The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1873-08-28

to De cared forE All, no, 1t was
but natural, for none but bab.
can fill the empty place in th'
cradle. The little woman did no,
give up, however. She toiled
early and late, and devoted her.
self still more to the children tha
remained, praying that God would
spare them to her lonely heart
But finally, there came a time
when Mary Matthews took res,
in her work; a Saturday nigh,
when the basket Of mending was
filled and unemptied; when the
clock ticked OH and no one took
heed of the passing hours; when
silence was in the kitchen when
every room was dark and desolate
when the house seemed ready
to fall. The little Mathews's with
scared faces stood around helpless.
ly; they conldn't begin or end
anything without mother. But
Mary Matthews was on her sick
bed and never gave them a
:hought. Her tired brain was oc-
cupied with other things strange
pictures, wild fancies, confused
thoughts-such as these hot. rag
ing fevers bring, when they 60 to
ones head. The neigh5ors, God
bless them, did all they could
for the sick woman, the physicians
prescribed their most subtle doses,
and john Matthews, well fitted
for the vocation, watched night
after night.
Weeks passed. 1t was Saturday
night agan. The basket of mend
ing was filled to overfowing, yet
it remained untouched-undis-
turbed. Mary Mathews still lay
upon her sick. bed; John Mathews
still watched by her side, Not in
vain had the husband sat by the
side of his wife all these jays,nor
had he listened to her rawlings for
nauGht. Muttcrirgs of a crazy
woman. othnrs might have tnrn,nh
them, but to John Mathews they
were terribly significant. How
ever strange and wild her faucics,
her one cry had been always tho
same, as worn ont she would sink
exhausted among the pillows. 1t
was cry for sympathy, for love,
cry full of yearning-and so
hopeless = so sad-oh how could
it bnt touch his heart, how could
it but speak to him over and over
again, the ono word neglect, which
he had shown toward Mary Mat
thews-the woman whom he had
promised before God, to love, ay!
to cherish, as long as they both
should live. And she was going
to die now, the neighbors said so;
the doctors gave no hope. Was
he to be released from his con-
tract just as he began to realize
what l9ye and cherish meant? lie
looked at her as she lay there IN
stupor. lie saw beside her pale,
thin, careworn face, another-ro.
guish and ruddy; a girlish face,
with full plump cheeks and pretty
ey es; a dear, sweet, face;
and the. border land above the
the merry blue eyes WAS smooth
and white, not a line of trouble
written upon it, nothing but soft,
Drown cnrls- wandering where
hey would. 1t was the countc-
nance of his Mary when lie first
,alled her his little girl wife. She
was seventeen then, and now she
vas-he counted up to see-yes,
lie wac thirty now;ihey had been
oecn married just thirteen years.
Ter beautiful hair was all full Of
'ilver-gray now; her features were
sharp; her checks hollow; her eyes
10 sunken-a little, faded, tired
,ut woman, there she lay. Oh,
low old she looked. "Mary, oh,
Mary" hc mnrmured, "and 30
'oung" He took her hand in his
what hand for a woman!
low the joints were spread! How
liscolorcd the skin What had
,ccomo OF the fair little hands,
With the dainty fingers, that his
Nary used to havcl AMI then
omcthing within him whispered,
She lost them working for you
in loving and cherishing YOU"
Yes, shc had toiled for him early
nd late -sho had laid down her
fe in his service her part of the
ontract had been nobly fulfilled Z
What had he done for herl Had
% given bcr q fortune9 No; he
ad spent what little sho brought
i'm. Had be given her love2
Doubtful. Had he comforted her