Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1915-04-09

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twenty years-not, however, in the Gus
tomary words of thanksgiving, but in
a peremptory Brother Abel"
Abraham looked up Could she pos
sibly mean that he was to establish
himself as the head of the household
by repeating grace? Brother Abel"
she called upon him again. "Yew've
askt a blessin' fer one woman fer
many q year; supposin' yew ask 1t
fer thirty!"
|, Amid the amazement Of the other
| sisters, Abe mumbled, and muttered,
and murmured-no one knew what
words; but all understood the over
whelming gratitude behind his inco-
herency, and ell Joined heartily In the
Amen. Then, while Mrs. Holman, the
cook of the week, went bustling out
into the kitchen, Aunt Nancy felt that
1t devolved upon her to explain her
action. II would never do, she thought,
for her to gain a reputation for self
effacement and sweetness OF disposi-
ton at her time of life.
Son, l want yew to understand one
thing naow at the start. Yew treat
us right. an we'll treat you right.
That's all we ask O. yew. Miss Ellie,
pass the radishes."
"I1l do my best" Abe fastened to
assure her. "Hy-guy. that coffee smells
some kind O. good, don't 1t? Between
the smell o. the stuff an the looks
O. my cup. it'll be SO temptin' that I'll
wish / had the neck of a giraffe, an
could taste 1t all the way deown.
Angy, 1 be afraid we'll git the govt
alvin so high. Look at this here
cream!"
Smiling. joking, his lips insisting
upon joking to cover the natural feel
ing of embarrassment incident TO this
first meal among the sisters, but with
his voice breaking now and again with
emotion, while from time to time he
had to steal his handkerchief to his
old eyes, Abe passed successfully
through the-to him-elaborate break
fast. And Angy sat in rapt silence,
but with her face shining SO that her
quiet was the stiffness of eloquence.
Once Abe startled them all by rising
etealthily from the table and seizing
the mornings newspaper, which lay
upon the buffet.
II knowed i'll" caviled Lazy Daisy
soto voce to no one in particular.
He couldn't wait for the news till
he was through eatin'!" But Abe had
folded the paper into a stout weapon,
and, creeping toward the window, de-
spatched by a quick, adroit movement
a fly which had alighted upon the
screen.
II hate the very sight o. them air
pesky critters" he explained half
apologetically. Thar, thar's another
one" and slaughtered that.
my. but yew kin get 'em, can't
yewr spoke Miss Abigail admiringly.
Them tew be the very ones ! tried
ter ketch all day yiste'day; I kin see
10 q fiy-ketcher yew be a,goin' ter be
with a farm ter me. Set deown an
try some O. this here strawberry pre-.
sarve."
But Abe protested that he could not
eat another bite unless he should get
up and run around the house ia
"joggle deown' what he had already
swallowed. He leaned back in hie
chair and surveyed the family: on
his right, generous-hearted Blossy
who had been smiling approval and en-
enlargement at him all through the re
past; at his left, and just beyond
Angy, Miss Abigail INDUCING in what
remained on the dishes now that she
discovered the others to have finished;
Aunt Nancy keenly watching him from
the head Of the board; and all the
other sisters "betwixt an between"
He caught Mrs. Homan's eye where
she stood In the doorway leading ints
the kitchen, and remarked pleasantly
"Ma'am, yew oughter set up a pan
cake shop in York. Yew could max,
a fortune at 1t. l hain't had sech I
meal o. vittlee sence l turned Aft,
year o. age"
A iattered smile o~verspread Mrs
Romans visage, and the other sisters
noting 1t. wondered how long 1t woul,
pc before Inc showed her claws II
Abraham's presence.
"Hy-guy. Angy," Abe went on, "yev
can't believe nothin' yew hear, xii
yerf Why. folks have told me tina
yew ladies' What yew hittin' m,
foot fer. mother? Folks have toll,
me-" a twinkle of amusement In hi,
eye at the absurdity, that yew fgh
among y~erselves like cats an dogs
when, law! ! never see sech a cleye
lot O. women gathered tergether Il
all my life. An l believe-mother,
hain't asayin' nothin'I 1 Jest wan
ter let 'em know what l think on 'em
believe that thar must be three hur
derd hearts in this here place std {
thirty. But dew yew know, gals, folk
outside even go 81 fur g ter say tina
yew throw plates at one anotherl"
There was a moments silence; the
a little gasp first from n and the
from another Of the group. Every on
looked at Mrs. Holman, and from Mr.,