The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-02-22

a. Ntu = WILL u 1e2k1-
She was just an average American girl.
But on this last day Of girihood, when
her face beamed with love, and her tears
and smiles seemed frolicking with each
other, she was very pretty and sweet
The home Was full Of kinsfolk, and
hustle, and merriment, and lifelong
mates. who came with good wishes, good
byes and bridal gifts
And On that morning came lone wom-
an; thin and pale, weary and worn she
heavy bundle.
I could not leave Mamie, last night,
to bring thcm,'' she said, gently.
"Oh, knew you'd come; you never
disappoint anybody" said the happy
girl, opening the bundle. How beauti-
| fully you have made them. Kate, Louise,
see how nicely Mrs. Allen sews.r
al speak for your needle when get
| married,' cried one.
| And I!'' laughed the other.
| Mrs. Allen needed not, scarcely heard.
All about her brought back 30 wildly the
| little while ago when she too stood be-
tween the old life and the new, and her
whole soul quivered with happiness; when
| she too leaned, with full love and trust,
on one good, kind and true. Then she
heard that shriil whistle of the proud loco
motive; saw ii bound down the deep, dark
/ gorge; heard those shrieks and means and
groans. Then she thought of that grave,
fiower-covered now, where with break
ing heart, she had laid that broken body,
thanking God her OVID beloved would suf-
fer no more, and thence came forth to suf-
fer alone. Then came sweet thought of
the dear little girl who, in that hour OF
bitter SORROW, was her joy; for whom she
lived on then, and for whom fsince, in the
panic, her means had ali 0een lostl she
had laoored. As thoughts of her-hsr
stimulant, her idol, her dN-came upon
her, she reused herself to hear:
Il am very much pleased with your
work, Mrs. Allen, and / am sorry-but,
really, money slips through ones fingers
so at such time, haven't any to pay
you. Come around tomorrow, and
mother will pay you, and give you some
flowers and goodies for Mamie.n
In dazed way, Mrs. Allen, half-sick
and heartsick, turned to go, but cs1ld not,
and said falieringiy:
! Mamie is sick, and I did hope to ge,
something for herr
1T is too bad, Please go into the
store and ask father to pay you"
4 Mrs. Allen went to the store, and asked
for the father He was not in: no one
knew where he was. With slow sap,
for the heavy heart she took back
weighed her down more than the bundle
she brought out, she turned to her
home Bewildered by her hopelessness
and need of food, life seemed burden
she could no longer bear, and as she
crossed her threshold she sank down.
But sweet voice called:
Mamma, dear mamma, what have
You brought me to eafs''
Love winged her tired feet, and she
went to neighbor near-ene who had al
ways been kind to and thoughtful for her.
She had never begged, and now she would
but borrow. The neighbor had gone to
get present for he BRIDE She went to
. the road, looked up and down, then des-
/ perately turned back, asked for pencil
and paper, and wrote it all.
The neighbor came in late 1t had no;
been easy to find anything the like OF
which had not been selected by some one.
The teapot was smoking and she was
chilled, and the family impatient. So
!. tea was over and toilets commenced as
4 quickly as possible -
The church and the home were dressed
VIII HONtIS, luc DIluc l0Uhtu utftI 81
. well: the presents were very medley of
rich and simple, useful and useless, deli
cate and common, but by their number a
flattery and charm. And life and light
and joy were in all and over all
The morning of so bright night found
all the gay town weary and dull and lazy
Over late breakfasts they reliyed the last
evening. Half-envious criticisms of
! droac fvrns cf
just and unjust, took the place of the
last night
Where shone the screscent moon and the
charged with snow. Slowly and calmly
the storm commenced, heavy and thick il
grew. The fierce wind came up and
caught the little fakes and hurled them
and whiried them about All the day
long, all the night long, earth and air and
sky were snow; and nOught could be heard
but the bowling winds.
Il Much of the dull day and all the night
the neighbor had slept, and, with bright
!, eyes and rested body, looked out on the
clear, broad, unbroken expanse-pure
clean, white and dazzling IN the sun
beams-looked across to Mrs. Aliens cot
tage, and at breakfast said to her husband
"As soon as the snow-plows have beer
along, wish you would send John oveI
to dig Mrs. Aliens path"
Certainly, certainly. No woman
could dig through this snow
She just looked sick abed when she
was afther writing her letter to yez,' y
spoke the girl
Writing letter TO me. When.n
4 when yes affher buyin' your pris-
emit"
/ WY didn't you tell me ~
| Faith, ma'am, put it On the rack,
where ye always tells me to-"
"Go get it
| She could scarcely read ii through her
tear-dimmed eyes.
No wood, NO fre, two days ago! And
this fearful storm. Why haven't I seen
to heri might have known sas wouldn't
beg. Oh, wish had given lar the mon
ey spent on that tkosgktless girlr'
The unfinished breakfast was left, and
her husband, IS ANXIOUS Is sne, with his
man, both loaded with food and wood,
tramped and shoveled : path through
which she waded across with steaming
coffee.
They found ON the bed, with closed
| eyes. composed limbs and hands folded
across The breast, the loved Mamie And
| BY her the mother, turned to ice, kneel-
ing, with clasped hands, uptuned eyes,
and teax-dr0ps fFuGcn upon her cheek.
L1ct Il 8G4tSrd IN n. r Observer
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