The Forrest City times., 1914-08-07
CHAPTER ".
One of Them.

One of Them.
 l An! but Abraham had slept that night as if he had been drawn 1 to rest under the compelling shelter of the wings of all that flock which In 1 happier days he had dubbed contemp- l tuously them air old hens" Never afterward could the dazed old gentle man remember how he had been per 1 suaded to come into the house and up l the stairs with Angeline He only knew that in the midst of that heart breaking farewell at the gate. Miss Abigail, all out of breath with running, red in the face, but exceedingly hearty of manner, had suddenly appeared
 "Shoo, shoo, shoo!" this stout angel had gasped. "Naow, Cap'n Abe, yew needn't git narvous. We're as harm less as doves. Run right erlong. Yew won't see anybody ternight Don't say word. It's all right Sssh! Shoo!" And then. To! he was not in the county almshouse, but in a beau tiful. bright bedchamber with a wreath 1 of immortelles over the mantel, alone with Angy.
 Afterward, it all seemed the blur of a dream to him, a dream which ended when he had found his head upon a cool, white pillow. and had felt glad. ! glad-dear God, how glad!-to know l that Angy was still within reach of ] his outstretched hand; and so he had fallen asleep. But when he awoke in the morning there stood Angeline in front of the glass taking her hair i out of curl papers, and then he slowly | began to realize the tremendous change that had come into their lives, when his wife committed the unprece- dented act of taking her crimps out before breakfast He realized that they were to eat among strangers. He had become the guest of thirty "wom- en-folks." No doubt he should be called old Gal Thirty-one" He got up and dressed very, very slowly. The bewildered gratitude. the incredulous thanksgiving of last night, were as far away as yesterdays sunset. A great seriousness settled upon Abes lean Aotts At ldSt ut DuTSL tOTtn.
 One to thirty! Hy-guy, I'm in fer it!" How had it happened, he won dered. They had given him no time to think. They had swooped down upon him when his brain was dul,ed with anguish. Virtually, they had kidnapped him. Why had they brought him here to accept charity of a women's insti- tuition? Why need they thus intensity his sense of shame at his life's fail. ure, and, above all at his failure to provide for Angeline? In the poor house he would have been only one more derelict; but here he stood alone to be stared at and pitied and thrown sickly satisfying crumb. With a sigh from the very cellar of his being, he muttered:
 Aye, mother, why didn't yew let me go on ter the county house? That airs the place fer worn-out old huh like me. Hy-guy!" he calculated, beads of sweat standing out on his forehead, I'd ruther lay deown an die tln face them air women"
 Thar. thar!" soothingly spoke Angy, laying her hand on his arm. Thar, thar, father! Jest think haow dretful I'd feel a-goin deown without yer"
 So you would!" strangely comfort ed So you would, my dear." For her sake he tried to brighten up. He joked clumsily as they stood on the threshold of the chamber. whispering, blinking his eyes to make up for the lack of their usually ready twinkle.
 "Hol on a minute; supposin' fer git whether I be man CT woman?"
 Her love gave inspiration to her an swer: "Ill lean on yer, Abe"
 Just then there came the loud i'm. perative changing of the breakfast. bell; and she urged him to hurry. as it wouldn't dew" for them to be late the first morning of all times But he only answered by going back into the room to make an anxious survey of his reflection in the glass He shook his head reprovingly at the bearded countenance, as if to say; You need not pride yourself any longer on look ing like Abraham Lincoln, for you have been turned into a miserable old woman"
 Picking up the hair-brush, he held it out at arms length to Angy. Wont ! yew slick up my hair a leetle bit, mother!" he asked. somewhat shame