Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1923-09-07
CHAPTER xVIIi.-Continued.

The hardest thing was to walt til
A.If-past seven, the hour at which the
nests we're hidden. At twenty-five
-,nutes past, the candles were light
ID a schedule which precluded the
TASTE of wax without a justifiable
number of observers. 1t was the
Stouch. A long-drawn "Oh-h-h" ex-
pressed the complete qualification of
All the Penfelds. From that time on,
@ hiryland was an open book. Thad's
bIue eyes we're unbelievably wide, and
he tiptoed about in an awed and silent
ecstasy. Crink was full of important
q errands, having gratuitously assumed
RESPONSIBILITIES for salient features of
the evening.
q As for Lettie, she was not the same
child that had struggled into Mrs.
4 Penfeld's kitchen three months before,
4 undernourished, blindly resentful
4 against the harshness of an unthink
a Ing world, ready to fight anything and
4 anyone to keep her starved soul in her
q starved body--a creature forced by the
Fl Indifference of society into reversion
& to elemental instincts, to primitive
pugnacity. Without volition she had
s. been shot into scheme of things that
had no place for her, that frowned up
u On her with heavy disapproval. She
q had been saved from the attitude that
might have followed-the attitude of
h a society that later holds up its hands
In shock of horror and repudiates
the menace that its own carelessness
has nurtured. 1t will always be so
until that society ceases to segregate
ifs human strays, to be housed in cor
rect stone buildings and fed from long
handled spoons, and rouses to the in
allenable right of the individual to in
dividual care.
Tonight Lettie was radiant. She |
might later know joy that would be |
broader and deeper, but it could never |
more fully inundate her capacity. |
Her thin cheeks were beginning to take
on the curve of health; her black curls |
we're neat and glossy; and she was
Naring the new serge dress presented
NNrs. Sanders AS she flew busily
nagh the rooms, she stopped now
ed then for look of Indifferent dis
cain at the temper gong. Could it be
possible that she had needed that-or
ever would again? In her present state
VI oeatitude, certainly not. The hours
Oh happiness are not the hours of
trial.
Wen have to play sit-down games"
decided Crink, surveying the tight
rows OF chairs which he had borrowed
Tor the occasion.
les Crink," laughed Mrs. Penfeld,
out you can see how lucky it's that
'nls was a barn. If it hadn't been
puit Dig 'nough for horses, we couldn't
never have this grand party"
, even SO, the only thing that made
Ae space sufficient was previous en-
'asements on the part of several ten
,ns In consequence, there were only
hifty-nve who gathered and squeezed ,
apphy into the borrowed chairs; but
ney all brought their most flattering
examinations and used them freely.
wen Mr.. Wopple smiled, by which
oxen the jollity Of the others may be .
nagined.
uame followed game, and the mer-
ihent increased as by Its own momen-
III. Drink Penfield was noted in con-
renee with Lorene Chase, and short
thereafter 1t was made known that \
&c had a new Christmas song. En-
usiasm grew. She gave them more .
ngs. Her clear voice filed The Gus :
fu Cup with melody. :
an this time the tree stood waiting, =,
II l.s turn came at last. Impressive
DicK Chase read of the names; 1.
.n prodigal flourish the little Pen :.
Jus made distribution. Surprise was :,
paraiieled. Explanations were dOu- =,
ed, trebled. o.
ana even this was not the end. .,
''ner II was the prelude. Because
u'euiately thereafter. refreshments h,
ne served. They were Crink's con :,
'utlon, and his pride In this acme ~
hospitality wss well-nigh suffocat- ~
n Few days before Mr.. Drake had =.
mn a large Tin box OF cakes -
'en = Wholesale delivery boy had ~
'ppeq on the floor. The cakes, as ~
''p 70 begin with, had been further n,
snsalsaDly assorted by ths fan IN
mere we're few whole ones, and ~
- Anq been skilfully arranged as ~,
'Ays's on the plates which we're y" "o
!. pissed M brakes Christmas
/, '""Ps had been y small paokpge Al.
4 y sugar ana galslns and dVfep "|
it'9' 'flnk, M ap embarrassment ~
| paH all bui shocked hlm bad -
nv Y Np mlehi have lemons psiead
W 'f'Nsnf Tine pxohanse n0d been N'
'N' ilf ono dozen hpi hpeQwe
NNl ,elolf plfof NJ fNinnr nf rNl
f'ili booty NupnH ihgl NNf lnW0p 1l
M 'N lN0 NNnGo Nul dn{ NlN ! y
n, N fniNlIHFN HIfeN NNnNn' ~ N'
'NNN Nmr HllW lNf nlW l'N
N fNN hnl NNV WINNIi NN iN
p... i'|il A'"NNl N0N