The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-10-22

ing his fingers together, his rubicund
vissgp elongated into look of solemn
anxiety.
"Not bit, daughter; Seth Rogers heart
Is as hard as Pharsoh's."
"Well, Isaac, we must look to the Lord
in this great trouble; He's or our side. and
that is better than all that bad mans
money"
THAT'S it, mother; them words OF
vourn are amazing comfort to a man in
sorrow"
AT this moment cracked, tremulous
voice was heard at the door.
What do you think came across this
blessed day up in my garrett"
"Why, granny. how did you get over
heFe?" they all exclaimed, as a crooked,
withered old woman. hobbled into the
kitchen. She carried a pipe in her mouth,
and staff in her hand; she wore an old
brown silk bonnet, and a blue gown Of
linsey- woolsey.
"Yes, it amt often get down here,
| children, but was so frustrated couldn't
sleep till l telled you," painted the old
Mrs. Woolcoot, as she sank down into the
arm chair which her son vacated for her
| use.
ave are in a peck of trouble, granny"
interposed Joseph, who was very fond of
delivering news, whether good or bad.
"What is the matter, Isaac? Massey,
seems to me you all do look mighty struck
down."
"Yon tell granny, mother" And Mr..
Woolcoot turned to his wife.
The old woman leaned back in her
chair, and listened to her daughter-in-
laws sad story, while an occasional wreath
of smoke curled up slowly from her pipe,
and tears ran over her withered cheeks.
When Mrs Woolcoot ceased, her moth
or took her pipe ort of her mouth, laid it
carefully in her lap, and, claspins her
wrinkled hands together, sat still, evident
ly lost in deep thought. She shook her
head frequently, and at last she bowed il
as though she had settled some purpose in
her own mind, and then she turned to her
son.
"I'm sorry for you, Isaac, for l know
it'll come like death on you to give up the
old homestead, and am sorry for Massey
for woman's heart clings tighter than 8
mans to the spot where she's lived evel
since her husband brought her, young
inexperienced gal, to his home. Pm sor.
ry for you all, children, but I've nothing
to offer you but the little red house youl
grandfather built on the land the town
gave him when he fought the Indians Sc
bravely at Neck Bridge Ii wust comes
to wust, you can take that, with the two
strips of medder land and the pasture
lot"
al guess we'll have to turn in there 1
little while, mother" answered her son
"leastwise till the Lord shows US wher'
to turn about, for Seth Rogers will hustle
me out without honor or marsy, now ht
has got the law on his side. You know
he amt got no more heart than a stone.'
"Don't say that. Isaac, of any man.
Your poor dead father used TO tell me he't
seen a good deal of the rough side of hu
man nature in his life, but he'd neve
found mans heart so hard that ther
warn't tender spot hidden somewher
away down in it. Massey, he used to sa.
to me, it may seem just as bleak and har'
as the rock Of old did to the Isrselte'
: but, depend ont, there is wellDof watt
r down deep in it somewhere, il onl
5 the right Moses was at hand to smite it.
, "Well, mother, in most cases father ws
in the right of it, and it don't become b
4 son to contradict his words, now he is dea
5 and gone-specially when he was such
: God fearing man; but | can't think ther
}, is any Moses on airIh that could brin
| water out of sich a rock as Seth Roger
9 heart.n
3 "Dou't be too sartin, Isaac. God new
n put the well there for nothing, and
kinder reckon see his hand here. Any
1 how, I'll try tomorrow"
It "Try what, granny" exclaimed Mr. an
= Mrs. Woolcoot.
# "Try to find the well in the rock of Sci
n Rogers heart" answered the old woma
e, putting her pipe in her mouth, and gettir
1T up. =.
If "Why, granny, nin't you mad struck
queried her amazed son, while his fami
s. stood looking at the old woman in dun
3 amazement.
e, Not bit, Isaac; 1 know all what T.
IN about, though l Snail keep my own cou
or sci, and not tell you one word of VIII
brought me over tonight. Only dol
e, any of you give up; only just trust in t
y Lord and cast all your care on Him."
or 20, granny, do stay and have cup
tea We've got some real fresh"
Fe Not tonight, Massy," shaking b
ct head and hobbling across the room; "F
le got to be all alone, to hold counsel wi
ne myself only don't forget what l So
er about casting your care on the Lord"
TX Seth Rogers put down his scythe, to
III of his straw hat, and wiped his forehe
es with his blue and white cotton handk
I'D chief. II was a warm day although
was wearing towards the middle of Oc
ut ber, and the farmer had been hard at We
for the last three hours, moving strip
on salt hay in some low meadow land, alb
ed q quarter of mile east of the little !
of house where old 'Gineral Woolcoots W
der,n as the neighbors called her, resid
He had a coarse, hard physiognomy
'ut large, stalwart, rugged framed, beetl
lin eye brows, with dark, gloomy looking g
ewes, and his iron-gray locks hung o
las his forehead, brown and wrinkled W
ch hard labor, for Seth Rogers had not
fly passed the prime of his manhood.
'on was a stern, lonely man, and the nei
,he bors said his heart was as hard as
lch face.
to All his near relatives were dead, |
there was no heart of man or woman
led child in the world which beat with
nto III ne lora or y,itv for Saith Ra0ara