Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-12-10
DELAWARE. OHIO DECEMBER 10, 1885,

81 know one thing, I'm glad mother dee
MT have griddIes creased with salt, % ven
tured Lizzie. r -5l
aThen these potatoes, small and poor i
they are, cost over cent apiece. Mrr
Murke substitutes Indian corn dampilngs.'
"Boiled in water, suppose. and uBpalats
BILE! Give me another piece Of CHECKED
+, Charles, if you please" was Ars. Ligthe'
reply.
"What do they make instead OF sweet 20
tatees!" added Liz lie, who was very fond 9
the latter delicacy. go
Mrs. Lgthe looked smiIingiy for her hus
bands answer.
"They Go not eat such Injuries, m,
child Mr. Murke is saving against he
grows old.''
"Why, father, wen take care of yol
when you are old; and mean to have q
home Just like ours, sweet potatoes and ali,
said the child; "yet the Murkes do hav.
some luxuries, for when the cake gets burn
Mary often brings the crust 10 school cor hes
luh sheon; she said ner mother told her tina
they'd make her breath sweet, but solid
cake was poisonous; | shouldn't think she
would give poison to her company"
The ghost was banished; but the thrifty
woman known as Mrs. Murke, came one
last time to the house of Charles Ligthe.
There was to be funeral on the morrow;
the sofa by the ireside was empty, and dust
was gathering over the workbox that stood
on the center table; a group of children
were huddled together, crying, as if their
| hearts would break.
After the long life work, she had folded
her hands at last, and the corpse lay waiting
| for burial; Carrie. the proyident mother, the
faithful wife, the good, gentle, spmpathizing
friend; and as Charles stood watching her
with sorrow too deep for tears, Mrs. Murks
came to offer consolation. She said:
"Yes, she was good end kind neighbor
to me. 1 shall never forget her early in
fiuence over my husband; but Mr.. Ligthe.
we must not waste time in grief; and every
sorrow has its cempensations, You have
now one less to support in these hard times
Your wife had a great many children, and
was ambitious for them, and liked to keep up
good appearance in the world. She w as
an excellent woman, but you may find an
other who will do as well rs she. and save
your money besides"
"Ah," broke forth the husband, too
grieved for anger, "she spent for US, watched
and planned, and wasted all her strength
for our welfare; this house is full of the
works of her hands. Ny heart is full Of
recollections of her pat;ent love and industry
have too often panied the gentle heart that
is sleeping here, by repeating your advice
Yesterday my partnership with your hus-
band dissolved; to>day, Mrs. Murke, beg
leave to dissolve my acquaintance with
yourself"
And they buried her, that good Carrie.
with the fruits of her hands," she had
"planted vineyard" and when she was
dead her husband dweli therein.
The Murkes added gold to gold. and
loaded their souls with that ''ihck clay"
| They built fine house, and gave great
formal party every year; then covered the
l furniture and paekad- away the silver, iSek-
ed the pAriers, and lived in few small back
rooms.
! Mr.. Murke's daughters married early to
/ escupe the ungeniel home, accepted the
/ first adventures that offered themselves, and
one by one came back to him, with wasted
/ health and ruined hopes, and family OF
children. His soDs rushed away into dis
I honesty and extravaganza, and were dis
grace and sorrow TO the parents hearts.
/ Doling out with many a sigh, the scanfy
( pttance " hich they considered needful tor
! the wants of their children and grandchil-
dren, Mr. and Mrs. Murke live alone in their
house, pour over newspapers. and eeds
discuss ks, bonds and notes, and feel
| poor; as well they may, who have lost
their souIs for the sake ofgoId which PERISH
eth.
Mr. Lghte, with sufficient property for
all his wants, divided his time between many
| households, all copies of the dea. one he
can never forget; and ir each of which lie is
eagerly welcomed and cared for with watch
full love. His children continually develope
before his eyes the traits which he has now
learned to appreciate in his buried wife
They have taken the place in society for
which their mother fitted them; have marri-
ried into good families, and surrounded with
refined friends, and make themselves at
| tractye by whatever, among the comforts
and elegauces of life, may be within their
| reach.
AS Charles Lghte, an cid man now, sits
thus at the fireside of his childred, and W atch-
es his daughters, ornaments to society, 5les-
sings 10 their homes, comforts to the desti-
,ute; and his sons, forward in all good works
and manly enterprises--tears,n not Of loneli-
| ness, but of gratitude fill his eyes, and he
thinks how his good wife, "being dead, yet
speaketh."
Yea, LET her own W orks praise her."