Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-03-23
ssNOW FATHER

"Now, father!"-they were only
two little words, but they were
soft, pleading tones, which have
more weight than score Of argu-
meHts.
81 know jast what you mean, Es-
ther." exclaimed Jason Strong, as
he slipped his arm into his work
mans "overalls" that Spring morn
ing, set in low, dull clouds; "but
there's no use wasting words be-
tween us. 1t would be folly and
madness for us to think of adopting
widow Blake's child, when it's just
as much as we can do by screwin'
and turnin' to put bread into the
mouths of the three we've got at
home.
No man has a better will than
mine; but when Pm laid up half the
winter with the rheun atiz, and
can't earn but seventy cents a day
on the best jobs, it's high time to
put down any notions about taking
other folks children, when the
chances are, our Own'll have to scat
ter afore long"
He was n large, heavy-lImbed, stall
wart man-she was a small, shrink
ing, gentle-faced and voiced woman,
and now her tones came up like a
minor key, after the gruff, positive
voice which half concealed as honest
and true a heart as ever beat in
mans bosom.
II know Jason, it's all true, you've
a hard row to hoe, and it seems as
you say, mighty tug to make two
| ends meet, and take care of the
children God has given US, but l
don't believe He'll forget us five re-
member the widow and the father
less in their Sffiiction; and what if
it was little Sis now?"
Here Mr.. Strong raised the key
and went energetically to winding
up the clock.
"You know" continued the little
woman, setting a couple of chairs
! opposite each other and girding
their backs with a skein of blue
! wooden warn, "that the doctor says
Mrs Blake can't stand itmOre'n this
week out; and tell you, Jason, it
fairly broke me down when l went
in there last night and little Minnie'S
golden head was = shinin' and 9
bobbin' around among the chairs
where she was playin' singin' school,
till | could think of nothing but the
buttercups a twinkling every May
amongst the clover, and Mrs. Blake's
ewes followed her with longin' pity
in anxious looks, and then turned
upon me-"
80, Mrs. Strong, what'll become
of her?' she said.
"God'H take care of her, Mrs
Blake"
but sometimes l forget this, and
then it seems as if l couldn't die il
peace and leave her here, without {
friend in the wide world to look out
for her, and her father q sleepin
away off under the deep waters
and her mother lying i'll little cor
ner of the village churchyard."
"COme, wife, come," here inter
rupted Strong, in a quick, sharI
voice. and he took out his poke
handkerchief and blew his nos,
with a good deal of emphasis.
His wife did not observe il; sh
was intent Just at that moment o,
shaping her ball with her thumb ant
fore finger.
"WeiI, Jason, l haven't mucl
more to say, for Mrs. Blake brok
right down here; and 1 couldn'
find a word to comfort her, 70
something away down in my hear
kept a whispering: Suppose nO7
it was your little Wealthy"
, EIt would be dreadful thougl
wife, that's a fact" exclaimed tn
carpenter. and he put one foot III
easily before the other.
e And then, suppose Mrs. Blab
stood in our case:"
"Oh, mother, l see now jest wins
you're comm to-" interrupted NJ
Strong in a half-surly, half-despail
ing tone.
:, Il amt coming to anything bU
this, father, that we've got all God
promises on our side, and l don
believe he's goin' to let US brea
9 down 'cos we took that poor littl
motherless thing under our roc
o when she'd have to be put in ii
O pOor-house, or among strangers thS
would abuse her. L tell YOU" an
here the tears flashed right out in;
the little won ans eyes, aud IL
5 sOft-spOken voice gathered ne
strength and fervOr, "eyery moutl
ful that l eat would choke me, an
my pillow, when l lay down on 1t
s night. would be tull of thofns
me, thinking of that poor Ian
among cold hearted, cruel stran
=, ers."
= Mr.. Strong muttered somethi,
which sounded very much like 'yy
mans nonsense" but somehow Il
words didn't get fairly out of
throat.
! Mrs. Strong went up 70 her hu