Sharp County record., 1878-09-13

low beside me. ne CaIpelo hOlO
and the furniture was up, but there were
no curtains. The snow was falling soft
", and it was solemn in the house no.
BODY had vet lived in, as in church:
Julie slipped her warm little mana M /,
TO mine, and we were both silent until
she looked up, her eyes full, and says
she:
give been thinking of that text,
Though thy father and thy mother TOR,
sake thee, the Lord will takesthee up
1t seems so wonderful that God should
lead any one who knows as much as Mr.
HamerSton to build such house for an
ignorant, homeless girl like me, and
to care so much to have me pleased with
it!n
Her hat had little bird on it-a bird
with the softest plumage and flame
colored breast-and thought my dar
ling was like that bird-timid and inno-
cent, but with a glowing heart, and a
terrible fear came to me. I've some
times thought it came to her, for her
hand trembled, and she laid her head
against my knee and clasped her other
hand over mine and looked up, too
earnest to blush, and says she:
"It's a great step, auntie! I'm
afraid l shan't be always gentle and al
ways unselfsh; but if l try every day to
do what he wishes, and ask God to help
me, and keep on trying, I can't make
any great mistakes, can l, auntie? Can
I?" says she.
Then Mr., HammerstOn came driving
up, and we went home.
Three days after she was married
I've been to many weddings, and I've
seen many a sweet bride, but none
through and through as good as my
Julie.
After while-it might have been a
year or two-I noticed jules habit Of
quoting and defending her husband, as
if some one had accused him. Your
uncle, too, grew sober; but it was sud-
den blow to me when he one morning
said:
Hammerston was carried home
again last night"
"Ill?n asked |.
"No, he wasn't ill.," said he.
As soon as l could went down to see
my darling. She was very much dress
ed, to look pretty when he came out of
his stupor, you see.
"Mr. Hammerston isn't very well" "
said she, "but think he'll be better
when he awakeS. We've had an invita-
ton to Mr.. Gallandet's reception to-
morrow evening. Mr.. Gallandet is
very fond of John, you know"
| didn't dare breathe word Of SYM
pathy to her.
Hammerston wasn't the man to weep
and promise amendment wlen he re-
covered. He was fault-fnding and ar
bitrary, and grew worse land worse.
Julie, had read about the cnTatiEs prAp-
critics of Coffee, and she made coffee,
coffee, morning, noon and night, coffee
pot on the range between whiles.
She would talk to me and her minis
ter about faith, and providences, and
answers to prayer, and seemed to think
we'd neither of us suspect she'd any
thing but a speculative interest in the
subjects.
Hammerston forbade her attending
church, and hid her Bible Once when
he came up here without her, 1 gave
him a talk, and when | spoke of his
own miserable eternity, he interrupted :
81 expect to catch 1t for little while,
but | shall grin and bear ii till it's over
with!n
Blodgctt,. the saloon-keeper, attempt
ed closing his mortgage on the house,
andSour uncle bought it off and made
the deed to Julie. but she was weak,
and Hammerston badgered her into
signing notes with him.
| sent her wine that spring, thinking
maybe it would bring back color to her
cheeks, but one day when l was there
she laid her baby across her knee, and
began smoothing down his dress and
fannels in a nervous kind Of way, and
says she:
"Auntie, 1 don't wish you to send me
any more wine. It's such an unneces-
sary expense, you know. I'm getting
very strong-see!"
She held out the baby, and-dropped
him.
After he had hushed crying she said;
"Next week I'm going to take him
to the church-meeting to be baptized. |
want you to stop at Mrs. De LANES
and ask her to send down his cap as
soon as it is finished"
Hammerston passed through the
room, and said he:
"No, you aren't going to take him to
be baptized. l don't have any such
fooling over my children"
There were red spots in jules
cheeks, and she sat for some minutes
looking steadily down at the baby, her
lips tightly closed, but when Twas leav-
ing, she said:
"Don't forget to call at Mrs. De-