The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-04-12

lcopyTtgft 1879 by the gccIure
Z lNewspaper. Syndicate.J
BY JANE sosHoRN. S
rFVfI HEN old Grandpa Bradshaw
INV died he had no fault To find
with the way his house had
6peenE Kept during his lifetime. For
within the sixty years that had eiaps
Pq since he married and acquitted q
nome OF his own, he had had three OF
the best hcusekeepers that Newton
nah ever knowp-his wife who had
presided over his hearth for some
twenty odd years, his maiden daugh.
ters Eliza, who had lived to carry on
the Bradshaw housewifely traditions
arother. double decade, and then his
Z granddaughter. Abigail, who for near.
score Of years had never missed
Monday washday, Friday cleaning
aayspr spring housekeeping. She
was even more methodicaI, more
systematic, more economical than her
Other predecessors had been.
3fandpa Bradshaw's affairs had not
peen difficult to settle. Gradually he
mad Withdrawn from the small bakery
&pgstness which he had built up, and
Wh1eh had been as gradually absorbed
~ the large baking company OF New.
ton 50 that all that was left to tell
, OF ms industrious life was q very
small annuity for Abigail, the result
q eposits in the saving bank. This
with the house that the Bradshaws
had lived in for century constituted
AbtgaiRs worldly wealth. Obviously,
AZ was necessary for Abigail to do
Something. !" :
And Thoughts Abigail was known to
Pc Immensely capable. better educat-
eaf tnan the average woman of New.
Y ton friends and neighbors, were not
saittles concerned for her, for she was
VICTORIOUS home body. Every one
Knew that she would never be willing
e leave the old place and she would
never be willing to give up keeping
mousse II was whispered that Abigail
might have married-it was known
that at least two eligible males had
proposed for the rather comely.
Capable hand that belonged to Miss
Abigail Bradshaw. That she had not
accepted marriage as a solution to her
problem was evidenced by the neat,
mile that was tucked to the Brad.
snaw front door bearing the words
able Board y Others in Newton had
tried u and had failed-the' high cost
q 1000 commodities was against them.
SuIit any one could manage to make
money then It was Abigail, for she
was 90 Immensely capable and econ
omtcaL She was what was known in
Newton as good manager" but no
one had any doubts as to the bounty
q the table that she would set. So
she gathered around her old oak board
atiittle household of "mealers. There
#asat Miss Heck, who went around
,shanpootng the feminine Inhabitants
efs Newton. and the school teacher,
MISS Brown; the young bachelor
VINO was the new minister at the
tltethodist church! Joe Bennett, an old
bachelor who busiedS himself manag.
ing his collection Of well selected real
estate, homeless since old Mrs. Ben.
t1ett had died a year before; the fore
man from the factory, stengorapher,
also from the factory, and perhaps one
OF Two more. It meant good deal of
work for Abigail. for Abigail was not
one to give up her thorough methods
gust because OF the Increased quantity
OF cooking or dishen she had to wash.
nenremember, Abigail had nursed old
ardpa Bradshaw during those
tbs after he was too feeble to 70
bakery rs had been his custom.
"a been under terrific strain
was male even more trying be.
when old grandpa Bradshaw
She was confronted with the
Rnge that had come to her for
years, since as girl in her
had gone to keep house for
dfather.
onder then that as the warm
ays arrived she became worn
an under the toll OF providing
meals day for her hungry fam.
abigail had always looked remark.
Young might not have
snoueht her over thirty, but the color
began 70 fade from her cheeks and the
CIRCLES deepened under her soft brown
syesI eyes that could express SO much
tendernss and sympathy, or unlim-
tied stores OF capability. ~
hen one day when the young min
4ster arrived for supper he was met by
MSS Heck, Of shampooing fame, and
Miss Heck's face was long.
Miss Abigail's ailing," she an.
nounced with importance. "Such sup.
per as you people have tonight viii
hs what get for you and won't have
lime TO do much cooking along with
hooking after Abigail. She's in her
room now. crying-all tired out and
suppose she misses her grand.
father, commented the young minis.
ter helplessly.
DOUBTLESS. but that isn't just what's
the matter with her."
The other mealers arrived. and to
them all Miss Heck gave the same ex.
planation, making each and every one
feel that he or she was doubtless en-.
tifely responsible for the condition
That Miss Bradshaw had come to.
Miss Brown. the school teacher,