Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1921-08-26


way that Nature has Of preparing III
young. For these the roses have falle
and only the thorns remain. The
are not lured; they seem to be drive
10 their tasks, but for all. soon @
late. her method changes.
on a beautiful morning of Jun,
1884, John Mcneil left the villag,
Abe Lincoln and Harry and Samson
and Sarah and Jack Kelso and hi
wife stood with the Rutledges in tn
dooryard Of the tavern when he rod
away. He was going back to hi
home in the East TO return in the au
tumn and make Ann his bride. Tn,
girl wept as II her heart would break
when he turned far down the roat
and waved his hand to her.
"Oh, my pretty lassl Do you moi
hear the birds singing in the mead
owsl' said Jack Kelso. Think OF
the happiness all around you and OF
the greater happiness that is coming
when he returns. Shame on youl"
I'm afraid he'll never come back, -
Ann sobbed.
Nonsense Don't get a maggot in
your brain and let the crows go walk
ing over your face. Come Wen take
a ride in the meadows and If | don't
bring you back laughing you may call
me no prophet"
So the event passed.
Harry travelled about with Abe "A
good deal that summer. "electioneer-
ing" as they called it, from farm to
farm. Abe used to go into the fields.
with the men whose favor he sought.
and bend his long back over scythe
or cradle and race them playfully
across the field of grain cutting a
wider swath than any other and al
ways holding the lead Every man
was out of breath at the end of his
swath and needed a few minutes for
recuperation. That gave Abe a chance
for his statement of the county's needs
and his plan of satisfying them. He
had met and talked with a majority
OF the voters before the campaign
ended in his election in August
AT odd times that summer he had
been surveying a new road with Har.
ny Needles for his helper. In Sep
TENDER they resumed their work upon
it in the vicinity of New Salem and
Abe began TO carry the letters In his
hat again. Every day Ann was look
ing for him as he came by In the dim
light of the early morning on his way
10 work
Anything for me?" she would ask |
no mail in since | saw you. Ann"
, MS the usual answer.
often he would say: I'm afraid |
not, but here-yOu take these letters
sd look through 'em and make sure"
Ann would take Il en- IN her hands
trembling with Gag, p.s and run r.
loors to the candlelight and hook them
,yer. Always she came back with the
little bundle of letters very slowly
is II her disappointment were heavy
burden.
"There1 be one next man If have
% write II myself" Abe said one
morning in October as he went on.
To Harry Needles, who was with
I'm that morning, he said:
II wonder why that Fellow don't
write 10 Ann. couldn't believe that
e has been foollng her. but now
ont know what, to- think o. him.
wonder what has happened TO the
elbow"
The mail stage was late that eve
ing. AS ID lad not come at nine Mr..
Ill went home and left al,e In the
tore to wait for his mail. The stage
rived few minutes later Abe ex-
mined the little bundle of Istters and
ewspapers which tile driver had left
18th him. Then he took a paper and
at down TO read In the freight {
ihile he WINS thus engaged the door
pened softly and Ann Rntiedge en- {
red. The postmaster was, not aware 5
her presence until she. touched his /
RIM. II
please give me- a letter." she said. il
"Sit down. Ann" said de, very genb- L
:. as he placed a chair In the fire.
ow.
She took II. turning toward him Hi
It'll look of fear and hope Then "a
? added: lii
I'm sorry, but the truth is ID didn't 10
,me. II is terrible, Ann. that \ have In
} help in this breaking OF your heart v
lat Is going on. 7 seem to. be the I
Fad of the hammer that hits, you so /
ard, but the handle Is IN other HANDS. |,
onestly. Ann, I wish could do, the
lffering for you-every bit of it--and d
We your poor heart rest. HASN'T (
2 written you this SUMMER h
Not since July tenth" she am !
vered. Then she coniided 60 Abe Z
lat her lover told her before he went 5
way that his name was not Mcneil l.
ut McNamar; that he had changed |
Is name to keep clear OF his family 2
nth he had made success; that {
e had gone East to get his father y
nd mother and bring them back with
i'm; lastly she came to the thing Il
rat worried her most-the suspicion $
her father and mother that John =