Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1915-04-02
CHAPTER ~.

CHAPTER ~.
One Of Them.
All! but Abraham had slept that
night Is 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 daxed 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 q 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. 1t all seemed the blur Of
q 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 Angeline
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
dented act Of taking her crimps Out
before breakfast. He realized that
they we're 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 go,
up and dressed very. very slowly. Tht
bewildered gratitude. the incredulouI
Thanksgiving of last night, we're as fal
away ~ yesterdays sunset. A grea
seriousness settled upon Abe's leaf
face. At last he burst forth:
One to thirty! Hy-guy, I'm in fe
III" How had 1t happened, he won
dered. They had given him no time t.
think. They had swooped down upol
him when his brain was dulled witt
anguish. Virtually. they had kidnape'
him. Why had they brought him her
to accept charity Of womens inst
tuition? Why need they thus intensif
his sense Of shame at his LIES fai
ure. and. above all. at his failure t
provide for Angelinef In the pool
house he would have been only on
more derelict; but here he stood alon
to be stared at and pitied and throw
q sickly-satisfying crumb. With
sigh from the very cellar of his being
he muttered:
AYE, mother, why didn't yew le
me 60 on ter the county house? Ths
airs the place fer worn-out old hui
like me. Hy,guy!" he calculated
beads of sweat standing out on hi
) forehead, 'T'd ruther lay deown a
die thin face them air women"
; "Thar. thar!" soothingly spok
Angy. laying her hand on his arm
Thar, thar, father! Jest think hao'
? dretful I'd feel a-goin' deown withov
yer"
ed. 80 you would, my dear!" FL
her sake he tried to brighten up. H
joked clumsily as they stood on III
threshold Of the chamber, whisperin
l blinking his eyes to make up for ii
. lack of their usually ready twinkle.
!, "Hol' on a minute; supposin' l fe
D git whether be man er woman
Her love gave inspiration to her q
: swer: 'I'll lean on yer. Abe"
just then there came the loud, II
t perative changing Of the breakfas
i? bell; and she urged him to hurry, ,
h 1T wouldn't dew" for them to be la
the first morning Of all times. But
y only answered by going back into Il
t room to make an anxious survey
l. his reflection in the glass. He shot
d his head reprovingly at the beard'
. countenance, as II to say: You net
Q not pride yourself any longer on loo
u ing like Abraham Lincoln, for "
n have been turned into miserable o
Q woman"
, Picking UP the hair-brush, he he
d 1t out at arms length to Angy. "Wol
l. yew slick up my hair leetle b
n mOther?" he asked. somewhat shan