The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-04-09

r.
waitstill's voice trembled a trile, but
otherwise she was quite calm and free
from heroics Of any sort.
The deacon looked up in surprise.
II guess you're kind o. hystericky." he
said. "Set down-set down an talk
things over. l amt got nothin' ag'in
you. an l mean to treat you right. Set
down"
The old man was decidedly nervous
and intended to keep his temper until
there was a safer chance to let it fly.
Waitstill sat down. There's moth
ing to talk over" she said. II have
done all that l promised my stepmoth-
CIR the night she died. and 10 l am
going. If there's a duty owed between
daughter and father it ought to work
both ways. l consider that l have
done my share, and now l intend to
seek happiness for myself. l have new
err had any, and l am starving for it."
AN you'd leave me to git on the
best l can after what I've done for
you:" burst out the deacon. still trying
to hold down his growing passion.
You gave me my life. and I'm thank
full to you for that. but you've given
me little since, father"
"Hain't l fed an clothed your"
mo more than I have fed and cloth
ed you. You've provided the raw food.
and I've cooked and served it. You've
bought cloth. and l have made shirts
and overalls and coats for you and
knitted your socks and comforters and
mittens. Not only have l toiled and
saved and scrimped away my girlhood
as you babe me. but I've earned for
you. Who made the butter and took
are Of the hens and dried the apples
and drew in the rugs? Who raised
and ground the peppers for sale and
tended the geese that you. might sell
the feathers? No. father, l don't con
slider that I'm in your debit"
Deacon Foxwell Baxter was com
pletely nonplused for the first time in
his life. He had never allowed 'ar
gyfyin'" in his household. and there
had never been a clash of wills before
this when he had not come off swiftly
and brutally triumphant. This situa,
ton was complicated by the fact that
he did not dare to apply the brakes as
usual since there were more issues in
volved than ever before. He felt too
stunned to deal properly with this
daughter. having emptied all the Walls
nf hic uWoth p1rryo thu o%hnp 1rn Oy1
being, in consequence. somewhat en-
feebled. It was always easy enough
to cope with Patty. for her imperti-
hence evoked such rage that the argu-
ment took care Of itself. but this grave
young woman was a different matter.
There she sat composedly on the edgr
of her wooden chair. her head lifted
high. her color coming and going, her
eyes shining steadily like fixed stars:
there she sat. calmly announcing her
intention Of leaving her father to shift
for himself. Yet the skies seemed to
have no thought of falling! He felt
that he must make another effort to as
sert his authority.
Nov, you take off your coat" he
said. the pipe in his hand trembling as
he stirred nervously in his chair. You
take your coat right. off an set down
to the supper table same as usual. do
you hear? Eat your victuals an then
go to your bed an git W this crazy
fit that Patience has started workin'
in you. No more nonsense now! Do
as I tell you"
II have made up my mind, father.
and it's no use arguing. All who try
to live with you fail sooner or later.
You have had four children. father.
One boy q away; the other did not
mind being drowned. I fear. since life
was so hard at home. You have just
turned the third child out for a sin of
deceit and disobedience she would new
er have communication her nature is
as clear as crystal-if you had ever
loved her or considered her happiness
So l have done with you. unless in
your old age God should bring you t,
such a pass that no n else will come
to your assistance; then I'd see some.
how that you were cared for and nurs-
ed and made comfortable. You are not
an old man; you are strong and healthy.
and you have plenty of money to get
a good housekeeper. l should decide
differently perhaps If all this were O
true"
"You lie! l haven't got plenty of
money!" And the deacon struck the
table a sudden blow that made the
china in the cupboard rattle. you've
no notion what this house costs me,
an the food for the stock. an you two
girls. an labor at the store, an the
bayfield,, an the taxes an insurance!
I've shaved from sunrise to sunset. but
| amt hardly been able to lay up a
cent. l s'pose the neighbors have been
film you full o tales about my mis-
able little savin's an maxim 'em into
a fortune. Well. you won't git m of
'em, l promise you that"
"You have plenty laid away. Every.
body knows, so what's the use of de.
nying it? Anyway, l don't want a
penny Of your money, father. so good
by. There's enough cooked to keep
you for a couple of days. and Wait.