The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-03-14


feet, as by waterspout.
Withal, the little mother was quite pa
tient, and almost every day could her un-
trained voice be heard, even down to the
lower field and the sehool.house, singing
" A charge to keep | have" or, "God
moves ira mysterious way
But before another year change came.
The strong, hard man, her husband, was
stricken down with typhoid fever, aud for
long, weary weeks he lay balancing be-
tween life and death. His recovery was
very slow, and his confinement irksome no
prison walls could have been gloomier than
were the home walls that held him a pris-
oner Day after day the patter of his
wife's patient little feet fell upon his ear;
he could hear them up stairs and down,
now here, now there, her voice always
kind and tender, her hand ever ready to
minister to her dear ones, her words full
of consolation, and love, and cheer.
John Jones was not wholly unimprcssi-
blei slowly the scales fell from his eyes,
the light came, and he was as one born
into higher and better life, lie drew
his bony hands across his eyes often the
sobs made him catch his breath suspici-
ously, and he marvellcd much that ne had
walked beside this little woman for four
teen years and not known that he was
mated with an angel unaware ~ His
voice grew softer, tcndercr; his great tai
ony hands touched her forehead and her
hair lovingly, as would woman's-touch-
cd her as though he was afraid she would
fade away into a white mist.
Weeks alterward, when he was able to
ride out, the old whimsical buggy that had
done good service IN the days of his
church going parents, was made eomforta-
bic by a soft woollen blanket and an armful
Of swectsmelling oat straw. John didn't
tell where he was going, but he looked
wise, and his mouth had perky look
about the corner that seemed to say -
"Just lc me alone, | know what Tn
about Y
II was evening when he came home
lie was still as wise as when he went away.
His cup of tea was waiting, aud his toast
and the tender little pullet fried nice and
brown. He seemed really happy-jolly.
He trotted the baby on his foot that night,
and he called his wife Jenny" as ia the
daya when he won her, and he let johnny
play horse with his boots, and there was
such contented, rich man expression on
his face, that his wife couldn't help won
dering what had made such change in
him.
The next morning the crazy old rig was
called out utagain, and tho soft blanketspread
in it, and John Jones took the lines in
his emaciated hands and drove off in the
same direction as he did the day before.
When he returned, he was accompanied
by a broad-shouldered, good-looking Ger
man girl, whom he introduced to his wife
as "our girl"
She looked with amazement upon Sour
girl 9 and then stared at John. He soon
explained things to her satisfaction.
"The upshot o the matter is, Jane; that
I've abused you long enough; the Lord
helpin me, III never see you make a
drudge o yourself ag'in. It's burnin'
shame for any great lout like me to expect
a frail little body like you to be man an
boy, an dog, an wife, an mother, an mig
ger, an me sayin' an hoardin' up
money and means to leave to the Lord
only knows who. Ibeg your pardon, Jane;
and now you'll tell this girl, Barbara
Groetz, how you want things done, an let
her take your place an work in your Std,
an you'll live hereafter like human
mans wife ort to- Jsps g
By the time his speech was made, the
poor weak fellow was blubbering like
whale. Poor little surprised wife She
few to his neck and laid her head ON his
bosom, and cried like a baby, as she said
/" John Jones' you old darling
"No, not bit of a darlin'; Just an old
bear, a regular old heather, to sacrifice
the best little woman under the sun, inch
by inch, this way, that's been a goin'
on for years an years," snuiled he, as he
fumbled over her face in an aimless, 1oy-
ing way.
Then "our girl, Barbara, went into
Jane Jones harness, aud it fitted her to
fraction.
Now we've turued over a new leaf, go
and dress up, Jenny, bless you + said the
new convert. 4 lAS atSs
SO, with the memory Of lang syne warm
ing her heart, Jane unearthed her we'd
ding dress in the afternoon, and put it on
with pretty old-fashioned collar, and
brushed out her nut brown hair that once
upon time curIed beautifully. Perhaps
she felt foolish and girlish, aud out of her
sphere, but she looked sweet enough to
make up for all discrepancies.
She sat sewing, putting new band on
Rubys new skirt, when the children came
home from school. Her back was toward
the soor Tan, eame to n doa h.it =. 4.