Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1875-03-26
MARTHA PHILLIPS

l
face, patient mouth, with lines about
that told Of sorrow borne with gent
flrmness; and two withered, tired hand.
: crossed with . restless look. That wa
I'LL.
Who. looking 1t the sleeping form
would think Of love and romance; Of
. heart only just healed Of woupd vscsiv
led long, long, long years ago:
Fifty years she had lived under ths
roof, farmers wife. II yyu look o.
that little plate on her coffin lid, you vii
see. aged TO-" there. and she as onl,
twenty when John Phillips brought be
home his bride.
For half . century or more. she ha.
kept watch over dairy and larder, hat
made butter and cheese, and looked afte
the innumcrahle duties that fsll TO tn
share of farmers wife. And John ha.
never once gone with buttonless shirt o
undarned socks; had not come home to a,
untidy house ard = scolding wife. HI
trim. tidy Martha had been bis pride; ant
though not . demons,rxtive husband. h,
had boasted sometimes Of the model house
wife who had kept his home In order.
But underneath her quiet exterior thcr
was story that John meyer dreamed of
and would have believed impossible has
he heard of it,
She did not marry for love. When sh,
was . rosy. happy girlof eighteen. stran
ger came to their village, and that Sum
mer was the brightest and happiest sh,
ever knew. Paul Gardner was the stran
gers name; he was an artist, and fell i,
love with the simple village girl and wor
her heart; and when he went away in au
tumn. they were betrothed.
"l'll come again in the Spring." h.
eaId. Trust me, and wait for me, Mat
tie dear"
She promised to love and wait for hin
ill the end Of time. if need be; and with
. kiss on her quivering lips he went away.
Matte Gray never told her parents OF
her love. for they had no liking for Lon
don folks and they treated Paul none toe
Hospitality when he had ventured inside
their home.
Spring time came. and true to his word
Paul returned; he stayed only day Of
two this time.
Il am going away in . few weeks Il
Italy to study" be said. Il shall be gone
two years. and then stall come and claim
my wife"
They renewed their vows and parted
with tears and tender. loving words. ht
put tiny ring upon her fi1ger and cut Q
little curly tress from her brown hair. and
telling her always TO be true and wait fol
him, he went away.
The months went by and Matte was
trying to maze the time seem short by
studying TO improve herself so that she
might be worthy of her lover when be
should come back to make her his wife.
1T must be about time he is to start, >
she said to herself.
And by and BY as she glanced over {
news paper, her eyes were attracted by his
name. and with white lips and dilated
eyes she read of his marriage 10 another.
Married! Taken another bride instead
Of coming back to marry me! Oh. Paul.
Paul! I loved and trusted you for this?"
She covered her face with her hands
and wept bitterly. An hour hfterward.
Jas she sat there in the twilight with the
fatal newspaper in her lap. she heard a
step on the gravel walk, and looking up
she saw John Phillips coming up the
steps.
lie had been to zee her often before.
but had never spoken of love. and Of
course received no encouragement to do co.
He was plain, hard wor~ing farmer. Will,
no romance about him. but matter-of- fact
to the core. His wife would get few c.
resscs or tender words. He would be
kind enough-give her plenty 70 eat and
wear, but that was all.
Now he seemed TO have come for the
express purpose of asking her 70 be his
wife, for he took chair and seated him
self beside her, and after the usual greet
ling, rescrving scarcely moment to take
breath, began in his business-.ke way Ia
converse. There wss no confessl0n Of
love, no pleadings, no hand-clssping, no
tender glanCes; he simply wanted her;
would she be his wifes His manner was
hearty enough; there was no doubt be
really wanted hcr-wOuld rsther marry
her than any woman he knew-but that
was oil.
Her lips moved to tell him she did NOT
oye him; but - she Yet her eyes fall from
he crimson hearted rose that swung from
he vein over the window. she caught slghi
Iof those few lines ags.n.
''Msrriedp' she said to herself ''Wha'
can l do. He doesnr ask me 10 love him
and no body will know that Paul has jill
ed me-"
The decision was made. Her cheeks
were ashy pxIe - she looked straight int.
his eyes and answered, "Yss, ! will bs
your wife,"
Her parents were pleased that she va
chosen By 20 wellto do . young msn; % Il
was settled, and they were married thu
same Summer. People thought she sober
ed down wonderfully, more than tba
nothing was said that would lead anyon,
10 suppose that any change had takea
place.
| Yes, she sObercd down. She dared NJ
think Of Paul. There. vas no hops ahead
Life vas time TO be 6lled with some
thing. that she might mot think Vt hss
-eif. John was slwaya, slways kind. ba
she got % weasied Of bic talk Of stock an'
icrDps, and said 70 herself, II nust wori
lharder. plan and fgss and bastlc about :
other women DO, % may forget snd b
Ike John"
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