Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-12-07

the mother face above, in its last ag-
ony, imploring the impossible relief
Eyes, baby died, and it may seem
kinder queer to you, but many a time
l have thanked the Lord on my knees
that He took the little cretur away
from trouble to come, and I expect
Jacob was real glad to see her-she
favored hi M
"Reub, he run off to sea spell af-
ter, didn't hep"
"Well, he did; you see he was the
oldest; he was twelve year old when
his pa died, and what with being dread
full busy"
"Yes, know" broke in the inter
locutor, "that was when we lived
neighbors; and my! how you did
work, sewing, and washing, and sick
nussing, to keep the breath of life in
your body, and the children's too"
Il never wanted for work though,
and that was blessing, but as I was
saying, Reuben was pretty well grown,
and boy wants a mans hand over
him. l couldn't rightly manage the
child, and he got bewitched reading
sailor books, so he run off; but Prov
idence sent him to real good cap
tain, who kept him straight; and he
sent me home most all his wages, and
best of all, when he had follered the
sea four years, and been home twice
to see me, he got laid up a spell in the
Sailors Home to Liverpool, having
had ship fever on the voyage, and
there he got religion. ! declare fort,
when heerd he had fell overheard,
and got drowned, the first thing l
thought on was his last letter telling
about his experience and being con-
verted; it seemed as though I couldn't
be thankful enough for that, even in
the very middle of my distress about
losing him.
"Well, you do beat sll, Mis- Lock
wood / suppose it's no use to speak
of Ruth and Rachel both going into
decline just as they had got a good
education, and was going to keep a
school; or Ellis going off to Califor-
MIA with my Joe, and never being
heerd of sence !'
30 Mis- Salisbury" and here the
patient faithful woman's voice choked,
and her tace flushed for the first time
81 don't deny that it seemed as though
I couldn't give up Ruth and Rachel
no how; for a spell l was real rebel
lious. You see l had kinder 10 oked
forrard to their being a comfort and
help to me, and was pretty miser-
able in my health along then, I
couldn't work real smart; moreover,
1 was real proud of them two, they
was dreadful pretty looking girls
r Gol
bury ?"
''Sakes alive! guess I do! jest as
we'll as can be; they allus looked like
two posies, md you couldn't tell one
from t'other, nor tother from one
pink cheeks md fair completed. But
them dredful bright eyes, md red lips,
md slim figgers n,tnever real healthy
Don't you know I used to alters tell ye
they'd go off young ?"
Eyes, yes, you did, but I couldn't
think so; fact is, didn't want to, md
when I see 'em fadin' before my
eyes, why, didn't really take it in till
they slipped away. Twas hard to
see 'em lynn there in the bed, hold
of bands, lookin' right into each
others eyes to the last minnit then
Ruthy, she looked up at me nd kinder
showed over towards Rachel, md
drawed her hand up to kiss it, nd
went to sleep; and Rachel smiled, too,
| at us both: 'twan't an hour after that
she died, jest like badly, never KNOWN
that Ruthy'd gone first"
By this time, quiet tears, gentle as
the dew that falls from a summer
heaven, and more sweet than sorrow
full, were slipping softly down the poor
woman's withered cheeks, gIitterino
on the red mitten and the blue gown
below, but she did not even wipe then
away, going on in the same stilled
voice:
& Twas a dreadful af1iction, I dom
deny it, but it would have been worse
if one on 'em had gone and left the
other behind they was more to eact
other than most twins be; seemed Gs
if they breathed the same breath, anC
felt the same feelin's from the tim,
they was born. And they never wa
real rugged mebbe if they had livet
and had to get their own liyin' 'twouIt
have killed them by inches as folk
say; but now they died at home AM
had mother to take care of 'em, an,
! was comfortable to the last. I'm S,
thankful for that
Even Granny Salisbury paused
moment as Satan spared Job for day
or so, but there was more to come.
'Ho@R- about Eli, then ?''
"My Lora4.'az .'az-~ehispered a decrepi
5 old negro curled up agarnst-Cl--=s.l5e o
jamo of the fire place, ''that ole missis
) gettin' powerful cantankervus,- n
; she ? He! he! he Debble hese' fcan
e stop her mouf; she's filed de hoppe
' and started de WHEEL!
: Uncle Sol Gates, who received IL
whisper, nodded and grinned; if b
was half witted, instinct warned hi
il against Granny Salisbury.
+ We'll, Mis- Salisbury, I'm tharkf
II to have one left. Who knows b
/ Elias'H come back yet, I'd like to s.
; my last child before die, but yet
s. shall be pleased if he don't come, f,
mebbe 'twouId criIe him to find me
d the poor: house, though it's GOO
< home for me; and OWN to M
n Sperry's first husband bein' cousin
at my husband, md her Ruth bein' calle
N like my Ruth, after their gran
s. mother, why it amt exactly's thout
s l was with strange folks, you see"
n 81 should think you'd jest as iiv
" they want no kin to ye; eft hadr
m ha' ben for that you might ha' HI
le them fifteen thousand dollars Grand:
= Spencer left to Ruth Crane. Yo
It. husband was just as near kin to hi
o, as her father, and eff you'd ha' had th
1t, property, you'd ha' been comfortat
1T for the rest O your life, md had lc
VS. of folks a bowin' and a curtseyi