Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1915-04-02
v facedly. Il can't see extry well this

inOiiiiH
why, Abel It's slicked ez slick ez
It kin be naow' However. the old
wife reached up as he bent his tall
angular form over her. and smoothed
again his thin, wet locks. He laughed
a little, self-mockingly. and she
laughed back. then urged him into the
hall. and. slipping ahead. led the way
downstairs. At the first landing. which
brought them into full view Of the
lower hall. he paused, possessed with
the mad desire to run away and hide,
for at the foot of the stairway stood
the entire flock Of old ladies. Twenty
nine pairs OF eyes we're lifted TO him
and Angy, twenty-nine pairs Of lips
we're smiling at them. To the end OF
his days Abraham remembered those
smiles. Reassuring, unselfish and
tender, they made the old mans heart
swell, his emotions go warning to-
gether.
He wondered, was grateful. yet he
grew more confused and afraid. He
stared amazed at Angelina. who
seemed the embodiment of self-posses.
sion, lifting her dainty, proud little
gray head higher and higher. She
turned to Abraham with protecting,
motherly little gesture Of command
for him to follow, and marched gal
lantly on down the stairs. Humbly,
trembling at the knees. he came with
gingerly steps after the little old wife.
How unworthy he was of her now!
How unworthy he had always been,
yet never realized to the full until this
moment. He knew what those smiles
meant, he told himself, watching the
uplifted faces; they we're to soothe
his sense OF shame and humiliation,
to touch with rose this dull gray color
of the elimination Of his failures. He
passed his hand over his eyes, f1ercely
praying that the tears might not come
to add to his disgrace.
And all the while brave little Angy
kept smiling, until with a truly glad
leap of the heart she caught sight of
blue ribbon painted in gold shining
on the breast of each one of the
twenty-nine women. A pale blue rib
bon painted In gold with-yes, peering
her eyes she discovered that 1t was
the word WELCOMED" The forced
smile vanished from Angelines face
Her eyes grew wet, her cheek white
Her proud figure shrank. She turned
and looked back at her husband. Not
for one instant did she appropriate
the compliment to herself. This is
for you'll" her spirit called out to him,
while a new pride dawned In her
working face.
Forty years had she spent apologize
ing for Abraham, and now she under
stood how these twenty-nine generous
old hearts had raised him to the pedes-
tai of hero, while she stood heroine
beside him. Angy 1t was who trembled
now, and Abe, gaining a manly cour-
age from that. took hold of her arm
to steady her-they had paused on a
step near the foot of the stairs-and,
looking around with his whimsical
smile, he demanded of the bedecked
company in general, Ladies, be yew
'spectin' the PRESIDENT"
Cackle went the cracked old voices
of the twenty-nine In a chorus of APP
preciative laughter, while the old
heads bobbed at one another as II to
say, Wont he be an acquisition ?"
And then, from among the group there
came forward Blossy-Blossy, who had
sacrificed most that this should come
to pass; Blossy, who had sat till mid
night painting the gold-and-blue rib
bons; Blossy. the pride and beauty
of the home, in delicate. old, yellow,
real lace gown. She held her two
hands gracefully and mysteriously be-
hind her back as she advanced to the
foot of the stairs. Looking steadily
in Abraham's eyes, she kept a-smiling
until he felt as If the warmth OF a
belated spring had beamed upon him.
THE PRESIDENT" Her mellow, we'll
modulated voice shook, and she
laughed with a mingling OF generous
Joy and tender pity. Are we expect
ing the president? You dear, modest
man! We are welcoming-you!"
Abe looked to Angy as If to say,
How shall take it?" and behold the
miracle of his wife's bosom swelling
and swelling with pride in him. He
turned back, for Blossy was making a
speech. His hand to his head, he
bent his good ear to listen. In terms
poetical and touching she described
the loneliness of the life at the home
as 1t had been with no man under
the roof of the house and only deaf
and-dumb gardener who hated her sex,
In the barn. Then In contrast she
painted life as 1t must be for the sis
ters now that the thirty tender vines
had found a stanch old oak for their
clinging. "Me?" queried Abraham OF
himself and. with another silent
glance, OF Angy.