Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1914-11-27

"
dohn Esterbrook had proved his case,
though be had stumbled into the proof.
he spent few hours each day hunt.
Ing for items into which he could In,
] fuse his quaint humor and a couple Of
hours more IN making them over. His
work occupied him for four or Eve
hours each day and was accomplished
i without the slightest effort He was
doing exactly what nature had intend.
ed be should do. what he had hlnted
| to his sweetheart was a possibility,
and. since the circulation of the Eagle
widened. his salary increased.
Meanwhile. though John had left
Amy Tarrant free to make home
with more practical man than him
self. he had not forgotten her. Amy
hadn't married. She had given her
heart to John, and 1t was not hers to
give to any one else. There was an
other reason why she did not marry.
Her mother was widow, and there
were several young children. all OF
whom required Amy's attention. Amy
was an attractive girl and had sever
al suitors,. but she had sent them all
away, conceiving 1t to be her duty, as
II was her preference. to remain at
home, where she. was the mainstay of
the family.
Indeed. this was necessary, for,
though Amy worked eight hours day
at an office, she being the only pro
ductive vne Of the household. she could
not earn enough to pay rent. buy food
aud the necessary clothing.
Such was the condition Of affairs In
the Tarrant family when Thanksgiv-
ing day approached One of the young.
er boys heard his mother and his sis
ter Amy discussing what they should
do for a Thanksgiving dinner. Amy
suggesting that hamburger steak was
the best they could provide for meat
The boy whined that they should have
turkey and, though Informed that the
bird would cost 80 cents II pound was
not whit better satisfied to do with.
out 1t.
The day before Thanksgiving Mrs
Tnrrant and Amy before the latter
went to her work had final confer.
eDee as to how they should get up
dinner for the morrow. There were
absolutely no funds, and Amy could
not draw. even the few dollars that
were coming to her until the end of
the week. Nor was there anything in
the larder except few potatoes, The
outlook was dismal. Amy went to her
work, intending to ask for enough of
her weekly salary to provide at least
a meal sufficient to stay the children's
hppetites. but she was Informed that
such advances We're contrary to the
rules OF the Office. She returned after
business hours to inform her mother
Of her failure and was approaching
the house when she saw II man stand
ing at the door. As she drew near she
recognized John Esterbrook.
why. John" she exclaimed. what
brought you here?"
WELL" replied John, "your predic.
tons as to my fuziness having been
fulfilled. I've invited myself to take II
Thanksgiving dinner with you. |
haven't had real good one since we
parted"'
"Oh, dear! What shall we do? We
haven't a cent with which to buy a
dinner"
THAT'S a disappointment. isn't it?"
Not only to you, but to us, Mother
and | wouldn't complain If 1t were not
for the children"
Haven't you anything In the house?"
Nothing" tear stood in her eye.
"Well. l have little change left.
I reckon I'll have to pay 1t out for
something to fill the childrens stom-
achs. Suppose We go now together
The markets will not be open on
Thanksgiving morning"
| She walked away with him and as
they proceeded sympathized with him
at his Ill success. reminding him Of
their conversation when he went away
and how she had warned him that
| without hard work, whether he liked
1t or not, he would never get on He
replied that he remembered her words
very well. He had done some hard
work, but confessed that he had not
enjoyed 1t. Indeed. he had disliked 1t
30 much that he had given 1t up.
aren't you doing anything nowT
she asked.
Nothing that I consider work."
/ They stopped at market In which
a profusion OF eatables was displayed,
and rs soon as John could get the at
tention of one of the men in white
coat and apron he began his purchases
with-.a ten pound turkey. quart of
oysters. u bunch Of celery. to say moth
ing Of cranberries, vegetables, nuts,
raisins and other delicacies. Then he
asked Amy what necessaries were re-
quired. She was too astonished to re-
ply. So he pulled fat roll of bank
notes from his pocket and paid the
bill. Then they walked back to Amy's
home. taking with them beefsteak
and other articles for supper that even
Ing.
After supper John threw off his face
tiousness and made a clean breast of
1t to Amy. II rather mortified him to
confess that he was making a living
at writing Jokes about human foibles,
but when he Informed her OF the fine
income he was receiving she brighter
I'd. and he felt after all that he did
| not suffer In her estimation