The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-11-22

i
the kettle and cut the bread.
II don't see what you will stay dreamin'
and pecrin' outdoors for, began Mrs. Searle
complainingly; "you never will be like 9TH
or girls"
Esther cut and cut upon her bread, but
| made no answer.
"Any body else but you would ha' gone to
the apple-pearin' down to the deacon's to-
night, and been glad of the chance" contin-
ucd her mother, rounding off her toe with an
emphasis
Esther went to the closet for the cups and
sauccrs.
"And any body but you would 60 about
like other folks, and 90 sleighin' with the
dcacon's Jim, and"
| "Mother I"
Claws massy! what's the matter now I"
Mrs. Searle dropped her knitting at the
sharp, appealing voice.
smother mother!"
The girl stood just as she had stood, the
plate half in her hand, half upon the table.
The cry, perhaps, was Involuntary.
"Struck dumb What ais you, for the
lands sake, Esther ="
She came then and sank down at her
mothers knee. There was certain plead
ing in her outstretched hands, for compass
/
was pitiful to see.
Mother, if you only won't talk to me to-
night-nol to night"
Mrs. Searlc took up her knitting and
coughed. ard-hearted! Not in the least.
Simply astonished, puzzled, wondering !;
no more capable Of understanding this
her child than the very dumb mood Of the
chair she sat on. Not m ungentle mother if
the girl were sick, loving her in her own way
as mothers can /; but she was--well, just
what she was. You know. 1t is the old
story. Why God ever made these two moth
er and child, was one Of his mysteries.
Esther, with her face hidden, sat there .
moment, quivcring, Then she rose, went
back to the table, and stood so, her back
turned. This momentary something that
had swept like wave over her was gone.
She turned around with smile, and if you
treasure rare smiles in your memory, you
would have found place for this:
Kiss me, mother, please?"
swell, I never" said Mrs Searlc, and put
her arms around her neck. Then she went
ON with her knitting, and by way of CONVEX
sation, inquired if Esther had seen Meta
Hunts wedding dress, how many petticoats
she wore with it, and how much the veil
cost.
|
and made coffee, as she did on every other
night, with the soft step that never grew
rough, and the low voice that never was i'm
patient, and the smile still upon her face.
For Esther thought perhaps she was wrong,
since shcnever philosophical. Esther thought
this was what it meant-the New Years eve,
and the long, long year. twas all God had
left her. What had he left her-to sweep
and dust and help her mother bake, and
light her fathers pipe--it was hers to glori-
fy, even as she would have gloriied her own
happy home, by the patient voice and willing
hand. All! il that were possible, possible !!
But Esther kept the smile upon her face,
and drew her water, and made the coffee,
and set the table, and listened to her moth
er's talk, and never knew she was a hero
/ Down, deep in her heart she crushed the
pictures that came with the New Years eve,
and called and cried for her to look at them.
and would not 60 away. All how they
came and came, the sorrowful pictures /.
Rohbic--his face, his voice, his smi.e-oycr
ut night she waiting for him as sue now
waited for her father; sitting beside her at
their own little table, on which she should
have laid the plates ~ she was laying them
now; drawing his chair up to her beside the
the fire, looking into her eyes the long, long
evening Oh the sweet, sur-eaf.,i piefures.
the clamorou. pictures that came and eme
and would not 30 away.
But atill Esther kept the smile upon her
face, and drew her water, and made the
coffee, and set tho table, and listened to her
mothers talk, and never knew she was a
hero.
Presently her father came in, and Esther
hung up his hat and lighted his pipe.
Terrible cold out - said the old man
querulously. Esther, gal, do put more
wood on that fire. He never thought to
thank her, you see; it never occurred to
him. Why should it. It was little thing,
. very little thing. But to spend ones life
suffocating among those little things, to spend
ones life IN hanging up hats, and lighting
pipes, ones life; not the mere bare years,
but the brain and the heart the hot young
energies. the passionate loving and longing
and Zone to speak the grateful word and kiss
away the tears, and rest the aching head!
Il is pitiful, isn't it?
This, you see, was Esther's life, and this
is what it meant. When she looked upon
her future, and said it was we'll
Supper was over and cleared away. There
was no one to notice that Esther did not cat:
the father had taken his almanac, the moth
err gone back to herknitting, and Esther, her
face somewhat pale in the lamp-light, was
STOPPING low over her sewing to hide it, when
there came little knock at the door, and
Meta came in. Meta, you know, was Rob-
bies sister, and Esthers face flushed ten
DERBY.
"Meta! it is 50 good in you. did not
expect you tonight
!" thought / must run over . minute.
Esther-the last time, you know" The girl
sat down full in the lamp-light It was q
pretty, tender face, bright with its timid
hopes and fresh young love, very, very
bright-far younger than the face beside it,
with the prayer in her eyes you might have
counted the difference by five years. Yet Of
the two girls, Meta Hunt had lived the Ion
ger in the world-this curious world
$50 you cal'clate on bein' married about
twelve clock, hear tel" said Mrs. Searlc,
looking up. II the mournful contrast Of
those two faces in the lamp light struck her
at ALL it only struck her with sort Of impa-
thence that Esther had lost her beauty, and
never would look like other girls.
$50 George says, said Meta, with a little
happy blush.
Esther put her arm around her and kissed
her, making more and more mournful that
mournful contrast.
= He always said we should be married
on New Years day, it is SO pleasant, some
how Esther, did you decide to wear your
white dress ~
Anything you please, Meta"
She stood smiling down into the girls up
turned, happy eyes-smiling, smiling down.