The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-06-01
SEEING BETTER DAYS.

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The widow Minton had seen better
days. JIow far back wasn't exactly
certified !; but she had seen them. Bet
ter days hung moulding about her,lik
the defaccd shreds OF antiquated EN-
broidery.
The sturdy gossips of the seaside
village, who went about with theil
skirts tucked up and their bare brown
arms ready and able Tor any work
looked askaHce ut the widow Minton
with her pitifnl meagerncss Of aspect
her Pickering black eyes, and hel
! trailing gown. They nudged each
other, and said, "Better days-Lord
saye us!"
But the widow did not trouble the
neighbors much, nor they her. A
body who couldn't do n heartsome
hands stirring was best left alone to
her brooding, and the widows smoky
little cabin, solitarily apart on the sea-
.shore, was left pretty much TO himself
and Tom.
Tom was sturdy brown-face lad
who picked up living by doing odd
Jobs for The boatmcn, and then taking
a day for fishing. Tom had probably
never seen better days. The widow
shook head over him-so stupidity con-
tent, poor Tom $50 beaming and good
natured over beggarlincss and hope
lessness. a tall. weli-grown fellow,
with bare feet, torn straw hat and a
red shirt, Tom took the world easily,
looking with reverent eyes On his
mothers by-gone gentiiity. but by no
notwithstanding to covet it for himself.
TheWmow deemed it due to her
past responsibility to be seen at church
of Sunday evening, and you could
see the two walking at twilight along
the sands togetherashe with her clean
pocket-handkerchief folded over her
old hymnbook and a certain doubtful
hesitancy of gait, as if Heaven itself
might be looking down critically on
her shabby black gown aud rusty ben-
net. AS for Tom, patient Tom, he
went plodding slowly after her, with
her smiling face, whistling to him
self as he went. Always patient,
always plodding, poor Tom! Patient
ly falling asleep during the sermon,
and patiently listening, open mouth
ed, to the closing hymn, his careless,
bright face, contrasting SO oddly with
his mothers querulous and tear-worn
yisage, won for him the sobriquet of
Widow Minton's rainbow.
The minister of the parish, mistaken
soul, deemed it incumbent to make a
call on the widow; and, on charity
bent, it is said he unwarily offered to
employ her services in his household
for season. lie deemed it his duty
to rouse the old woman to activity.
lie did rouse her and it is averred
that he never found time TO call at the
cabin again. Did he take her for a
common household drudge, or lew-
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 go
further before he knew lady when
he saw her.
1t might have been the afternoon
after the good mans visit that the
widow sat idly brooding at her cabin
door. Her eyes had a wandering, far
away look, and her face was kecner
and thinner than ever. Beyond the
bluff which sheltered her cabin, ,etretch-
ed far line OF seacOast, white and
cleaning silvery in the sun. Far of,
group of bathers, in bright dresses,
frolicked between shore and water.
beyond ; she could almost catch the
sound of their voices as she sat slow
ly rocking in her doorway. II was
quiet afternoon the air was soft and
and the widows heart so full
of bitterness, felt itself sweeten and
soften in the stiffness. This part of
the shore, sheltered by its overhang-
ing rock, as seldom disturbed by IN
truders, but presently the watchers
eye caught sight of young girl
splashing and frolicking in the water
just beyond the rocks. 1t was u pret-
ty sight, the rounded arms, the curv-
ing shoulders, the swaying, floating
figure. And perhaps the old woman
recalled with sigh the time when she
was young and blithc too, and as
CHEEKY a voice as that with which the
fair swimmer hailed her companions
in the distance.
Gazing absently on the smiling
scene, reverie fell upon her, and
when she looked again, the young wa
ter-nynph had disappeared. She had
probably swan ashore behind the
rocks. The widow turned away, hug
ged her thin shawl over her shoulders,
and thought .hat the sea wind was
chilly. Uark What was that? surely
she heard cry. No merry shout or
ringing laugh this; it might be the cry
of wild bird on its way to it's mate.
She couldn't have got beyOnd her