Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1915-03-26
CHAPTER ll-contInued.

Under the pink rose a soft pink
flush bloomed on either of the old |
ladys cheeks. Her eyes flashed with |
unconquerable pride, and her square. |
firm chin she held very high; for now,
indeed, she was filled with terror OF
what folks would say" to this home |
leaving, and it was a bright June after
noon, too clear for an umbrella with
which to hide ones face from prying
neighbors, too late In the day for a
sunshade
Angy tucked the green-black affair
which served them as both under her
arm and swung Abe's figured old car
petbag in her hand with the manner OF
one setting out on a pleasant journey.
Abe, though resting heavily on his
stout. crooked cane, dragged behind
him Angy's little horsehair trunk upon
a creaking, old, unusually large toy
express wagon which he had bought
at some forgotten auction long ago.
The husband and wife passed into
the garden between borders OF box
wood beyond which nodded the heads
of Angy's carefully tended, outdoor
children roses, her snowballs,
her sweet-smelling syringas, her wax
like bleeding hearts and her shrub OF
bridal-wreath.
Jest a minute" she murmured, as
Abe would have FASTENED on to the
gate. She bent her proud head and
kissed with furtive, half-ashamed pas
sion a fluffy white spray OF the bridal
wreath. Now overlapping the hus-
bands silk hat. the shrub had not
come 30 high as his knee when they
two had planted 1t nearly half-cen-
fury ago.
You're minel" Angy's heart cried
out to the shrub and to every growing
thing In the garden. You're mine. |
planted you, tended you, loved you
into growing. You're all the children
the old wife did not pluck a single
flower. for she could never bear to see
q blossom wither In her hand. while
all she said aloud was: I'm glad twas
Mis- Holmes that bought In the house.
They say she's a great hand ter dig
In the garden"
Angy's voice faltered. Abe did not
answer. Something had caused q
swimming before his eyes which he
did not wish his wife to soc; 80 he
let fall the handle Of the express
wagon and, bending his slow back,
plucked a sprig of "old-man." Though
he could not have expressed his senti-
ments in words. the garden brought
poignant recollections OF the hopes
and promises which had thrown their
rose color about the young days of his
marriage His hopes had never bios
somed into fulfilment His promises
to the little wife had been choked by
the weeds of his own inefficiency.
Worse than this, the bursting into
bloom of seeds of selfish recklessne ss
in himself was what had turned the
garden of their life into an arid waste.
And now, in their dry and withered
old age, he and Angy we're being torn
up by the roots, flung as so much
rubbish by the roadside.
Mother, | be dretful sorry ter take
yew away from your posies." muttered
Abraham as he arose with his green
sprig in his hand
With shaking fingers, Angy sought
a pin hidden beneath her basque. "Fa
Their. shall ! pin yer Oldham In yeI
buttonhole?" she quavered. Then az
he stopped for her to arrange this
posy, she whispered: 81 wouldn't care
'cept fer what folks must Say. Lei
IL
everybody that we want a-gwine tel
break up till termorrer mornin'"
Fortunately, there was a way across
lots to the Old Ladies' home, an un
frequented by-path over a field and
through bit of woodland, which
would bring the couple almost unob
served to side gate.
Under ordinary circumstances Ange
line would never have taken this path
for 1t exposed her carefully patche,
and newly polished shoes to scratches
her fragile, worn silk skirt and stifl
white petticoat to brambles More
pver, the dragging OF the loaded littl
wagon was more difficult here 70
Abraham. But they both preferre
the narrower, rougher way to facin
the curious eyes of all Shoreville nov
the plying windows of the villag
street
AS the couple came to the edge G
the woodland. they turned with on
accord and looked back for the las
glimpse Of the home. Blazing golt
red against me Kitchen window flame
ths af>ssnoon sunlight