Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1915-04-02
CHAPTER ~.
One Of Them.

One Of Them.
All! but Abraham had slept that
night as II he had been drawn
to rest under the compelling shelter
of the wings OF all that flock which in
happier days he had dubbed contemp-
tuously them air old hens" Never
afterward could the dazed old gentle.
man remember how he had been per.
suaded to come into the house and up
the stairs with Angelina. He only
knew that in the midst OF that heart
breaking farewell at the gate, Miss
Abigail, all out OF breath with running
red In the face, but exceedingly hearty
of manner. had suddenly appeared.
"Shoo, shoe, SHOOT" this stout angel
had gasped. "Naow, Cap'n Abe. yew
needn't git narvous. We're as harm
less as doves. Run right erlong. Yew
won't see anybody ternight. Don't
say word It's all right. SSH!
Shoot" And then, 10! he was not in
the county almshouse, but In beau.
tiful, bright bedchamber with wreath
OF immortelles over the mantel, alone
with Angy.
Afterward, II all seemed the blur OF
dream to him. dream which ended
when he had found his head upon a
COOL. white pillow. and had felt glad
glad-dear God, how gladl-to know
that Angy was still within reach OF
his outstretched hand; and so he had
fallen asleep. But when he awoke
In the morning there stood Angelina
In front Of the glass taking her hair
out of curl papers; and then he slowly
began to realize the tremendous
change that had come into their lives
when his wife committed the unprece
denied act of taking her crimps out
before breakfast He realized that
they were to eat among strangers He
had become the guest OF thirty won
en-folks." No doubt he should be
called "Old Gal Thirty-one." He got
up and dressed very, very slowly. The
bewildered gratitude, the incredulous
Thanksgiving of last night, we're as far
away as yesterdays sunset. A great
seriousness settled upon Abe's lear
face. At last he burst forth:
"One to thirty Hy-guy, I'm in fel
it," How had it happened, he won
dered. They had given him no time to
think. They had swooped down upo1
him when his brain was dulled with
anguish. Virtually, they had kidnapped
him. Why had they brought him here
to accept charity Of a womens insti
tuition? Why need they thus intensity
his sense of shame at his Hfe's fail
ure, and, above all, at his failure t
provide for Angelina? In the poor
house he would have been only one
more derehct; but here he stood alone
to be stared at and pitied and throw
sickly-satisfying crumb. With {
sigh from the very cellar Of his being
he muttered:
AYE. mother. why didn't yew LEI
me go on ter the county house? Tha
airs the place fer a worn-out old hui
like me. Hy-guyl" he calculated
beads of sweat standing out on hi
forehead, I'D ruther lay deown an
die thin face them air women"
Thar. thar" soothingly spok,
Angy, laying her hand on his arm
Thar, thar, father Jest think haov
dretful I'd feel a-goin' deown withou
yer"
so you would" strangely comfort
ed. 80 you would, my dearl" Fol
her sake he tried to brighten up. H,
joked clumsily as they stood on tn,
threshold of the chamber, whispering
blinking his eyes to make up for tn,
lack Of their usually ready twinkle.
"Hol on a minute; supposin' fer
git whether be man er a woman ?
Her love gave inspiration to her an
swer: IN lean on yer, Abe,
just then there came the loud. i'm
peratiye changing of the breakfast
bell; and she urged him to hurry, a
1T wouldn't dew" for them to be lat
the first morning of all times. But h
only answered by going back into tn
room to make an anxious survey o
his reflection in the glass. He shool
his head reprovingly at the bearde,
countenance, as If to say: You nee,
not pride yourself any longer on looh
ing like Abraham Lincoln, for yo
have been turned into a miserable oil
woman"
Picking up the hair-brush, he he'll
1t out at arms length to Angy. Won
yew slick up my hair leetle BIZ
mother?" he asked. somewhat shame