Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-08-10

never had no more decision than a
pink-eyed rabbit; she always pinned
her faith on Doremy, and where
Doremy got her viii I can't see,"
answ cred Mrs. BlatChfoFd reflective
ly rubbing her nose. However, she
always did rule at home, and so she
kept the babies. must say 1 was
one that thought twas foolish
thing. One baby fills a house clear
to the roof, but twoW
Mrs Blatchford completed her
sentence by q sniff more expressive
than words, and rocked thoughtful
ly q few moments before continu-
ing.
"At last people got settled down
that there wasn't mnCh use in Op-
posing Doremy. Mrs. Quimby
kissed her kind of sly, and says she,
The LOTd'l keep his eye on you
dearie;' she gave her a lot of baby
clothes that used to be HeZikiah's
too, when the deacon didn't know
il. Some folks do get mated so, and
60 round piercing out each others
short comiugs. l rather think that
was all the help anybody gave Dore-
my, for AL the talking"
''But then it did beat all how
cheerful she was over them little
helpless, squirming creatures; rock
this one, trOt 'tother-c catnip for
this, saffron for that-up and down
and all Overland she just laughing
and saying: It's well there boys,
mother, cause | can make their
clothes up TO their freedom suits.
! Girls'd puzzle me- DOremy was
tailoress by trade, you know. L will
say l never knew babies to thrive
better"
"What were they named ?'' 1
queried, mindful of the anxious dis
/ cussion over dainty morsel of hu-
manity in a certain happy home not
long before.
"Well, there was a fuss about that
| too. Deacon Quimby, he wanted
| 'em called Paul and Timothy; Lu-
( cindy Barnes-she's the school teach
er-she wanted 'em named Damon
and Pythagoras, or some such heath
en- nOnsene. Lucindy was also
highflying in her ideas" said Mrs.
Blatchford explosivel.y Squire
Luce said they ought to be
( George Washington and Patrick
Henry. But when everybody got
through talking, Doremy spoke :
their names shall be John and
james, and somehow it never struck
anybody at the time that one was
the name of her father and the other
of Doremy's intended, James JudsOn
who died nine years before, just
when he'd got his new house done,
and the wedding day was set"
at must have been hard for her
to take care of them and support
herself too" l said.
ut was; she slaved hard, you
might say. But she seemed to do
pretty WE'LL have an idea the Lord |
kind of prOspered her after she took !
them orphans. When her mother |
went blind, folks said she'd have to |
give 'em up; but she didn't"
''Blind !? how dreadful !" with 4 !
murmur of sympathy.
"G es, it was a nerve trouble and !
came suddenly. Deacon Quimby |
went over to reason with her. Says |
he, I'm afraid you've been stiff |
necked in this matter, DOremy; now |
yOu'll be made to see them twins as |
a burden, and have to put 'em where |
they belong DOremy answered |
just as quiet: Il look at it differ
erent, says she. If the Lord took |
mothers sight, he's sent her two
pair of young eyes to grow in her /
use while mine have to be tied to
the needle. The boys are her best
comfort. Step in and read mother 4
Psalm, deacon, thatl do her good,
more'n talking"
"The deacon did read to Susan
Fletcher a spell, and came away
clearing his throat as if he had a
dreadful cold. Next day he sent her
up bushel of apples. Folks said it
was the first present he ever made,
bnt that isn't hardly likely" said
Mrs. Blatchford mildly. ''DOremy
was right, though; her mothre had
solid comfort in those boys. She
taught 'em read, too"
''To read ?'' l exclaimed.
''It's q tact," replied Mrs. Blatch-
ford, enjoying my surprise, She
knew pretty much of the Bible by
heart, and Doremy would set 'em at
some chapter and tell her what it
was, so she could correct 'cm as they
read. used to be kind of like
picture to see the old lady setting
in her chair with them two chubby
rOgues leaning against her and spell
ing out the good words as sober as
minister, and Doremy sewing away
as fast anG smiling to herself. Dore-
my wasn't never handsome, but |
always thought she grew better fav-
Ored after she had the care of them
little ones. Somehow there is some
thing real beautifying in loving and
doing; it isn't a skin-deep pretti-
ness l mean, but a kind of n look
folks has to admire.
eff they have the eyes to see it,"
| suggested, as the good woman
gaZed medttatively over her specta-
cles as if bringing up the vision of
some face so "beautitied."
"Folks mostly has the eyes; the
shutting EN- up is what hinders |
their seeing" replied she briskly. /
But maybe you're tired. l never |
know when to stop talking, Special |
ly if it's about Doremy and the |
boys"
There's no romance about the |
story, but seems to me it tells con- |
siderble for one wOman's patience |
and courage, and smartness too. |
There's a saying about old maids |
children, and must say rather ex- !
pected Doremy'd bring 'em up eth /
er to have their own way in every |
thing, or never have it all. But /
there just right; healthy,well man /
nered, and loving their Aunt Dory, !
as they call her, just as much as |
they'd ought to love her. And 1
that's saying considerable" added |
Mrs Blatchlord, with emphasis, as /
she hustled out OF the room obedi- !
emily to the old clocks wheezy sig |
nal of the tea bour, which, like the /
laws of the Medes and PerSians, al 1
tered not in this primitive region
all the year round.
Three summers went bv before
quiet little CherrywOOd again held /
me as a seeker after rest and re-
treshment among its hills and hos
pitalitable rustic people. Once more
widow BlatchfOrd opened her door
TO me and installed me Monarch of
her "keeping-rOom," and the breezv
chamber above II. 1t was not her
displeasure that one of my first in
quirLs should relate TO Doremv
Fletcher and her adopted children.
There, l knew you wouldn't
forget about them.' said she, de-
lightedly. i thought you'd like
10 hear Of II when things happened
as they did. You remember | told
you how well Doremy trained the
boys. Well, twas the fall after YOU
left that Squire Luce's wife died. |
and along the fall after ne spoke to
Doremy. Said he'd noticed how
well she brought up Johnny and
Jimm and he had seven boys and |
girls needing to be taken in hand. /
snd-wcll, the upshOt was Doremy 1
could be Mrs. Luce for saying so.
What did she think of it ? 1 don't /
know says she, kind of flushed up /