The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-05-04


put my last little boy in the ground
there's three Of 'em, sir, lying nde BY
side in simsbury grayeyard-two wesss
bo "'re l got the letter. It's been .
dreadful hard journey, sir, and I neveF
was Elk miles from home in my life BE-
fore; but if I can hear about my poor
mans last sickness, aud the messages
be left for me, and see that stone put
up over his. grave deeent-llke, I'll go
home contented."
: "Well, 50 you shall" said kiud-hea.t-
ed Samuel Dale. 81
"1f you belong in these parts, Sir,
perhaps you know Mr.. Barclay-Mr.
Peter Barclay? 2"
sis it there sou want to 60 !"
"Why, yes, sir; twas he wrote me
the letter. My poor man died At his
house. You didn't happen to hear
about it, sir ?"
q reckon you have made mistake
in the pame," said Samuel Dale.
With trembling, eager haste she drew
a letter from her pocket. 1t was soiled
and worn at the edges by many read
ings. Samuel Dale stopped his ho,s,
in the middle Of the road, and his eyes
dilated With astonishment as he opened
the letter and recognized Farmer Bar
clay's hand writing. It read as fol-
lows
BARCLAY FARM, August II.
ssTo Mrs. NANCY Tyler:
"REspEcTKD MADAM-This is 10 in
form you that your late husband, Mr..
Thomas Tyler, departed bis life At my
house the ninth day Of the present
month, Of lingering Illness He bore
his suferings with christian meekness,
and died at peace with all mankiad.-
When near his last hour he desired mo
to write you this letter.
"Your obedient servant,
"PErER BARCLAY.
IN. B. The expenses of his sick.
ness having used all his earnings, he
was buried from nv house at the ex.
pcuse of the town"
The young man read this document
with a puzzled face. He examined tho
post mark and the signature. Then, =
he perused it . second time, the paper
shock in his hand.
The woman's anxious eyes never lsft
his face.
II hope it's all right s,r.- I hAven't
made any mistake, have II"
He turned to her in strange, excit.
ed way.
you are Mrs. Thomas Tyler P" he
said.
eyes, sir. was Billings when I
was a girl-Nancy Billings. My moth
er was"
| "Can you prove it?" he interrupted.
| "Woman, we're you certainly married
to that man ?"
"Oh, my good gracious" she said,
"what does he mean? I am poor lone
woman sir. If my husband was alive,
you wouldn't dare to insult me 90.
Married, indeed You ask Simsbury
folks, where I've lived all my life, and
and where my three children was born
AMI lie buried, sir, and where 1 kept
NY Thomas like gentleman TIL the
money I earned in the paper-mill was
used up. You ask Elder Bird: he mar
ried us six years ago this coming month.
And I'm lone widow, sir, that's come
to pay my last respects to my poor
mans memory and now you want to
make out Tm not his honest wife, and
SO keep me from putting stone over
his poor grave"
"Be quite, woman. There stop your
whining. Nobody wants to hinder you,
and if It's true story you've told
here's man will help you plant that
stone with good will. Now, don't
get excited again, but give me 8
straightforward answer to my: question.
There's more depends on it than you
think. l ask you if you can prove By
other means than your own word that
you are Thomas Tylers lawful wife p
"Why, there's the certificate, sir, thai
Elder Bird gave me, and l had it pu'
in a gilt frame, and hung it up in the
keepiug-room till We broke up, and
Thomas came West to get work, and
was going to send for me and the child
only he took sick and died, and"
"Whoro is that certificate, Mrs. Ty
ler?" " -: -.
"Wby, Law, sir how you do autter;
body with your questions It's in -th'
trunk right at you fest 1 fetch i
along, cause l like to look st it, and j
makes me think Of the day / was uaf
ried to my Thomas" 8. -
, "Then We are all right. You did i
good thing, marm, when you brough
that document" said Samuel Dah
! "Now, Mrs. Tyler, I am going 10 he'll
, you through with this mattsr.' Al
you've got to do is to mind .ordsn. j.
feel deep interest in 1t, for I works|
alongside Of your man last summer, aa|
I'm bound to see that he has justie
done him."
~ want to know Dear dear I VIII
didn't you say so before, sirl And
misdoubtius you al tho while! I hum
hlv AK vour randnn- air And q