The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1923-07-19
1t Was Like
Returned Bread
By ELIZABETH R. GREENE

to her aching brow and leaned YEARLY
back in the old chintz-coyered rocker
The time had come-all day she had
told herself that For weeks she had
fought. prayed, hoped against this
hour, but she had been q fool. She
might have known how It would all
end. She had known, but the faith
In her heart had been so great
) Over by the fireplace Nathan Mich.
OILS stirred restlessly in his chair.
did Tommy git ev'rythin done you
need, mother?' he queried anxiously.
"Plenty o. wood an water in?"
Land sakes, wait till you sees
She paused in dismay. Nathan's
blindness was still so new that she
frequently Numbered into forgetful-
ness of 1t. Besides. evading the truth
was a new and bewildering expert
ence.
'TOmmy's good lad" muttered the
old man.
His wife was silent. Not for worlds
would she have told him that her
hands. not the neighboring Tommy's,
had performed the round of nightly
"chores." But what was Nathan saw
ing
TIT allus sort o. ranked with
me'-something In his voice made her
turn to regard him closely-"why we
want lowed to- keep jes' one O.
ourn-"
The sudden tremble Of his voice
sent an answering throb to the wom-
ans heart. Through sleepless nights
she. too. had wondered just that. I'm
consciously her gaze sought the dis
tant cemetery. indistinct In the stormy
twilight, where the white drifts were
covering deeper three little graves.
Never had she questioned the wisdom
Of the hand that had taken away her
treasures. but there were times when,
like Nathan, she pondered the why"
"Even one would hev been such a
comfort" Nathan's voice quavered on.
"A sort o. prop t lean on now when
We amt got nothin'."
His wife turned at that. her brave
spirit rising to meet his need.
"Why, father, how you talk !" she
chided gently. "Here we be, snug as
bug In rug. In home Of our own"
thank heaven she could still say that
stead o. knockin' round from Pill
lar T. post. like tn Baileys hev to-"
''Well, they've got their chil'ren,
mother" interposed Nathan, IAN
thet's more'n we hev."
Eyes: an we've got each other" tri-
umphantly, .an' thet's more'n they
hevI why, Nathan Nichols" coming
to lay an affectionate hand upon his
shoulder. don't you. ut there an tell
me We amt got nothin'. We've got q
home an each other" TREMENDOUSLY,
IAN thet's more'n ev'rythin' else.
AK tn Baileys II 'tain't!''
Nathan was silent He, himself. had
never approved Of the Bailey children
separating their father and mother.
even II they did "pervide well" for.
them.
''You can't deceive me, Mary" he
said presently. "Spose I dunno tn
crops wuz failure? We amt enuff t
keep tn wolf from tn door. now I'm
laid up"
"Now. father, You know tn perta-
toes Is holdin' out fine," interrupted
the woman hastily. San pears like
there amt no end t. tn beans!"
Her husband shook his gray head
sadly.
We've nothin' laid by, mother" he
answered bitterly. "Thet's what wor-
ries me- allus cal'ated t. save some
thin, but tn money slipped through
my fingers. I've been z fool-a FOOL"
"Hush. Nathan" she soothed. "Meb-
be big hearts is with more'n tn
Lords sight n big pocketbooks."
wisely. you've done fer folks all
your life, an the good Lord amt one
t fergit 1t now"
ITS you. Mary. I'm thinkin' Of !" 10
cried brokenly. 81 en- stand goin'
'th0ut things. an'-an' tn blindness,
but { know you amt pervided for
oh. I've been a."
Nathan" softly, did you ever
think good deeds Il like-like bread
cast upon tn waters? been thinkin'
bout tibet lot lately, an wondrin'
II some o. them things you've done t
help folks want sort O. like bread in
tn Lords sight"
There. there. mother" protested
Nathan. smiling reluctantly as he
slipped rheumatic old arm about
her tenderly.
.There was tn time Lem POtters
house burnt" she said reminiscently.
''You signed fer $50 on tn paper they
got up"
"Well, well, mother. Lem wuz in
tight place. an we wuz boys tgether.
"Then when Joe Andrews broke his
leg" abstractedly. you let his Oldest
boy cut wood by halves-that was
fore we sold tn big woodlot-"
Nathan hitched uneasily in his
chair "Whatever ais you, mothery
he demanded testify. "You know we
could spare tn wood-'twas you who
convinced me we could" maliciOusly.
His wife made no reply. Memory
Of the big woodlot had suddenly
thoughts Of orphaned Dick.
Dick! If 1t hadn't been for him
20 the, ro{rb< v,.nx,o,. bovo 1oot his AvQ-