Mrs. Wilson Woodrow

“ Herries did not fail to comment upon the fact when he dropped in for an evening call upon the Missioner. "I feel sorry for Carrothers," he grumbled. "He's a weak sister; but every time he climbs out of that cellar he's blasting for his health, there's five or six women setting around on the ground, ready to feed him pie and cake and tell him about their souls. If he expects to find any peace in these hills he'd better move up above timber line.
"Mrs. Evans has wasted no time in getting Susie Hazen over here from Red Fox," with one of his sardonic grins. ”

“ Strength must surely come from these hills."
"Well," said Mrs. Thomas, not vaingloriously, but as if stating a fact, "we certin'y done our best by this place. Nobody can say we ain't tried to give it a air of refinement. We four, Mis' Evans, Mis' Nitschkan, Mis' Landvetter and myself has always hung together since we come here, an' if folks ain't done what was right, we've usually had the strength to make 'em, one way or another, an' took no back talk, either."
Carrothers looked slightly puzzled. "There are some rare spiritual natures here," he continued. ”

“ Nitschkan, her Sunday attire unchanged from its week-day masculine simplicity, snapped her fingers in sturdy contempt: "My patience! You won't find one of them serious moon-gazers of men that ever run after the plain, steady kind. They're took in every time by some flighty, sassy bit of uselessness."
"Yes, Mis' Evans," corroborated Mrs. Thomas with a serpent-like wisdom born of an extensive knowledge of the masculine heart: "You just watch. You can dangle Susie before his eyes all you're a mind to ”

“ Evans has never lost out more than two or three times; but there's plenty of fighting blood in the Swanstroms, and in my opinion, the odds are even."
"Mr. Herries, you're gossipping," Frances reproached him. "How can a man like you take an interest in such small affairs?" ”

“ Mrs. Thomas, in dilating upon the matter afterwards said: "I 'most expected to see a bolt fall from the blue and hit that girl dead, tryin' to carry on with preacher when Mis' Evans was takin' him home to dinner, and on Sunday, too! You bet Mis' Evans 'll pay her back."
But if Mrs. Evans had any such intentions, she kept them, for the moment, to herself. And the Zenith mind continued to focus itself on Carrothers, and to dwell with keen and undiminished interest upon the romantic possibilities which might eventuate from the presence of a preacher and a widower in the camp. ”

“ She's a good, steady girl, has kep' house for her Paw ever since her Maw died. She's plain an' dresses sober, an' wouldn't stir up no envy in any congregation he might get after his lungs are cured up. ”

“ Herries put in slyly.
"Oh, I think of her night an' day, dyin' in her sins, an' with her affections set on vanities," wailed Ethel. "An' the Devil's gettin' in awful good work now. I took Mr. Campbell to see her the other day, and there was an awful scene; an' to-night when me an' Preacher might have made some headway, we were turned out; but we can't give up, we can't give up! You're the one to fight the Devil now, Missioner, for she's got to be saved."
"Ethel, be quiet." Frances spoke almost sternly. "I am sure Mr. ”