Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-06-03
FLOUR BAGS AND
ABIGAIL
BY JANE OSBORN

When old Grandpa Bradshaw died
he had no fault to find with the way
his house had been kept during his
lifetime For within the sixty years
that had elapsed since he married and
acquired a home of his own, he had
three of the best housekeepers that
Newton had ever known-his wife.
who had presided over his hearth for
some twenty odd wears his maiden
daughter. Eliza, who had lived to car
ry on the Bradshaw housewifely tradi-
tions another double decade and then
his granddaughter, Abigail who for
nearly a score of years had never
missed Monday washday a Friday
cleaning day or spring house-clean-
ing. She was even more methodical.
more systematic, more economical
than her other predecessors had been.
Grandpa BradShaw's affairs had not
neen difficult to settle Gradually he
had Withdrawn from the small bak-
cry business which he had built up,
and which had been as gradually alb
sorbed by the large baking company
of Newton so that all that was left
TO tell of his industrious life was a
very small annuity for Abigail, the re-
suit of deposits in the savings bank.
This with the house that the Brad
shaws had lived in for a century, con
stituted Abigai's worldly wealth. OBJ
viously, it was necessary for Abigail
to "do something"
And though Abigail was known to
be Immensely capable, better educat-
ed than the average woman of New
ton. friends and neighbors were not
a little concerned for her for she was
a notorious home body. Everyone
knew that she would never be willing
TO leave the old place. and she would
never he willing to give up keeping
house It was whispered that Abigail
might have married-it was known
that at least two eligible males had
proposed for the rather cOmely, capa-
BILE hand that belonged TO Miss Abb
gail Bradshaw That she had not ac-
cepted marriage as a solution to her
problem was evidenced by the neat
single that was tackled to the Brad
shaw front door bearing the words
liable Board" Others In Newton had
tried ii and had failed-the high cost
of food commodities was against them
But If anyone could manage to make
money. then 1t was Abigail for she
was immensely capable and econom-
.InN lrnn N
Newton as a good manager" but no
one had any doubts as to the bounty
of the table that she would set. so
she gathered around her old oak board
a little household Of ''mealers." There
was Miss Heck, who went around
shampoOing the feminine inhabitants
of Newton, and the school teacher,
Miss Brown; the young bachelor who
was the new minister at the Methodist
church: Joe Bennett, an old widower
who busted himself managing his col
lection of well-selected real estate,
homeless since Mrs. Bennett had died
n. wear before; the foreman from the
factory. and perhaps one or two more.
IT meant a good deal of work for ADJ
igail. for Abigail was not one TO give
M her thorough methods just because
of the increased quantity Of cooking
or dishes she had to wash Then re
member Abigail had nursed old Grand
Da Bradshaw during those months af-
fer he was too feeble to go to the bak-
cry. as had been his custom. She had
been under a terrific strain which was
made even more trying because when
old Grandpa Bradshaw had died she
was confronted with the first change
since as girl in her teens she had
gone to keep house for her GRANDPA
Their.
No wonder, then, that as the warm
June DAYS arrived she became worn
and wan under the toll of providing
three meals a day for her hungry fam
Nv. Abigail had always looked re-
markably young-you might not have
thought her over thirty, but the color
began to fade from her cheeks and the
circles deepened under her soft brown
ewes. ewes that could express so much
tenderness and sympathy, or unlim-
tied stores of capability.
Then one day when the young min
lister arrived for supper he was met
bv Miss 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 will
be what get for you, and I won't
have time to do much cooking along
with looking after Abigail. She's in
her room now, crying-all tired out
and"
81 suppose she misses her grand
father" commented the young minis
ter. helplessly.
"Doubtless; but that isn't just
whass the matter with her"
The other mealers arrived. and to
them all Miss Heck gave the same ex-
nIonation making each and every one