did irritated her hus
band. She started to speak, but was
interrupted by the entrance of a serv
ant, who announced that Senator
Strickland and his daughter had just
phoned to say that he and his daugh
ter would call on their way to the
opera.
SHADES face flushed and paled at the
thought-flushed at the pleasurable
surprise at this unlooked-for attention
from the senator. and paled as he
thought of the senator's stunningly
gowned daughter arriving to find his
wife In a cheap, ill-fitting dress thai
would have looked badly even fol-
morning wear
Mary, you look like a steerage pas
senger," he exclaimed suddenly, turn
ing on the fiustered little woman, who
was aghast at the very thought OF 6
call from the senator and his laugh
ter. go upstairs and dress. II
make excuses and hold them till you
come down"
'T can't" she gasped 'T amt got
time, anyway, and l haven't anything
to 90 to the opera in"
Slade leaned forward and strucl
the table with his clenched fist. Dom
you understand? You must see these
people. Tonights paper names me fol-
governor. Strickland's influence Il
more necessary to me than any Other
mans In the whele state. He controls
the party. He's bringing his daugh
ter to my house. You're meeting then
socially. Come on, now, come on
he became persuasive-"puto on a nice
little gown and come along and show
them you can do something. Wei
hold a reception here and it'll be {
direct answer to Wesley Merritt's slul
on you In tonight's paper"
Go to the opera with Katherine
strickland-with a women who has
Just returned from Europe-the won
an who had dined with a queen ant
been feted all over the continent. Holt
a reception-hostees In this house
where she felt, save for her Dan. Z
stranger. Meet people who spoke II
what to her was a strange and alto
gethsr unmanageable fashion.
Mary caught her breath with a sol
OF dismay. The very thought para
lyzed her. Il can't, Dan," she fnall,
managed to blurt out I'D do any
thing else for you-but not this"
I'll not ask you again." reptile,
slsde, ominously, and poor Mary, to,
excited to interpret the threat, picket
up her sewing and her newspaper
and made for the door.
Tell them" she exclaimed breath
lessly, tell them l had headache
that's q fashionable enough excuse
anyway" And. terrified, she fed on
of the room as Katherine Stricklan,
and her father were announced