The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-26
TBy G.. Walter Barr.]

/ knew her years ago. remem-
Der her best as home maker when
her husband was first an employee OF
rather large concern, as Keokuk
business goes, and later the proprie-
tor of little business of his own.
She made most of her own clothes,
and many clothes for her children.
There were three or four children.
arriving at intervals of about two
years. Caring for the children, being
the housewife in the home where
economy was vital, and helping her
husband in the store on rush days,
kept her very busy. But she was al
ways joyously busy, in those days.
She made a home full of love and
brightness.
The children died after reaching
high school age, one at time, but
one of them survived her husband
almost a year. This was son, a
fine young man who at once prepared
TO care for his mother-but he was
killed in one of those accidents that
make talk for a week and are now
forgotten except when old timers
reminisce in the cigar stores.
Gradnafiy AIDING From View. :"
The home maker who had been so
CHEEKY ten years before, began to
show crow feet beside her eyes and
to walk rather Ak~sy. Husband
and children were gone, and the
friends, mace seemed" en-
tireiy Inadequate in the absence or
her family-that long, lifetime ao-
sence that broke her spirit, but did
not subdue her entirely.
She continued to conduct the little
20,
made real living out of it-she was
more adapted to making real home
and rearing manly and womanly sons
and daughters than to selling mer-
chandise. Byt somehow she scraped
along, often scraping the bottom OF
the flour bin and sugar bowl, no
doubt
Those of us who knew her in the
old days rather lost sight Of her
actually each and all of us had our
own affairs to bother with, and she
was never prone to intrude upon
anybody's attention.
Times Grip on the Joints.
When her neighbors decided that
she was really seriously sick and
telephoned for doctor, it developed
that she had been pottering around
for several months. The pain and
stiffness in her hands and knees had
come on very gradually and she had
fought it for weeks in her little store
before she gave up.
Then she disposed of the small
remnant of the stock of goods, paid
another months rent on the little
house in which she lived, and asked
the landlord to be easy with her If
she was delayed in paying rent the
month. She used up the
last dollars and dimes buying few
groceries which she stored in her
One morning she awoke with some
fever, and she was still in bed when
a neighbor called for a chat. Before
noon, the doctor had been telephoned. |
The Uncandid Doctor.
What the doctor told her and the !!
neighbors does not much matter: it |
was mere common, doctor camouflage |
FOR the bad news that among our
selves doctors disguise with a lot OF J
Greek derivatives Of many syllables !
and call prognosis.
What the doctor did, is the crux Of
this story of that little. fine old lady |
Of the old Keokuk He went back to |
his office and telephoned a woman up !
IN the first fundamentally only one
side of the conversation can be re-
this:
81 was called this morning to see
Mrs. MINIMUM over at No. bumptydee
On South 'Steenth street. She's six
.y-seven years old and has rheuma