The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-04-01
TFrom the Hearth and Home. ]
IN TIE ICE.
BY j. II. TRowBRIDGE,
WHAT nneRT HAVE BEEN a aoLDEN WED

trouble, IN black cloak and hood, walked
home from meeting, with slow steps lean
ing on her cane Old man DracutC FOL
lowed her from the porch, took the oppo-
site side of the street, passed her on the
way, opened the gate before her, and let
it slam back almost in her face, as she
came up.
This little scene, or something like 1t,
happened nearly every Sunday OF their
lives, and the observant world was getting
used to it. Elderly people, watching it
now for twenty years or more, had learned
to look on and make no other comment
than, 'FWell, It's just like old man ORA
cutt," Cor old lady Dracutt, as the case
might beg they're crotchety, and what's
the use of talking ?"
Not so the younger portion of the COM
munity, represented on this occasion by
Miss Emma Wexford, who, passing with
her little flock of brothers and sisters, Just
as the old ploughshare sogging in its
short chain fastened to a stake, jerked the
gate violently together again, said com
passionately, "Why couldn't he have had
the kindness to hold it open till she had
gone through ?" while even the hard-fea-
tured ploughshare seemed, in her pure
eyes, to look ashamed Of its part in the
transaction.
Old man Dracutt, not bent at all by has
troubles Che appeared to bear the burden
of life upon his head and to have been
crushed together by it considerably IN the
jaws and shoulders, getting thereby that
stubborn build of body and set expression
of face)--old man DracUtt trudged on,
and disappeared in the lonely old house,
while his wife was still teebly fumbling
with the gate. All mel how little we
know what the effect Of a casual kind look
or word of ours may be sometimes. Old
lady Dracutt took hold of the post instead
of the gate and tried to pull it open that
way-yery absurdly, to be sure, but you
would hardly have laughed at her if you
had seen the cause. The poor old crea-
ture was blind with tears. The great sor-
row of her life had never given her a
moist eye she was proud, and strong, and
obstinate to endure misery and wrong !;
that tough dry stock unkindness could
bend and wither, but not soften or break !;
and yet compassionate glance out of a
young girls eyes, the plying tones of
sweet voice, could melt her in an instant
She got the gate open soon, with En-
mas help ("Thank you, dear child" said
BH6Jj duQ CuLCISO Vic IbuSC, WnGlG BIG
found her husband settling down in his
low square, straight backed, old oak arm
chair, by the kitchen stove. A newspa-
per rustled on his trembling knees while
he took from black leathern case pair
of steel-bound spectacles, and set them
astride his nose, which also appeared to
have been flattened a little, and pushed
we'll down over his broad mouth and chin
by the aforesaid burden.
She put away her cloak and hood in a
dark closet (from which they seldom
emerged except for Sundays and funerals,
when they came out saturated with gloom
and almost conscious, it seemed, of the
SOLEMN use they served, and presently sat
down in her chair (neither had ever prob
ably, for years, sat in the others CHAIR,
with an ancient, sallow-leayed, well-worn
Bible on her lap. Both clad in rusty
black; he so compressed and grim, and
she so crooked and withered he with
bald crown shining in the light, over
shaggy, gray ear-locks; she with iron
gray hair (once black tresses), hidden I'M
der her cap Of yellow lace-there they
sat, and warmed their bodies, if not their
hearts, by the stove between them Meth
er ever looking at the other, nor ever
speaking more than if each had been
alone.
And each was alone, for what is bodily
presence where souls are estranged This
was the anniversary of their marriage
did they think of it? For half century
they had lived together, and to-day they
might have celebrated their golden we'd
ding. Fifty years ago this December eve
nlng, full of youth and hope and love,
they joined their hands, with trust and
solemn VOWS, and began the journey OF
life, which looked so beautiful before
them The storm and rainbow Of real
little romance had given interest to their
courtship and marriage. Jonathan had
been off teaching school somewhere, and
on his return had found his darling little
Jane engaged to be married. They had
always been attached to each other from
their early childhood, when they played
little husband and wife, kept house to-
gether, with clam-shells for Dishes and
acorns for cups and saucers, under board
laid across corner of the garden fence
Tor mouse. Growing bashful as they
grew Older that sweet play ceased but
at school they dressed and behaved each
Tor the eyes OF the other, and were always
the best OF friends, except that their fire.
quenI causeless quarrels showed that there
was something warmer, perhaps, than
friendship in their attachment. He was
stern, exacting, and reticent; she was pert
and hayward and ,pouting and SO it hap.
pened that they never came to perfect
understanding about the future, until he
returned home, and found her just going
to marry her big cousin Jim. All then
what time they had of it! what sleep
less nights what haggard days, what tor.
ments Of passion and despair He learn
ed, when about to lose her forever, that