The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-01-14
The Low-Down, Dirty Blacksmith
BY L. c. NOTRUB. PORTLAND.

mother, and accept his attentions.
But just then pretty Letta Barnes
came into the store with a bright
smile and a hello" for Jim, and he
then and there renewed the deter
mination to never give her up as long
as there was any hope.
"Letta, will you allow me to accom-
pany you to church tonight"
why, of course l will, Jim, If 1t Is
so l can. Can you spare me from the
store tonight, papa?"
YES, | guess I can, but you'd bet
ter not let Mary know that yer goin'
to church with Jim, or you'll not git
ter CO."
ooh, I'll tell mamma all about it
before start to church. I'll not be
a hypocrite and hide things from her
that l have no reason to. l am not
ashamed to go to church with Mr..
Stofer," and the color came and went
in her cheeks, making her all the
more lovely. Jim's heart took a great
bound, for in those words he read
some hope and he knew that the
color that came and went in her
cheeks could not be feigned.
I'll be ready to start at 8 o'clock.
Jim. Be sure you are here at that
time"
BE sure you are here at that time
kept running through Jim's mind, as
he slowly walked homeward. "Of
course, I'll be there at that time. No
one could keep me away"
When Letta reached home she
found her mamma in a great rage.
Something had gone wrong, and
Mary Barnes blamed everything and
everybody about. when she was mad.
"Letta you have been wasting your
time talking to Jim Stofer again.
Didn't | tell you never to speak to him
again? You are g mean, contempt
ible little hussy. You don't respect
your mother at all. I'll tell you
right now, if you ever speak to Jim
Stofer again you will leave home.
Now you can take your choice OF
staying here with me or taking up
with that low-down, dirty blacksmith
and never showing your face here
again. He just wants you because
you have a little money, and when
your are married he will make you
take care Of that little girl of his,
who is too low-down for any Of my
children to associate with. So there"
and away she sped into the kitchen
with her head held high, not even
glancing backward.
Letta stood still, not knowing what
to say or think. Her mothers sting
ing rebuke caused the blood to leave
her cheeks, but when she referred to
Jim as a "low-down, dirty black
smith" the color came back and her
heart seemed to stand still.
80 I'm a contemplate little hussy.
Oh, why did mamma say that? Slowly
the tears began to gather in her eyes
and lower and lower dropped her
head. Suddenly a mighty sob shook
her frame and she fled to her room.
Mary Barnes was one OF those
women who labored under the i'm
preston that she was better than
ordinary people-that her children
were above the common people of the
town. 1t was true that her husband
had amassed considerable property.
and his bank account was the largest
Of any person In the village. But
when he married Mary Hill, he had
nothing; while her early life had
been spent in abject poverty, she now
had no sympathy for anyone who
did not have wealth. She was very
Quick-tempered-quick to become
angry and slow to forgive, often pre-
tending sickness for days after a
"spat" with her husband.
It will never be known exactly,
what passed through the mind Of
Letta Barnes, as she wept bitterly
over the cruel words her mother had
just uttered, but when a half hour
later, she came from her room there
was a look of determination on her
face that showed that a great battle
had taken place and that some def
mite conclusion had been reached.
Mother, I am going to church
with Jim tonight"
The words were spoken slowly, but
with an air Of determination that
caused Mrs. Barnes to vince. when
she glanced at the tear-stained face
of the slight girl that confronted her.
"Wil you disobey your mother and
bring disgrace on the whole family
by going with that low-bred fellow"
II am going to church with him,
mamma, and there is no need of any
further argument, as l have fully
made up my mind to go. If you can