Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-06-03

= anu nut WileH you nave bttn uOlDR
thing the same way for twenty
years you get mighty sol In your way.
And she has never done homework
without -four bags and plenty of 'em.
So when | came in she just burst out
aGd cried"
But can't she get any -four bags?
What does she want of -four bags?"
queried Miss Brown.
rGrandpa Bradshaw always had the
empty -four bags from the bakery. and
Abigail used to have 'em TO make into
dish towels and scrub cloths, and she
even used TO sew them neatly togeth-
or and use them for common hand
towels. | think she even made some
of her ordinary underclOthes out Of
them. Any rate. she used EN- for all
sorts of homework and thought she
was economizing. Lately the dealers
have been selling them Get so much
q hundred for them back at the flour
mills. but old Mr.. Bradshaw put so
much stock by having them that they
used to so on giving them to him rath-
er than sell them. But now he's gone,
of course they sell them, and Abigail
can't have them any more. saw her
downtown buying a dishcloth the 9th
er day and my, but she looked sad
She told me she handn't used anything
but flour bags for twenty years, and
today she's all broke up about IT,"
"Tm real sorry for her" unused Miss
Smith ITS too bad when woman
gets so sot in her way Tt makes it
hard, though taking in mealers with
out having the bags. Too bad she
didn't marry"
MY sakes." commented Miss Heck,
who was known to have a serious adj
mrer of her own i'm another town, mo
one would want to marry Abigail.
she's so sot in her ways
Maybe So" rejoined Miss Brown.
Meantime Abigail an tired out, dis
Outraged and disappointed and at
odds with herself, sobbed on in her
low-ceilnged bedroom above stairs
and some one who had overheard most
of the conversation just quoted stole
silently out of the living room of the
Bradshaw homestead and down in the
direction of the new bakery, where the
process of baking bread for the fol-
lowing morning was just getting under
way.
The next morning Abigail was at
her post, but her eyes showed the eff
feet of her tears and there were signs
that she was feeling the effects of her
long strain and anxiety.
When the rest had started off on
their several duties Mr.. Joe Bennett,
who. by the way, was the eavesdropper,
fingered awkwardly In the dining
room. Miss Abigail came back into
the dining room from the kitchen and
was surprised to see him, large pack
age under one arm, standing there,
first on one foot and then on the 9TH
er like an awkward schoolboy.
81 know you told me not to ask you
again, Abigail" began the bachelor,
suddenly gaining control Of himself
and looking into Miss Bradshaw's
brown eyes, but | thought I'd take
another chance. You're all tuckered
out. You need some one to look after
you, a strong shoulder to lean on. Let
me look out for you, let me-"
"Oh. Joe" Miss Abigail's voice was
almost peevish. This declaration on
the part of the faithful Joe Bennett
seemed just like an added trouble.
"If I was to marry you. I'd have to
go on housekeeping just the same,
and it Just seems as II l couldn't keep
the house the way I used to-" Joe
tried to interrupt, but Miss Abigail
perceived it and went on. 81 know
you are going to say you'd be willing
70 board in the city, but, Joe, couldn't
leave this place and If stay here I'll
have to keep house, and IT just seems
now as if couldn't keep house with
out-wthOut grandpa"
There was a pause, during which
Joe Bennett fumbled with his pack
age "GoOdby," he said eventually,
then he started to turn and came back
facing Abigail, who was fumbling
corner of her apron nervously Il al
most forgot to leave this bundle he
said and you might have detected a
twinkle in his gray eyes. 1--WE got
little stock in the new baking con-
Germ. and when I was down there l
happened TO see a bunch Of the flour
bags Seemed too bad to throw them
away" Far from it i'm reality for
Joe Bennett had paid two dollars FOR
the generous supply that he now held
in his hand $50 I Just took them
along with me. I'm like that way;
hate to see anything 90 10 waste. Per
hans You could use them for busters
or something" Then Joe Behhe'
turned i'm earnest to 90.
"Seem's as if you were very good to
me-" said Abigail and those brown
ewes Of hers wore an expression Of in
describable tenderness In fact, her
voice her gesture, everything about
no.. hecnoke Irresistible tenderness.