Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1915-04-02
facedly. Il can't see extry well this

facedly. Il can't see extry wen this
mormn'.'
why. Abe! It's slicked ez slick e2
1t kin be naow." However. the old
wife reached up as he bent his tall,
angular form over her, and smoothed
again his thin. wet locks. He laughed
little, self-mockingly, and she
laughed back, then urged him into the
hall, and, slipping ahead, led the way
downstairs. At the first landing, which
brought them into full view of the
lower hall, he paused, possessed with
the mad desire to run away and hide,
for at the foot of the stairway stood
the entire flock of old ladies. Twenty.
nine pairs Of eyes were lifted to him
and Angy. twenty-nine pairs Of lips
were smiling at them. To the end OF
his days Abraham remembered those
smiles Reassuring, unselfish and
tender, they made the old mans heart
swell, his emotions go warning to.
gether.
He wondered, was grateful, yet he
grew more confused and afraid. He
stared amazed at Angelina, who
seemed the embodiment Of self-posses.
sion, lifting her dainty, proud little
gray head higher and higher. She
turned to Abraham with a protecting,
| motherly little gesture of command
for him to follow, and marched gal
lantly on down the stairs. Humbly,
trembling at the knees, he came with
| gingerly steps after the little old wife.
How unworthy he was of her now!
How unworthy he had always been,
yet never realized to the full until this
moment. He knew what those smiles
meant, he told himself, watching the
uplifted faces; they were to soothe
his sense of shame and humiliation.
to touch with rose this dull gray color
of the elimination of his failures. He
passed his hand over his eyes. fiercely
praying that the tears might not come
to add to his disgrace.
And all the while brave little Angy
kept smiling. until with truly glad
leap Of the heart she caught sight OF
blue ribbon painted in gold shining
|
twenty-nine women. A pale blue rib
bon painted in gold with-yes. peerine
her eyes she discovered that 1t was
the word WELCOMED" The forced
smile vanished from Angeline's face
Her eyes grew wet, her cheek white
Her proud figure shrank. She turned
and looked back at her husband. MOI
for one instant did she appropriate
the compliment to herself. This II
ior you'll" her spirit called out to him
while a new pride dawned In hel
working face.
Forty years had she spent apologize
ing for Abraham, and now she under
stood how these Twenty-Five generous
old hearts had raised him to the pedes
tai OF q hero, while she stood heroine
beside him. Angy it was who tremble'
now, and Abe, gaining a manly couI
; age from that, took hold Of her arm
|, to steady her-they had paused on
. step near the foot Of the stairs-and
looking around with his whimsical
! smile, he demanded Of the bedecke
company in general, Ladies, be yeN
'spectin' the PRESIDENT"
Cackle went the cracked old voice
of the twenty-nine In a chorus Of al
> preciative laughter, while the oil
!. heads bobbed at one another as II
I. cay, Wont he be an acquisition
And then, from among the group Their
came forward Blossy-Blossy, who ha
sacrificed most that this should com
= to pass; Blossy, who had sat till nit
night painting the gold-and-blue ri
bons; Blossy, the pride and beaut
: of the home, in delicate, old. yellow
!. real lace gown. She held her tw
: hands gracefully and mysteriously b.
hind her back as she advanced to tn
foot of the stairs. Looking steadil
. in Abraham's eyes, she kept a-smilin
/ until he felt as II the warmth of
Q belated spring had beamed upon hin
q 1.-The PRESIDENT" Her mellow. wei
modulated voice shook, and 81
. laughed with mingling of genera,
. Joy and tender pity. Are we expec
I Ing the president? You dear. mode
= man! We are welcoming-you!"
! Abe looked to Angy as II to sa
% How shall take it," and behold Il
+ miracle of his wife's bosom swellir
% and swelling with pride in him. F
10 turned back. for Blossy was making
speech. His. hand to his head,
bent his good ear to listen. In tern
B. poetical and touching she describe
the loneliness OF the life at the hon
D. as 1t had been with no man und
y the roof of the house and only def
IL and-dumb gardener who hated her sc
O. In the barn. Then in contrast 81
ID painted life as 1t must be for the q
q ters now that the thirty tender win
had found a stanch old oak for the
70 clinging. "Me?" Queried Abraham
q. himself and, with another sile
~ glance, Of Angy.
~ CTO BE CONTINUED)
| Dr. 1ssa