The Forrest City times., 1914-08-14
CHAPTER VI.
Indian 9ummsr.

Indian eummsr.
 Mi5s Abigail had not banked in vain on the "foresightedness of the Lord" At tho end of six months, instead of there being a shortage In her accounts because of Abe's presence. she was able to show the directors such balance sheet as excelled all her pre- vious commendable records
 How do you explain it?" they asked her.
 We cast our bread on the waters" she answered. "an' Providence jest kept aeendin' out the loaves." Again she said. Twas grinnin' that done 1t. Brother Abe he kept the gardener good-natured, an the gardener he jest grinned at the garden sass until 1t was ashamed not ter flourish; an Brother Abe kept the gals good-natured an they want so niasy about what they eat; an he kept the visitors a-laughin' jest ter see him here. an when yew make folks laugh they want ter turn around an dew somethin fer yew. I tell yew, ef yew kin only keep grit ernough ter grin, yew kin drive away a drought"
 In truth, there had been no drought in the garden that summer but almost double yield of corn and beans; no drought in the gifts sent to the home. but showers of plenty. Some of these came in the form of fresh fish and clans left at the back door; some in ilSPIOUS frlIitz iv, har ~ clothing. And the barrels of clothing solved another problem for no longer did their contents consist solely of articles of feminine attire Billed shirts" poured out of them; socks and breaches, derby hats, coats and negli- gees; until Aunt Nancy with a humor- ous twist to her thin lips inquired if there were thirty men in this estab- lishment and one woman.
 T never thought I'd come to wearin' quilted silk basque with tossels on 1t. Abe remarked one day on being urged to try on a handsome smoking jacket. Dew I look like one of them sissy boys, CT jest dude?"
 Its dretful becoming" insisted Angy. "bewtiful Aint it, gals?"
 Every old lady nodded her head with an air of proud proprietorship, as If to say, Nothing could fail to become our brother" And Angy nod ded her head, too, in delighted ap- proval of their appreciation of "our brother" and my husband"
 Beautiful, joysteeped, pleasure-fllled days these were for the couple, who had been cramped for life's smallest necessities so many meager years. Angy felt that she had been made mi raculously young by the birth of this new Abraham-almost as If at last she had been given the son for whom in her youth she had prayed with i'm passioned appeal Her old-wife love became rejuvenated into a curious mixture of proud mother-love and young-wife leaning, as she saw Abe win every heart and become the cen ter of the community.
 Why, the sisters all think the sun rises an sets in him." Angy would whisper to herself sometimes, awed by the glorious wonder of 1t all
 The sisters fairly vied with one an other to see how much each could do for the one man among them Their own preferences and prejudices were magnanimously thrust aside In a body they besought their guest to smoke as freely in the house as out of doors. Miss Abigail even traded some of her garden produce for to- bacco, while Miss Ellie made the old gentleman tobacco pouch of red fan nel so generous in it's proportions that on a pinch 1t could be used as a chest protector.
 Then Ruby Lee, not to be outdone by anybody. produced, from no one ever discovered where, a mother-of- pearl manicure set for the delight and mystification of the hero; and even Lazy Daisy went so far as to cut some red and yellow tissue paper into squares under the delusion that some time, somehow, she would find the energy to roll these into spills for the lighting of Abe's pipe. And each and every sister from time to time contrib uted some gift or suggestion to her brothers" comfort
 ITO RE CONTTNJrEnN