Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-01-15
CHAPTER ~.
One Of Them.

night as IL 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-
tuouely 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 ternisht. 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, it 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 glad!-to know
that Angy was still within reach OF
his outstretched hand; and 80 he had
fallen asleep. But when he awoke
In the morning there stood Angelina
in front of the glass taking her hail
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 ou'
before breakfast. He realized thai
they were to eat among strangers. HI
, had become the guest of thirty WON
en-folks." No doubt he should b
. called "Old Gal Thirty-one." He 90
, up and dressed very. very slowly. TIT
! bewildered gratitude, the incredulou
! Thanksgiving of last night, were rs ia
: away as yesterdays sunset. A grea
q seriousness settled upon Abes leal
: face. At last he burst forth:
a "One to thirty! Hy-guy, I'm in fe
4 | I1OW Ad0 IL hoPPOASNt A~ "o~
dered They had given him no time t
+ think. They had swooped down upo
). him when his brain was dulled wit
A. anguish. Virtually, they had hdnape
, him. Why had they brought him her
to accept charity Of a women's inst
"a tuition? Why need they thus inteneif
+" his sense Of shame at his LIES fai
"a ure. and, above all, at his failure
4, provide for Angelina? In the poo
a house he would have been only or
"a more derelict; but here he stood alor
"a to be stared at and pitied and throw
a. sickly-satisfying crumb. With
sigh from the very cellar of his bein
ye he muttered:
y AYE. mother, why didn't yew j
~ me 20 on ter the county house? TIL
airs the place fer a worn-out old hu
" like me. Hy-guy!" he calculate
ie beads of sweat standing out on b
n, forehead, "Td ruther lay deown a
die thin face them air women"
- THAR, thar!" soothingly spol
a Angy, laying her hand on his ar
n. THAR, thar, father! Jest think hae
or dretful I'd feel a-goin' deown witho
yer"
Al. 80 you would" strangely comic
re- ed. so you would, my dear!" +
rs her sake he tried to brighten up.
on joked clumsily as they stood on
threshold of the chamber, whisperil
ed blinking his eyes to make up for
tv lack of their usually ready twinkle.
re "Hop on a minute; supposin'
nm git whether ] be man er woman
Her love gave inspiration to her
nm swer: "Ill lean on yer. Abe"
Just then there came the loud,
hat perative changing Of the breakfs
1T? bell; and she urged him to hurry,
18th lit wouldn't dew for them to be
Md the first morning Of all times. But
otv only answered by going back into
eat room to make an anxious survey
nm his reflection in the glass. He sh,
old his head reprovingly at the bear
M countenance, as II to say: "You n
the not pride yourself any longer on lc
EN- ing like Abraham Lincoln, for
run have been turned into miserable
one woman"
ore Picking up the hair-brush, he
raid it out at arms length to Angy. wv
an yew slick UP my hair leetle
fer mother?" he Reked, somewhat sha