Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-06-14

spite at ye, if ye shot every crittei
on the farm
Juet then the men came in from
hnntiI tho horses, and made apollo
ges ar aid he should be well paid
for all damages, etc. but Nathan
went off blushing and saying be
wouldn't take cent OF pay he was
ashamed of himself, and that bis
wife had his breakfast waiting on
him and away be ran with his hat
crammed down on his head with the
the cotton lini0g on the outside.
This little incident showed that
mother was kind-hearted, reason
able woman, and | began TO think my
uncle Peter Whitaker was himself
TO blame that he did not find her q
good, obllging neighbor.
| often had hard work to keep N.Y.
self under proper restraint.
One day my mind had been dwell
ing upon my school days, and | felt
in a mood for writing. 10 the after
noon | dressed up freshly, iu my
newest white dress, and went up
stairs whore would be undisturbed.
| had written two verses, and was
deeply 10 the enjoyment of the COM
ing poem, 'Th, Meadow Path, when
heard great connection and squat
ling and futtering among the geese,
and going down stairs the cause was
apparent.
Mother met mo at the gate in such
outlandish attire that | did not know
her. She wore Gingy old flannel
dress, her neck bundled up with a
cotton shawl, q handkerchief tied
around her head 80 as 10 cover her
ears and hair.
She said the geese were all at
homo now she was afraid of rain and
thought we'd better pick them that
afternoon. | coulln't write verses
only when the poetical mooi was
upon me, and | didn't know VIXEN
that would be again; and | was 50
soroly disappointed | cried.
She saw my red eyes,and OWNING
the reason, said, oh, you'l have to
drop good many of your fine lady
ways if you make farmers wife 7
So dressed up after the fashion
Of women who pick geese, and wor~
ried through as long an afternoon as
ever | lived. nay head ached, and
my poor arms were bitten over with
blue spots, and vas 50 tired and low
spirited that | could hardly keep
from crying right before John.
Sometime in The night | was
awakened by low moaning sound
coming from mothers room. threw
shawl over my shoulders and soft
" drew near my bed, " ieares.I heasa
her suppressed cries OF paia. said
'Are you sick, mother p
'Oo, is that you, Chatty 2 she ,e.
piled, with sense Of relief 10 her
tones don't let me disturb you
you are tired and need your sleep.
Oh, my body and limbs are all
cramped and cold, but maybe will
get warm pretty soon and feel bet
ter. Go 10 your bed, and don't let
me disturb you.
/ laid my hand on her forehead
and IL was cold aud clammy, and
big drops of sweat stood upon it. |
soon heated water and made teas,
and had her wrapped 10 warm fan
nels, and before half an hour she was
comfortable. As she BEGAN easy
she closed her eyes and was sinking
into restfui slumber when 1 touched
my lips in blessing upon her fore
head
'Oh, Cbatty, child Of mino 7
she said, crying right out Il have
never been half good enough to you.
| should not have taken you from
your writing to-day ; you little. ten.
der thing, what pity you fell into
such cruel handsp
slid my arm round her neck and
gathered her to my bosom, and cried
over the dear old broken down moth
er-the woman of many sorrows,
stricken when in full leaf and bios
som with q blight that would have
been death to any other less brave,
and noble, and true.
crept into the bed beside her,
and just as she was sinking into Il
sweet and painless sleep, her tremu-
lous voice said, 'Chatty. don't ever
tell il, but it is the truth, never did
one OF my daughters come to me 10
answer to my means of distress
when was sick at night. Why
was it? Didn't they love me as
much as you do p
soothed her by saying | had al
ways been the ltlle nurse aud doc
tor at home, and my ear was ever
open to catch any cry of pain II
Gained her and she rested until
morning.
Little things like this drew US to-
gethor, and soon we became warmly
attached TO each other. Oh, we bad
pleasant times together my moth
er-in-law and L.
Whom wee baby Charlie came to
me. the little pink and white flower,
bis grandmother opened her arms to
him as though he was great bless
ing sent to her from heaven. III .
touched her heart ana filed it wi "a
ljoy she had never known before.
fhe fountains of my own soul were
opened, and life assumed new reali-
ties and new beauties, aud sweet
song of newness broke from my lips
and flooded my soul.
| Crowned with MOTHERHOOD walk
ed with feet Amounted, and the glo>
ry of the stars seemed 10 gather
about my brows.
From the time that mother was
attacked with sickness 10 the night
she seemed to fail, aud to grow more
and more lovely as she gradually
faded from earth. she would sit for
hours and play with the baby, and
laugh Ut his funny little ways, and
think he looked just like her babies,
VINO had lain under the daisies for
twenty years.
| Tt ia rarv nteacauf ~ die thua-