Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1922-04-28


old man In the rocking chair.
How be We, dearie? Yer hahn
wanted fer nothin', now, have YET" she
asked.
mot thing, Harriet" he returned
cheerily. I'm feelin' real pert, too
Was there lots there? An did Parsor
Drew say heap O. fine things2"
Mrs. Clayton dropped into a chair
and pulled listlessly at the black
strings of her bonnet
"'Twas a beautiful fun'ral, Thad-
heus-a beautiful fun'ral. II most
wished it was NINE"
Harriet I"
She gave a shamed-faced laugh
well, / did-then Jehiel and Han
nah Jane would a come, an I could
"a seen EN-"
The Mortified look on the old mans
face gave way to broad smile.
"Ohl Harrlet-Harriet !" he chuck
led, "how could we seen 'em If you
was dead?'
Huh? Well, I-Thaddeus"-her
voice rose sharply in the silent room
every single one of them Perkins boys
was there, and Annabel, too. Only
think what poor Mis- Perkins would "a
given ter seen 'em fore she went |!
But they waited-waited, Thaddeus,
Jest as everybody does, till their folks
Is dead"
But, Harriet" demurred the old
man, surely you'd "a had them boys
come ter their own mothers fun'ral /"
Come I'd "a feasted her eyes on
EN- Thaddeus'-Mrs. Clayton rose to
her feet and stretched out two gauat
hands Observation-Disclosures l get so
hungry sometimes for Jehiel and Han
nah Jane, seems as though 1 jest
couldn't stand itl'
Il know-I know, dearle," quavered
the old man, vigorously polishing his
glasses.
Fifty years ago my first baby came"
resumed the woman IN -:fs-,---,,ou
tones; then another came, and an
other, till I'd six. 1 loved 'em an
tended 'em, an cared for 'em, an didn't
have a thought but was fer them
babies. -Four died"-her voice broke,
then went on with renewed strength
but I've got Jehiel and Hannah Jane
left; at least, I've got two bits of paper
that comes mebbe once a month, an
one Of ems signed your dutiful son.
Jehiel. an the other, from your loving
daughter, Hannah Jane"
well, Harriet, they-they're pretty
good ter write letters" ventured Mr..
Clayton.
'Lettersl' walled his wife. 81 can't
hug an kiss letters, though I try to-
sometimes.
''Well, well, wife, mebbe they'll come
-mebbe they'll come this summer; !
who knows?"
She shook her head dismally
You've said that ev'ry year for the |
last fifteen summers, an they haint
come yet Jehiel went West more than
twenty years ago, an he's never been
home since. Why, Thaddeus, we've got
grandson most eighteen, that we
haint even seen! Hannah James been
home jest once since she was married.
but that was nigh on ter sixteen years
ago. She's always writin' Of her Tom
my and Nellie, butt want ter see
'em, Thaddeus; want ter see 'em -
Eyes, yes; well, Wen ask 'em. Har
r1et, again-we'll ask em real urgent
like, an mebbe that'n fetch EN-" COM
forted the old man. We'll ask 'em
ter be here the Fourth; that's eight
weeks off yet, an l shall be real smart
by then"
Two letters that were certainly "ur-
gent-like" left the New England farm
house the next morning. One was ad-
dressed to thriving western city, the
other to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
In course Of time the answers came.
Hannah James appeared first, and was
opened with shaking fingers.
Dear Mother (read Mrs. Clayton aloud: !
our letter came two or three days ago.
and have hurried round to answer It. |
or you seemed to be so anxious to hear. i
III real sorry. but ] don't see how we
AN get away this summer Nathan is |
'eai busy at the store; and. some way, =
AN seem 10 get up energy enough to a
wen think OF fixing up the children to n
axe them SO far. Thank you for the in
'itation, though. and we should enjoy
he visit very much; but guess we can't n
70 just yet. or course. If anything serious "
hould come up that made II necessary 4,
ghy, that would be different; but / know !,
GU are sensible, and will understand now y
! Is with US. d
Nathan Is well, but business has been "
retty brisk, and he Is In the store early
nd late AS long as he's making money
o don't mind; but tell him think he al
'isht rest lltue sometimes, and LEI al
pine one else do the things he does. a,
Tom rs big boy now, smart la HIS
Ivdlss ana with . good head for figures
ellie loyes hsr books, too and, Tor q al
t,s sisi OF sisyen, does pretty well, We n
must Gloss now, VS. al send lows. !"
40 nope you arc setting alons ali rlshf
.as s'ea 20 hssf father was salnlng 90
foug isyies daughter.
HANNAH JANE
3be lelfaf aseppsd frow AIS Clay
'n'p nnsffe nnd lpy nnheedsa 90 ~
POP tho woman covered her faee "a
lin Nst hnNaf sld ipoAea hee hody W
Nv ana fQgil