The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-06-06
A Rash Vow.
BY FRED'K HASTINGS.

Arriving one day, few years ago, at
Annapolis in Nova Scotia, wished with
several other friends, to cross the PENN
sula. We hired two vehicles for the
Journey of seventy miles. Six of our
number rode in the larger two-horse We
hicie, and two in the smaller, e-horse
trap of old Tomkins, the carrier of Her
Majcsty's mails. Old Tomkins led the
way at first, until his horse becoming
weary, he was obliged to drop behind.
he told us to go ahead, but said, "Don't
leave me too far On we went. but he
could not keep up. We found ourselves
at eleven clock at night waiting in a
dense wood for him to come up. One or
two went back to find him. After an
hours detention he came up. We then
learned that one of the hinder wheels
had come off, owing to the loss of the
Inch pin. The old man had put the
wheel in the cart. He then fastened by
cords (Of which he always carried a
good supply young larch tree, cut
from the forest, in such away that, trail
ing behind, it kept the vehicle from up
setting. We had to relieve him of his
passengers and drive on. Ere we
reached the rude inn where we were to
stop that night, the driver of our vehicle
gave us some account of Old TOmkins.
1t seems that for many years he had
carried the mails, and was known as a
strong, determined old man. He prided
himself on never breaking his word.
He was very stern husband and father.
One day he went home much earlier than
usual and, because his dinner was not
ready, he began to upbraid his wife.
She answered him warmly and he went
out, saying: ''I'll never speak to you
again?'' and said the driver, ':he has kept
his word
wife, now?"
Yes, they live together just the same,
but he never speaks to her"
"What, not at table,"
"No. He does not even say How are
you when he comes home, or Good
night when he lies down by her side in
bed
HAS he then learned the dumb alpha
bet and docs he communicate his wishes
by finger signal?"
mo, he has slate hanging by the
freside, on which he writes his wants
and wishes. If he desires to have meat,
or any article Of apparel, or wishes to
tell her anything, he writes it down and
hands it to her. Generally there is no
need for him to use the slate, as his
wife anticipates nearly all his wants.
and he gives her certain allowance of
money. He comes and goes, time after
time, and never opens his mouth to her,
And how long has this lasted?"
about seventeen years.
And has he any sons and daugh-
ters?"
Yes, and he speaks to shem, but never
to their MOTHER
"How painful for them.''
"Yes, and they have all gone wrong
through his treatment
EDO you think he will preserve this re-
solve to the end of life?''
Most likely; and when he is joked
about his rash oath by others he only re-
torts, 'better no talking than incessant
quarreling.'"
The next morning we passed the house
of old Tomkins. 1t was a pleasant
looking wooden house, painted black
with blue shutters. The old man halted
and entered for few moments only
When he came back the driver said:
slows the MISUSE"
All right.''
HAS she gained her voice yet?'
"Drive ahead, and don't ask stupid
questions" retorted old Tomkins. And
the old man gave smart stroke with the
whip to his own poor horse and dashed
away.
He would not speak again all that
journey to the driver of our vehicle and
hardly to any of our party.
Returning to Annapolis after an alb
sence of several years, l made enquiries
for the old man. He was still driving
mails, but his poor wife no longer lived.
He went home one day as he passed, and
found her lying very i'll in bed, his
daughter told him that the doctor had
been there and said she could not re-
cover.
The old man went into his wife's bed
room, and standing by her bedside the
gazed long and intently at her. The
struggle in his soul was severe. Should
he break the long silence? He took at
length her hand in his. Still the silence
was maintained. The daughter sat with
her eyes fixed on her father, wondering at
his continued hardness.
After a quarter of an hour, "a very long
period under such circumstances the
sinking woman said, John, goodbye, I
am going"
The old man went for his slate and be-
gan writing something. He handed it to
her. She took it, but turned away, her
face overspread with unuttcrable anguish.
A few moments more of silence, then a
gurgling sound was heard. The daugh-