The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-11-01
MARTHA PHILLIPS.

MARTHA PHILLIPS.
She was dead. An old woman, wit
silvery hair brushed smoothly ava
from her wrinkled forehead, and snow
cap tied under her chin; a sad, quie
face a patient mouth, with lines abou
it that told of sorrow borne with gentl
frmness; and two withered, tired hand
crossed with restless look. That wa
all.
Who, looking at the sleeping form
would think of love and romance, of .
heart only just healed of wound re
ceived long. long years ago?
Fifty years she had lived under that
roof, farmers wife. If you look on
that little plate on her coffin.lid you
will see aged TO- there, and she was
only twenty when John Phillips brought
her home bride.
A half century she had kept her care
full watch over her dairy and larder,
had made butter and cheese, and looked
after the innumerable duties that fall
to the share of a farmers wife. And
John had never gone with buttonless
shirts of undarned socks; had not come
home to an untidy house and scoldng
wife. His prim, tidy Martha had been
his pride; and though not demonstra.
tive husband, he had boasted sometimes
of the model housewife who kept his
home in order.
But underneath her quiet exterior
there was story that John never
dreamed of, and would have believed it
impossible had he been told. She did
not marry for love. When she was
nineteen, rosy, happy girl, a stranger
came on visit to their village, and that
summer was the brightest and happiest
she ever knew. Paul Gardner was the
strangers name; he was an artist, and
fell in love with the simple village
girl and won her heart and when he
went away in the autumn they were be-
trothed.
"I'll come again in the spring." he
said. "Trust me and wa for me, Mat.
tie, dear"
She promised to love and wait for
him till the end of time, if need be;
and with kiss on her quivering lips,
he went away.
Matte Gray did not tell her father
and mother OF her love, for they had no |
liking for London folks, and had treat.
ed Paul none too hositably when he had |
ventured inside their home.
Spring time came, and, true to his
word, Faul returned; he stayed only
day or two this time.
l am going away in few weeks to
Italy. to study" he said. IL shall be
gone two years, and then / shall come
and claim Won for nv bride ,;
They renewed their VOWS, and parted
with tears and tender, loving words;
ne put tiny ring upon her finger, and
cut little curly tress from her brown
hair; and telling her always to be true
and wait for him, he went away.
The months went by, and Matte was
trying to make the time seem short BY
studying to improve herself 50 that she
might be worthy of her lover when he
should come back to make her his
wife.
sit must be about the time he is to
start" she said to herself one day.
And by-and-by, as :he glanced over
the newspapers, her eyes were attract
ed by his name, and with white lips and
dilated eyes she read of his marriage to
another.
married! Taken another bride in.
stead of coming back to marry me
Oh, Paul! Paul loved and trusted
you for this!''
She covered her face with her hands
and wept bitterly. An hour afterward,
as she sat there in the twilight, with
the fatal newspaper lying in her Jap,
she heard a step on the gravel walk,
and looking up, she saw John Phillips
coming up the steps. He had been to
see her often before, but had never vet
spoken Of love, and had of course re.
ceived no encouragement to do so. He
was plain, Woodworking farmer, with
no romance about him, but matter.of.
fact to the core. His wife would Get
but few caresses or tender words. He
would be kind cnough-give her plenty
TO eat and wear.
Now he seemed to have come for the
express purpose of asking her to be his
wife; for he took q chair and seated
himself beside her, and, after the usual
greeting, reserving scarcely a moment
to take breath in, began, in his bust.
nesslike way, to converse. There was