Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1860-02-11
@Now. FATHER"

uiBuiutills
al know just what you mean, Esther" OK
claimed Jason Strong, as he slipped his RICH
arm into his workmans " overallsn that spriu
morning set in low, dull clouds, "but there
no use wasting any words between us. ltwoul
be folly and madness for US to think Of adopt
ing widow Blakes child, when it $ just as mucl
as We can do by screwin and turnin', to pu
bread into the mouths of three we've got a
home.n
"No man has better will than mine Blu
when I'm laid up half the winter by rheumatic
and can't earn but seyenty-fye cents day OIL
the best jobs, its high time to put down no
tons about taking other folks children, whei
the chances nre our own'll have to scatter be
fore long,
He was large heavy-limbed, stalwart mar
she was small, shrinking, gentle-faced ant
voiced woman, and now her tones came like .
minor key, after the gruf, positive voice
which half-concealed as honest aud true q
heart as ever beat in mans bosom.
81 know, Jason, it's all true, that you've q
hard row to hoe and it seems as you say, q
mighty tug to make two ends meet and take
care of the children God has given us, but
don't believe he'll forget us if we remember the
widow and the fatherless in their affiictioni and
what if il was little sis, now?9
Here Mr. Strong raised the key and went en-
ergetically to winding up the clock.
"You know continued the little woman,
setting couple of chairs opposite each other
and girding the backs with skein of blue
wooden yarn, that the doctor says Hiss Blake
can't stand it moren this week out, and tell
you Jason, it fairly broke me down when went
in there last night, and little Minnies golden
head was II shinn' and bobin around among
the chairs where she was playin' singin school,
till could think of nothin but the butter cups
a twinkln' every May amongst the clover, and
Miss Bakcs eyes followed her with a longin'
pityin', anxious look, and then turned on me.
90, Miss Strong, whatll become on herr"
she said
HGod'll take care on her, Miss Blake
"But sometimes forgot this, and then it
seems as if couldn't die in peace and leave
her here, without a friend in the wide world to
look out for her, with her father sleepin away
off under the deep waters, and her mother
living in little corner of the village church.
yard
ssComc, wife, come here interrupted Mr..
Strong, in quick, sharp voice, and he took out
his pocket handkerchief and blew his nose with
A great deal of emphasis.
His wife did not observe it--she was very
intent just at that moment on shaping her ball
IF warn with her thumb and forefnger.
"well, Jason, haven't much moro to say,
ror Miss Blake broke right down here herself;
md couldn't find word to comfort her, for
away down in my heart kept whis-
oering, suppose now it was your little Wealthy"
alt wonld be dreadful tough, wife, that's
actp exclaimed the carpenter, and he put one
DOT uneasily before the other.
aAnd then, suppose Miss Blake stood in our
,ase."
80, mother / see now just what you're COM
ng to- interrupted Mr.. Strong In hnli-surlyi
tone.
hat we've got all Gods promises on our side,
md don't believe he's going to let us break
Town because we took that poor motherless
hing under our roof, when she would have to
,e put in the poor house or among strangers
hat would abuse her. tell YOU" and here
he tears flashed right out into the little wo-
mans ewes, and the soft-spoken voice gathered
lew strength and feryOr, "eyery mouthful |
,at would choke me, and my pillow, when
ay down on it at night, would be fall of thorns
o me- thinking of that poor little lamb among
old hearted, cruel strangers"
Mr. Strong muttercd something that sound
ID very much like "wonan's nonsense" but
somehow the words didn't get fairly out of his
hroat.
Mrs. Strong went up to her husband and
aid her hand on his arm, and the pale faded
ACE shone with something that was finer than
The lost beauty of its grlhood, as she said
d Now, father, there's no use tryin', you know
you'll never let that child suffer SO long as
veu've got roof to cover you or n crust TO
eatn
swell, wife, take your own way, never was
rood at argutyn' with women and the man
turned abruptly and went out of the honse,
ashamed to own that his warm, true heart chi
lorsed every word that was spoken.
In minute, however, the kitchen door
opened again.
/" Wife, say"
uWell, father
"You'd better go right over and tell Mss
Blake you've concluded to take the child
It'll set her mind at rest like, and just now she
needs il enough"
uThere, didn't see7 murmured Mrs Strong
to herself after the door closed sits well l
know how to got on the right side o. faith
pr's heart"
aTherc, now Johnnie, don't Minnie look
pretty 2" and Wealthy Strong turned round the
dainty little creature whose golden head she
had crowned with wreath of white and pink
blossoms.
eyes, she does, that's a fact" answered tho
very practical boy, as he slowly drew in his
fishing line.
It was bright, still afternoon in the early
and John Strong had brought the
two little girls over to the pond, and while he
hauled in with shouts of triumph his prizes OF
pickerel and bass, Wealthy had twined wreathe
of blossoms which she and Minnie had gather.
ed in the woods sittle way off, and wound
them in the childs tresses.
The brother and sister were healthy, ROBUST,
looking children, with the round limbs ano
.-bro.l led faces which tell their own tale'
of country life but Minnie Blake was one o
those children, the very sight of which orougn
new life into the eyes of those who love peau
~. She was small and delicate, with eye
blue and deep as still lakes locked beneath
dc en- mountains, r.nd her hair had the ripenesl
of harvest-pears thai dropped every autumn
on the grass in N.r. Strong's back yard.
The bloom of two woodland roses were Sc
in her cheeks, rand sweet smiles were foreve
lustering over the dimples hidden about ne
lips.
She had resi- ,ded with the Strongs for NOR