The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1916-06-21
AN EXPERIMENT

that most OF the evil manifested in
mans character resulted from an inn
perfect realization of the defect on the
part of the man himself. He had
habit OF throwing on little gems Of
thought like that.
You mean that conviction OF sin
must come before repentance" said
the patriarch. whose weakness was
telling people what they meant That
reminds me OF an old neighbor OF mine
back in Iowa." he continued. Did
ever tell you about Zephaniah Com.
stock"
Yes" answered a chorus Of listen
ers. The commission man added
Very often"
Then I'll tell It to you again for
fear you might forget" said the patri
arch. "Zephaniah Comstock. as l said.
was a neighbor OF ours; that is to say.
there we're only three farms between
US. He was one OF these men whose
mouths seem to be drawn across their
faces In a straight line with a fine
nibbed pen. and he had what you might
call the financial nose.
He was wealthy for those days and
by the community's standard OF wealth.
and there wasn't better.appointed
farm or fatter and better-cared-fo for
stock than his in three counties. but
he was about as stingy mean as they
ever make EN- TO his womenfolk.
They didn't have a decent dud to their
names hardly. let alone any sort OF
convenience for making the Homework
easy or anything to make the house at.
tractive. There were just the two OF
'em-Mrs Comstock and her daughter
Sarah-and they did the cooking.
churning. ironing. washing, baking and
sewing for the whole layout including
four small kids and two hired men
But II Mrs Comstock wanted patent
churn. a dress pattern. bolt OF sheet
ing or anything beyond the barest ne
cessities Il was Ike pulling teeth to
get 'em out OF Zephaniah. Those
women just logged il from early till
late with makeshifts and WORKOUT ma
t.iials. but II there was any late i'm
proved farm machinery ON the market
or a new food for cattle zephaniah
wasn't happy TIL he got it.
1T had gone on that way for years.
when certain Mrs. Waterman
stopped on there one morning and
stayed to dinner She was an old
schoolmate OF Mrs Comstock's and
had just moved into our section OF the
country. Well she naturally expected
that there would be what they call a
company dinner. but there wasn't
There was fat fried pork and potatoes
and boiled greens and all the dessert
was squash pie. This was set out on
an old. frayed red-and white checkered
tablecloth. and there wasn't a piece OF
plated ware on the table II seems to
me that Mrs. Comstock wept about II
on her old friends bosom when the
men had gone out to the fields again.
She said that Zephaniah wasn't stingy
at heart. but that he didn't quite real.
ize how the house looked. being as be
never visited
Mrs Waterman went away with
the firm Intention OF bringing Zepha-
ulah to realization OF his cussedness
She brought the matter up under the
head of general business at the sewing
circle the next week. They had quite
a discussion over Il and the result OF
It was that Mrs Waterman made q
second visit to Mrs. Comstock
She got there about two O'Clock
and found Mrs. Comstock over her
tubs. AS soon as she had got her
breath she impaired the cheering in
formation that the whole blessed sew.
ing circle was going to break in on her
about supper time with It's husbands.
as little surprise party. Mrs. Com
stock turned pale and fell back into
a rocking chair-a thing she didn't
often do.
My dear there isn't thing to eat
in the house. except just what we al
ways have. she said Not so much
as a glass OF jell or anything. Not a
decent white tablecloth. even. Zepha-
niah always says he doesn't believe in
fixings and foolishness and
Cheer up says Mrs. Waterman, I
know Just what to do. | was all fixed
for some company that didn't come
today and I'll just drive back and bring
over what I've got and a few dishes
and things at the same time. II won't
take me more than an hour
1T didn't. for the reason she had EN-
all packed and ready. AS soon as she
got back she turned up her dress skirt
and rolled up her sleeves and pitched