Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-03-15
MIsCELLANY,

MISCEIALANY,
-~~-~~~~~~-~~~--~~-~~->
= One day when came home fatiguea,
And felt inclined to Grumbe,
I'll Because my life was one Of toll.
!, Decause my lot was humble,
said to Kate, my darling wife,
In whom my whole lifss bliss Is.
: what have iou got for dinner, katee"
why bread-and -cheeae and kssessh
Though worn and tired, my heart leapei MP
A. those plain words she uttered,
Why should envy those whose bread
Than mine moro thickly buttereds
; Isaid, "we1l have desert At one.n
"What's THAR" che asked. 'fWhy this ls.
, Ibisaed her. All, what sweeter meal
Than breed-and cheese and kissess
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 modify about her, likt
the dcfaced shrcds Of ahtiquatcd en-.
, broidcry.
The sturdy gossips OF the seaside
village, who went about with thcil
skirts tucked up and their bare brown
. arms ready and able for any work
, looked askance at the widow Min
ton, with her pitiful mcagrencss OF
aspect, her Pickering black eyes, and
her trailing old gown. They nudgcd
each other, and said. Better days
Lord save u.s.
But the widow did not trouble tlIe
ncighbors much. nor they her. A
body who couldn't do heartsomG
hands stirring was best left alone to
her brooding and the widows smoky
: little cabin, solitary apart on the sea.
shore, was left pretty much to herself
and her boy Tom.
Tom was sturdy brown faced lad,
who picked up living by doing odd
jobs for the boatmcn, and now and
then taking day for fishing. Tom
had probably never seen better days.
The widow shook her head over
him-so stupidity content, poor Tom
so bcaming and goodnaturcd over
beggarliness and hopelessness. A
TALL, well-grown fellow, with bare
feet, a torn straw hat, and red shirt,
Tom took the world easily, looking
with revernnt eyes on his mothers
by-gone geniility, but by no means
seeming to covet it himself
The widow deemed il due to her
past rcspcctabiity to be seen al
church Of a Sunday evening, and yoh
could see The two walking at twilight
along the sands together, she with
her clean pocket handkerchief folded
over her old hymn-book and ccr-
doubtful hnsitany ofgait, rs if Heaven
itself might be looking down critical
ly on her shabby black gown and rus
ty bonnet. As for Tom. patient Tom.
he went plodding slowly after her,
with his smiling face. whistling as he
went. Always patient, always plod-
ding. poor Tom Patiently falling
asleep during the sermon. and paiicnt-
ly listening, open monthcd, 10 the
closing hymn, his careless, brig ht face.
contrasting so oddly with his mothers
querulons and tear-worn yissage. won
for him the soubriquet of widow Min
toms rainbow.
When the minister Of the parish,
mistaken soul. deemed ii incumbent
to make call on the widow and, on
charity bent, it is said he nnWarily Of
4 fered to employ her services in his
household for season. He deemed
it is his duty to rouse the old woman
to activity.
He did rouse her; and it is ayerred
that he never found time 10 call at the
cabin again. Did he take her for a
common household drudge, or low
born field hand? She thanked God
she had too much spirit left YET to put
: herself under anybody's feet. He
hadn't far to 60 to find scores OF
drudges and diggers. but he might 60
further before he knew a lady when
he saw her.
!, It might have been the afternoon
after the good mans visit that the
widow sat idly brOoding at her cabin
door. Her ewes had a wandering. far
away look. and her face was keener
. and thinner than ever. Beyond the
bluff which sheltered her cabin
stretched fair line of scacoast. tho
white sand cleaning silyery in the
sun. Far oil a group of hathers IN
! bright dresses, t'rolickea between
/, shore and water. They came from
. the great hotel down beyond; she
could almost catch the sound Of ihcil
voices as she sat slowly rocking in
, her doorway. II was aquiet after.
noon: the air was soft and soothing
and the widows heart so full Of bit.
terness. felt itself swecten and soften
in the stiffness. This part OF the
shore. sheltered by lis oyerhangins
, rock. was seldom disturbed by in,ru
, ders, but presently the watchers eye
caught sight of a Young girl splashine
and frolicking in the water just be-
: yond the rocks. II was pretty sight
the rounded arms, the curying shoul
ders, the swaying floating figure
and perhaps the old woman recalled
with a sigh the time when she wa
: Young and blithe too, and had a
1 CHEEKY voice as that with which tn,
fair swimmer hailed her companion
in the distaHce.
Gazing abschtly on the silent scene
Q a revcrie fell upon her, and when sh'
T. looked again. the young waiersn snympl
> had disappeared. She had probabl,
SWAN ashore behind the rocks. Th
widow turned away, hugged her thil
shawl over her shoulders, and though
that the sea wind was chilly. Hark
= What was that? Surely she heard
!, cry. No merry shout or ringin!
3 laugh this; il might be the cry of
, wild bird on the way to its mate.
: She couldn't have gone beyond he
:, depth, that Young creature, surely
!, But, la, what of it if she had? Dyin:
:. yonng, body gets rid of a deal o
trouble. And-yes, surely, that wa
, a scream. The widow looked sharpl
= out. Would Tom never come? Tn
1 a. n. - -. "A t.1
: certainly was the matter. She callr'
she beekoncd frantically 10 tn
bathers beyond they seemed bot
blind and deaf
4, No one, not Que soul nj hand, an
II that young thing in peril Of fife. -.
minute she stood still, listening
y feeble old woman, with 4 haggart
n scared face, to whom no one woul
! have dreamed nflonking for help.
MI II can't stand This she sal,
>, "Sacms might pull that old scow OF
: myself. Tom 2" she screamed, with
, yell that held the concentrated enel
c, ey of ten years. But no Tom appeal
le cd. And il was the widow hcrsc
N with those withcred old hands th;
disdained The ministers kitchen wor
- 1T was the widow herself. win
ell straining, tugging, and with her gre
&c hair Tutoring in the wind, unlooscI
T. ed The old dugout from its moorinl
!. and trembling, unskillfal, armed wi,
y a rude paddle, went spinning out di
" lilly over the wafer. II leaked, IL
s. old scnw; it scorned tho broken pa'
ID die aud the heavy oars, but finally
~ came drifting out blindly and dizzil
'e to the object of search. A plum
IN hand, with glittering ring upon
clutohcd tho edge Of the boat, near
at oversetting II. A young eager fac
y with streaming hair, and gaspin
= shuddering, half drowned, and who'll
~ scared, the young water-nymph VI
to presently aboard the old craft.
d. aOh, how frightened I was!" 81
!. cried. II felt sure | was losing q
= my strength, and would go to til
re bottom. Oh, You good soul! "
Ill dear soul how ever did yon get n
he in this water-logged crafr?f