The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-04-23

hopeful S,.,.r e. t,.i. :, ri;i- on a blind
AMI sudden IMPULSE. liz turned into the
yard. 1ung the reil> over the mares
neck and Knocked ut the back door.
Her characters no worse than mine
by now if Aunt Abby Coles on the
road" he thought grimly. an if the
Wilson's see my sleigh inside Of a wild
der's fence 50 much the better. It'll
give 'em a jog. Good mOrnin', Mis-
Tillman." he said to the smiling lady.
"I'l come to the pint at once. MY
youngest daughter has married Mark
Wilson against my will an gone away
from town. an the older ones chosen
a husband still less to my likin'. DO
YOU want to come and ~housekeep for
me?"
IL surmised something was going
on" returned Mrs. Tillman. Il saw
Patty and Mark drive away early this
morning, with Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson
wrapping the girl up and putting a hot
soapstone in the sleigh and considerable
kissing and hugging thrown in"
This knowledge added fuel to the
flame that was burning fiercely in the
deacon's breast.
"Well how about the Housekeeping
he asked, trying not to show his eager
hess and not recognizing himself at all
in the enterprise in which he found
himself INDUCING.
"I'm very comfortable here" the lady
responded artfully. land l don't knows
l care to make any change. thank you.
l didn't like the village much at first.
after living in larger places, but now
I'm acquainted it kind Of gains on me-"
Her reply was carefully framed. for
her mind worked with great rapidity.
and she was mistress Of the situation
almost as soon as she saw the deacon
alighting from his sleigh. He was not
the sort of a man to be a casual caller.
and his manner bespoke an urgent er-
rand. She had a pension of Sc a
month, but over and above that sum
her living was precarious. She made
coats, and she had never known want.
for she was a master hand at dealing
with the opposite sex. Deacon Bax-
lCAS oSNolOAl6 " OAAAAoA NV 0~~
ten or fifteen thousand dollars slowed
away in the banks. so the situation
would be as simple as possible under
ordinary circumstances. 1t was as
easy to turn out one mans pockets as
another's when he was a normal hu-
man being, but Deacon Baxter was a
different proposition.
II wonder how long he's likely to
live." she thought. glancing at him
covertly out Ut the tail of her eye.
His evil temper must have driven
more than one nail in his coffin. l
wonder If ! refuse to hOusekeep
whether I'll get-a better offer.
wonder if l could manage him If l got
him. I'd rather like to set in the Bax-
ter pew ut the orthodox meeting house
after the way some of the Baptist sis
ters have snubbed me since l come
here"
Not Il vestige Of these incendiary
thoughts showed in her comely coun-
tenance.
I'D make the wages fair" urged the
deacon, looking round the clean kitch-
en-, with the breakfast table sitting
near the sunny window and the odor
of corned beef and cabbage issuing
temptingly from a boiling pot on the
fire. II hope she amt a great meat
eater" he thought, but it's too soon
to cross that bridge yet awhile"
"I've no doubt of It," said the wild
ow. wondering If her voice rang true,
but I've got a pension, and why
should l leave this coy little home?
Would I better myself any-that's the
question? I'm kind Of lonesome here.
That's the only reason I'd consider a
move"
mo need o. bein' lonesome down to
the Falls" said the deacon. "And I'm
in an out all day. between the barn
an the store"
This. indeed. was not a pleasant pros
pect. but Jane Tillman had faced worse
ones in her time.
I'm nc hand at any work outside
the house." she observed, as II reflect
ing. Il can truthfully say I'm a good
cook and have a great faculty for max
ing a little 60 a long ways" (She
considered this a master stroke, and.
In fact. it was. for the deacon's mouth
absolutely watered at this apparently
unconscious comprehension of his dis
positiOn.) But I'm no hand at any
chores in the barn or she'd" she con-
tinued. my husband would never al
low me to do that kind Of work."
Perhaps l could git a boy to help
out. I've been kind o. thinkin' o. that
lately. What wages would you expect
II l paid a boy for the rough work."
asked the deacon TREMENDOUSLY.
well. to tell the truth. l don't quite
fancy the idea of taking wages. Judge
Dickinson wants me to 60 to Alfred
and housekeep for him and named $12
a month. It's good pay. and l haven't
said No. But my rent is small here.
I'm my own mistress. and l don't feel
like pivinu IN mn priviloooSH