Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-06-18
Grandma Hunters story,

window awhile, came and stood at the
fire by Grandma Hunters side. The
good old lady was knitting. as usual, and
presently she dropped her ball of yarn.
and it rolled away to the other side of
the room
Ned and Alice did not see it. and little
Nav, though she saw it was not quite
ready to 90 and get it. Grandma did
not ask her to, but looked at her little
grand daughter minute, then the great
tears came into her eyes and putting her
handkerchief to her face, she almost Sob
| bed aloud.
The three children looked at one
another moment. as if frightened;
then they stole softly to her side, and
+, laid their small hands on her shoulders
and hair, and Alice asked in low
/ voice:
"What is the matter, Grandms?"
Nav went and fetched the ball OF yarn,
and tucking it under grandma's hand,
said softly:
Here is the ball, grandma; l didn't
think you would feel SO bad"
Grandma raised her head, and smooth
ing Mays golden locks, she replied, in an
earnest voice:
alt wasn't that, May, you think, like
ly, that grandma wants good deal of
waiting on, but may be, when you are
As old as she. if you live SO loog, you
will never be sorry for anything you
did to please her. When you sre a
little older | will tell you a story of my
life, when my grandmother was alive, aud
! was young woman"
Ned and Alice had been listening
atlentlvely, and now both exclaimed:
ave are old enough to hear it grand
ma, tell it to us now, and whcl May is
older you can tell it to her over again"
and May joined in and begged her TO tell
it right away.
Grandma Hunter took off her specta-
cles. and put them carefully in her peck
ct; then she folded her knitting, and
while Ned and Alice each moved up a
chair, and May folded her short arms
upon grandma's knee and looked up in
her face with wide blue eyes. she be-
gan.
"Snce I could remember, my grand
mother had always lived with my father
and mother, on our farm in the country.
She was very Industrious woman, a nd
did not like to be idle, or see any one
else so, and though l think | usually
COUPLED with hvI wishes, and liz many
things against my will to please her, yet
sometimes | was impatient and thought
her too EMOTIONAL. Blu; the last thing
she ever asked me to do, children, the
last words almost that she spoke in this
world. refused to give heed to-"
Here grandma Hunter paused to wipe
/ the tears from her eyes, and Ned. draw
ing his arm around he, neck. laid his
cheek to hers, and whispered:
Don'tcry grandma; Ii almost makes
me cry. too"
at does me good to cry Neddy; my
heart would break with sorrow if /
J couldn't shed tears Grandma has a
pretty brave heart. and wouldn't cry
over common troubles, but this one is
very sad. and | shall cry over it as long
as | live To think Of it. Now. | will try
and 90 on, aud tell you about it. 1t
was cold December day. a good deal
/ like this though the snow was on the
ground, and the sleigh bells were jingling
/ menily over the smooth trodden road.
/ Nv father and mo her bad gone away on
visit, an! grandmother and L were
/ alone.
Howard night big fakes of snow be-
gan to come down and | stood at the
window, idIy watching the fairy shapes
as thew fell to the ground; flock of
wee snow birds flew to the door step. and
picked up the crumbs for their supper,
then hurried away to safe shelter, as
/ if they, too, knew storm was brew.
ing.
- Grandmother had been sitting by the
fire knitting ius, as | do nowadays, but
| pretty soon she came to the window
where I stood.
"'It's going to snow real hard, Celia,
she said; the WOO pile will he all cover
ed. ami your father will be late home, and
cold when he comes. Don't you think
you had better bring in some wood be-
fore it gets dark 7"
mo, granln pther, don't, | said. Il
don't want to go out in the cold, father
can bring it in when be comes, just as
well as not
But he'll have all the chores TO do,
child. and will be tired"
"But refused again, and grandmother
looked out thoughtfully at the gathering
storm, sighed, and went back to her seat
by the fire.
"Pretty soon some of my young com
panions came in and invited me to 90 out
that evening on sleigh ride, and forget
ting the cold then, quickly put on my
hood and cloak and told them l was
ready. In going out happened TO look
at grandmother; some strange feeling
came over me, and | went back and kiss
ed her, and said, Good by, grandmoth-
err then we started. | remember she
smiled kindly, and the remembrance that
my kiss and her smile came after my
thoughtless and unkind refusal of her re-
quest, is the only thing haye to comfort
mo when / think of the terrible sorrow
that awaited me on my return home that
night.