Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1918-03-14
Dependency

$50 Tod Wimple's been drafted into
the army"
'.Not drafted. He enlisted" cor
rected the news carrier. Mrs. Seth
Bnshfield was usually the first re-
ceiver of news In her home town. and
she lost no time In its early distribu1
ton. This time the gathering Of which
she was the vital center was small but
important for 1t represented several
branches of the Wimple family; fam
lily which. by keeping close together
and working comparatively, had man.
aged to build quite an imposing struc
ture of comparative prosperity and dis
tInction.
The black sheep of the family-not
SO black, after all, since his faults had
been those of omission rather than
commission-hnd been Gary Wimple;
and it was his widow and son who
were now under discussion.
"Now, call that. a very selfish thing
for Tod to do" pronounced Mrs. Abb.
diah Greene, pursuing her full lips and
rolling her full blue eyes around the
circle of interested faces. "With
mother dependent on him-but she
probably expects tb come back here"
Then she shook her head solemnly.
"Now, I, for one, have got my hands
full, what with the relief committee
and the Housewives league"
MY house is too small now. And
Mr.. BushHeld coming for visit"
quickly interposed Mrs. Bashfield. ''Be-
sides we helped Grace start her MILL
merry store in Newkirk and"
"She paid you back. Aunt Maria,
when she sold her stock" The cool,
quiet voice came from a little demure
womhn in the corner; young but with
the spinster look already upon her;
prim, keen-eyed and straight Shout
dered. You would have guessed school
teacher MS Elinor Wimple's profession,
and you would have been correct.
Mrs. Bashfield faced the speaker ag-
gressively. "Well. Elinor Wimple! We
didn't lend that money to her to sell
her stock and pay us back-and no
interest. We lent 1t to her to succeed
With"
The school teacher smiled tolernntly.
ut wasn't Aunt Grace's fault her
health broke down. And / think It's
very noble of her not to interfere with
Tod If he feels it is his duty to serve
his country. And we ought to be proud
of Tod"
Mrs. Greene eyed her younger rela-
tive ruminntingly. "Elinor, you always
did seem to hold the idea that because
Gary Wimple elo2ed with Grace Tod
hunter, and her own family cast her
off. it became the duty of the Wimple
family to take care Of her and her son.
Goodness knows we have all done
enough for Gary!"
"But not much for Grace or Tod
reminded Elinor calmly. 1--WE always
been sorry for her. She lost more
than she gained by marriage"
"Many women do" Mrs. Bashfield
gathered up her knitting implements
Anyway, ! can't take Grace in now
Perhaps the others"
But the others promptly advanced
reasons for their own inability to us
sist Gary Nimples widow ut that time
Perhaps little later"
Elinor Wimple went home alone
soberly thinking matters over. Sh'
had three coy rooms in plain littl,
house near the school where sh
taught. She prepared her lonely sup
per, got out her bank book. jotte'
down some figures OH paper and wrot
letter that night to Mrs. Gary Win
pie.
Mrs Bashfield was the first to lear
with Elinor for while. There wa
another conclave-this time withou
Elinor.
. 81 Elinor's done this to drive u
, INTO takliS care CT Grace she IL Iinu OF
n her mistake" MIS-. Bashfeld spolS
Z turtly, hiding her discontinue benin
8 an air of injury. "She's sent for he
e now let her keep her"
{ "But, of !. course, we want thing
l. pleasant. We can't start a family qua
REL" advanced Mrs. Greene, who.
cheeks were more florid than 'usui
"Well just make it plain to Grace
. Observation-Disclosures we are not to
u. looked tO-er--at this time"
a Mrs. Grace Wimple had scarcely q
u rived at the school teachers hon
g when her husbands relatives came
: greet her. Blande and smiling, tn
;. made their carefully rchearsed speeC
- es and set their little gifts on the &C
), ter table.
n. "Ive brought you some yarn, Grace
e. said Mrs. Abidiah Greene. "Of cour!
rr