Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1879-07-17


and the little one that died and all
that time Nell was as faithful as the
sun. But faithful as she was-l m
sure l never could find bat bit of
fault with her in all my life--l used
to think she had things to take up her
mind and interest her which didn t
know anything about. She d take
her knitting and sit down IN the door
way of an evening after the children
had gone to bad, and sit and listen to
the frogs piping in the meadow, her
fingers busy, but her eyes looked out
in the darkness as if there was some
thing there to see,
Then she'd stand and wash dishes,
or iron, with look in her face as if
she were in dream. She'd start up
quick enough if spoke to her, but
| have stood and watched her smiling
lust as unconscious to herself, like as
if she'd something in her mind which
made her as happy as the day was
long. She always cared sight for
grass and flowers and those things !;
and V hen my baby died, she put little
bits of white flowers all around its
head and around its little breast, and
kept the house quiet, and looked so
gentieike that something peaceful
came over me as ! sat a lone in the
chamber with the little coffin, and !
stopped crying and ciasped my hands
over the pretty little face, and prayed
God o forgive Inc for murmuring,and
make me fit to meet my innocent babe
in heaven.
After that, Netty was born, and my
husband Lought more land, and had
hired men to work for him, and Id a
great deal Of care, and Nell was al
ways help. The fall the baby was
born we hired another Cir. and kept
her righs along, for Nell was only a
slip Of thing, though handy and will
ling, and not fit to have all the care
of 50 mach work. Ny family had got
to be great one, specially after John
had took Lewis boys to teach farming
to. Lewis boys came from the city.
They were slender slip Of lads. Lee
vi had lost two Of consumption, while
they We're at college, and he was
bound lie wouldn't lose the last two
50 he ust sent them out to JOHN to
have a years good hard work On a
farm.
The next summer after they came
out com Mr. Washburn, Of Boston,
to get board with us and read Latin
with Lewis ellest boy, Henry. lie
wanted board in the country because
he was a little out of health and he
attended to lIe1ry's lessons because
he was friend of Lewis.
| was a little struck up by his com
ing, for he was fine appearing mau
with the city look, as if he was used
to being waited on. Not foppish and
silly, but grand, like real gentle
man. But he put me at ease, for he
said, right off:
Don't incommode yourself or alter
your arrangements in the least for me,
Mrs. Hatch, for if | had wanted the
accommodations of a city, l should
have stayed in the city
With that he sits down to the sup
per table and eats hominy and milk
with the rest Of the men and then
goes out in the stoop and sits down on
the step; and Jowler went and put
his head on his knee-a thing | never
knew the dog to do with a stranger
before.
|. Well, | considered Mr.. Washburn
one of the family, right off. he made
hay, and worked in the field with the
rest of the men, and got as brown and
healthy as any of item, 1t was good
to see him laugh-he had such white
teeth, and his eyes-]ust the bright
est hazel you ever saw-sparkled so
He was real we'll educated, yet the
iurthest from putting on airs among
common folks Of any one ever saw.
He took notice Of Nell. By and
by she told me that he had lert her
some books TO read. ! was willing
enough that she should read if she
could only find the time, but didn't
want her to neglect her work, and |
told her so.
Did l ever neglect ny work p she