The Tomahawk., 1925-10-08


over to Grayson City an buy one Of
them spoons at the jewelry store"
That night he drove back trium-
plant and handed a spoon to Lucindy,
saying:
"Now, you sew that up in sack of
flour an praise be We'll be shed or
this spoon business forever"
"Why, pa" Lucindy exclaimed
this amt like the otherw
Pas face fell. swell, It looked like
1t In the Jewelry store. Well" he
gazed around helplessly.
"Ours has got little curly-cues here"
Lucindy explained, IAN this one
amt"
3D. you suppose she'll notice?" pa
inquired, hopefully.
Notice? Amt she looked at them
spoons enough to know 'em In the
dark? No. It amt no use. We got
ter git 1t out'n the -four er not at ALL"
Meanwhile ma had spent the day
making her will, one clause of which
afforded her honest pride
And the family silver consisting
Of - spoons bequeath to my
daughter, Lucindy. for a wedding
gift."'
She had insisted on leaving the
blank space. "For somehow" she
said, II feel 8 If I couldn't die till I
see them six spoons all together there
IN a row, an the number can be writ
ten In at the last minute"
When pa read 1t he set his Jaw firm
ly and strobe out to the barn. "Bill,"
he ordered "hitch up. I'm goin' down
an buy every sack Of that blamed
flour Jed Summers got -
An hour later they drove into the
yard with the wagon full Of sacks.
Feverishly they worked opening and
pouring the contents unceremoniously
on the barn floor, the dust from the
same turning them gradually to a.
CHASTITY gray In the lantern light, I'M
til they seized the last sack, tore Il
open, dumped 1t on the heap, and then
gazed at one another in blank de-
spair.
At last Bill broke the silence. "My
God" he gasped, gazing wild-eyed at
the snowy mountain. Think of. the
flour we've got to eat!'
I'm goin' back down to Jed's," Pa
Wilson said, duly. Maybe he's got
sack left som'ers."
Jed invited them to look for them
selves and in desperation they looked.
At last, under heap Of empty sacks
In dark corner they found a solitary
sack left.
"Blll," the old man groaned. "You
do 1T amt got the grit"
Bill hesitated a moment, glanced at
the old mans haggard face, drew a
long breath, then plunged in his hand
and brought out-a spoon!
1t was gasping breathless pair
that dashed into the farmhouse kitch-
en- little later. Would they be in
time? They tore through the dining
room and into the bedroom where Ma
Wilson lay weak and white among the |
pillows, still counting her spoons.
Bill tossed the shining new spoon
on the counterpart before her. She
started up from the pillows her face
radiant with awe and unbelief.
1T amt" she whispered. "Oh,
pa, 1t amt the other spoon"
"Sure, Mike!" Bill calculated.
THAT'S just what it is, the other
spoon"
Ma Wilson turned It over, lovingly
examining every detail of the design,
all the little "curly-cues" which pro-
claimed 1t Enthusiastically the spoon,
then slipping 1t into the solitary emp
ty pocket she fell back upon the pill
lows and contemplated the finished
row with satisfaction too deep for
words.
The assembled family gazed from
mas placid face to the spoons and
from the spoons to one another, limp
and silent with voiceless gratitude.
At last ma spoke.
"You can tear up that will, Lucin.
dy," she said, I'm goin' to live to git
a dozen Of these here spoonsw
HolU Artificial PeorIs