The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-12-31
SEEING BETTER DAYS.

The widow Minton had seen better
DAYS. How far back wasn't exactly
certified but she had seen them. Bet
ter days hung msldiiy about her, like
the defaced shreds of antiquated EN-
broidery.
The sturdy gossips Of the seaside vii
lage- who went about with their skirts
tucked up and their bare brown arm,
ready ard able for any work, looked
askance at the widow Minton, with her
pitiful meagerness of aspect, her flick
ering black eve, and her trailing old
gown. They nudged each other, and
said, = Better days-Lord save us,'
But the widow did not trouble the
leighbors much, nor they her. A body
vEkO couldn't do a heartsome hand :
stirring was best left alone 10 her brood
ing. and the widows smoky little ca bin,
solidarity apart on the sea-shore, was
left pretty much To herself and her boy
Tom.
Tom was Z sturdy, brown-faced lad.
who picked up living by doing odd
Jobs for the boatmen. and now and then
taxing day for fishing. Tom had
probably never seen better days. The
widow shook her head over him-so
stupidity content, poor Tom, 50 beam
ing and gooi-natured over beggarliness
and hcpelessness. A tall, well-grown
fellow, with bare feet, a torn straw hat,
and a red shirt, Tom took the world
easily, looking with reverent eyes on
his mothers by-gone gentility, but by
no means seeming 10 cOvet it for him
self
The widow deemed il due TO her past
responsibility 10 be seen az church of a
SUNDAY evening, and you could see the
two walking AZ twilight along the sands
together, she with her clean pocket
handkerchief folded over her old hymn
book and a certain doubtful hesitancy
of gait, As if heaven itself might be look
ing down critically on her shabby black
gown and rusty bonnet As for Tom,
patient Tom, he went plodding slowly
after her. with his smiling face, whist
ling 70 himself AS he went. Always pa
tieet. always Flooding, poor Tom, Pa
tieRtly falling asleep during the sermon.
and patiently listening open-mouthed
to the closing hymn, his careless bright
face, contrasting so oddly with his moth
er's qnerIlous and tear-worn visage.
won for him the sobriquet of the widow
Minion's rainbow.
The minister of the parish, mistaken
sOrl, deemed IL incumbent TO make =
call on ths widow; and. on charity
bent. il i said he unwarily offered to
employ her services in his household
for a season. lie deemed it his duty to
rouse the old woman To- activity.
He did rouse her; and II is averred
that he never found time 10 call at the
cabin again. Did he take her for
common household drudge, or low
born feld hand' She thanked God she
had too much spirit left vet to put her
self EHdel any body's feet He hadn't
fu - 60 TO find scores Of drudges and
diggers, but he might 20 further before
he knew a lady when he saw her.
II might have been the afternoon af-
Ter the good mans visit that the widow
sad idly brooding al her cabin door.
Her eyes had wandering, PARKWAY
look, and her face was keencr and thin
ner than ever. Beyond the bluff which
sheltered her cabin stretched far line
of sea-coast, the white sand cleaning
silvery In the sun. Far off group II
bathers in bright dresses frolicked be-
tween shore and water. They came
from the great hotel down beyond she
could almost catch the sound of their
voices as she sat slowly rocking in her
Doorway. II was quiet afternoon;
The air was soft and soothing, and the
widows heart, 20 full Of bitterness, felt
itself sweeten and soften in the stiffness.
Ihis hart Of the shore, sheltered by its