Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-11-12

more tenderly than she. The news {
, h.r husbands death came with a sud
g den stroke that almost felled her to th
L floor. But she bore 1t bravely till ne
p work was done for that day, and le
>, the younger eyes shed the tears.
q "Wby don't you cry, mother?'
e said little Bess, who was sobbing bit
e terly, with Susan and Sedgwick, owe
J. a grief she could not understand; bu
q the pale, thin lips Of the mother di'
not move.
In the middle of that night. long af
: ter sleep had stolen over the children
sorrow, Susan was awakened BY {
groan. She, started up. and found hel
: mother sitting IN The bed. in the bar
vest moon that shone through the on,
window, white as shrouded corpse.
"Light the candle, 5usan.' she heard
her whisper, and then the terrified girl
obeyed, and inquired hurriedly, if she
should bring the camphor or heat some
water. Mrs. Riley shook her head,
and said family,
"Get the Testament and read"
Susan got the book, and asked where
she should read.
"No matter, much. Open some
where in the middle"
And kneeling by the bed, with the
candle in her hand, the young daugh-
ter read, with trembling voice, and
simple, unlearned emphasisi "1et not
your heart be troubled; ye believe in
God; believe also 10 me. In my
fathers house there are many NAH
sions; il 1t we're not so. / would have
told you. I go to prepare house for
you"
A low, faint cry from the bosom of
the suffering woman. and the girls voice
was drowned in the stormy, coDvulsive
sobs that shook the next instant
through the strong frame of Mrs.
Riley, as if they would rend assun-
der.
The deep waters were loosed, and
boarded tears of half lifetime now
seemed to flow forth in one gush of ir-
resistable sorrow. By and by, the
paroxysm passed. and she rose from
her bed, breathing long. deep breaths,
as il a sweet sense Of relief had come
over her, aud. lying down on her pill
low. said softly;
"Good Lord. Thy win be DONE
Put the book BY, Susan, and go to !
bed" I
And the still hours Of that moon
light night rolled on TO the day, and
the unconscious children, unwakened.
dreamed their happy dreams, and the
oldest daughter--sad, astonished, but
weary--went to sleep before the cock
crowed; but Of all within that poor
log hut, after midnight passed. the
mothers sleep was the sweetest.
Hardly had the toilipg woman
gathered her fall crops. Few hands
made heavy work, and it was slow and
weary business indeed TO 90 over the
two acres bill BY hill till all was done.
The bulk Of The harvest, however, was
gathered in (as good yield as could
be expected) when Johns letter came;
and the very next day, leaving as
good directions as she could to Susan,
and charging the younger children to
mind her, with promise not to be gone
very long, Mrs. Riley was on her way
10 Green Ridge to find her wounded
drummer boy. f.
The feelings of the wife that had so
fercely struggled, well nigh to break.
ing her heart. for her recent loss, we're
now subdued and Tranquil, as con.
scious that tie old relationship had
passed away with the husbands eb-
biug b'ood-linger only in the silence
,f the grave; and all the mother awoke
within her as she turned from the dead
70 the living.
She was some nearer to her destina-
ion when the cars left her at Shannon
Dale terminus--a village with seven
houses. How TO get conveyance for
he rest Of the way was the next ques-
ion. Not even a cart or oxen could {
she find. At length an Unlocking
negro came along, to whom she at once
applied for information.
"Can you tell me where I'll find
.eam?"
"Yes'm."
"Where, then9' /
"Ise got oue." fH on
"Well, what is it7-a horse, DON g
key, or pair OF steers? And what's I
he wagon? Tell me all about it,"
"Mule and cart, Missus." a
"What'lrye ask to Green Ridges"
"Fifty dollars" {
"Stay at home with your old mule,
ve wicked, swindlin' nigger-to take
Of 9 poor lone woman3-
ASK ten hundred, why didn't ye when
ye ask about Il! But ye may make yer
money out O. somebody else. I'll 60
afoot." aates srr rF7F .
And of she started. leaving the ex-
orbitant African materially sobered Of
bis grin. and starting after her with an I
expression of semi-6erceness, as il he q
half meditated doing something wick r
eder still. -g-- gao a
Mrs. Riley saw no cause to repent of
her resolution. She had but gone over {
eight or ten Of the weary stretch Of !
miles when an army teamster over
took her and gave her seat among
bis powder kegs. The ride, however,
= "a rather n change of exercise than