The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-07-05
BILL ARP'S SUNDAY CHAT
tons to go on Her First Visit in
Forty Years.


mean alone Ike Robinson Crusoc, but
i'll 4 house without Il woman a-help- mate
pard. 1t 5 an awful thing to come in and
find the maternal chair vacant, even for a
season. know she has gone. but still |
maging that she is somewhere on the
premises a circulatin' around and around
| ar listening for the rattle of her dress OF
creak of her nimble shoe-she wears num-
Der 2's. with a high instcp, and walks like
a deer. Ever and anon methinks hear
her accustomed voice. saying William,
William-Nr. Arp, major, come here a
moment.
What wonderful resolution some wo-
men have got. Mrs. Arp has at last de-
parted. She has undertook journey.
For several weeks it has been the family
talk. Some said she would get off and
some said she wouldn't. AS for herself.
she was serious and non-committal. but
we daily observed that the big old trunk
that contained the accumulated fragments
Of better days was being diligently ran
sacked. Scraps of lace, and lawn. and
silk and velvet, and muslin and bumba-
Zeen, and cashmere were brought forth
and aired. and the hat-iron kept busy
pressing and smoothing the wrinkles that
age had fuGrowed i'll them. All sorts of
patterns from Eemarest. and Ehrcck and
Butterick. We're overhaulcd and consulted
with Il kind Of sad reality. \ woman
may be to poor to buy calico at cents
yard, but she will have patterns. little
Jackets, and pants, and shirts-littlc
dresses, and petticoats. and aprons had
to be made up. and nobody but her knew
what they would be made. tell you one
fthcse old fashioned mothers is a mira
Gle of grace. 1t ain uncommon for folks
nowadays to be their own tailors and
dreSsmakers, but it takes sense and
genius to get up respectable outfit from
scraps and Old clothes outgrown OF aban-
doncd for rattage and leakage. 1t was
wonderful to see her rip EN-, and turn EN-,
piece here and 4 scrap there, cutting them
down to the pattern-running them
drought the machine, and before any
body knew it she had the little chaps ar
ranged as fine as a band-boX and never
called ON anybody for nickle. That, s
what | call the quintcssence of domestic
economy. Nobody can beat her in that
line. She knows how to put the best foot
foremost. Her children have got to look
as decent as other peoples or she will
keep en- at home certain. She don't go
about much, and seems to grow closer to
the chimney corner. but when she does
move it a family sensation. Every one
helps-every one advises and encourages
her i'll subdued and respectful way. All
want her to 90 off and rest and have a
good time for her own sake, but tell her
over and over how much they will miss
her and wear a little shadow of sorrow
in the nigh side of the face. | think
though she suspected all the time they
would turn up Jack while she was away.
Well, she did get off at last-on three
hours journey and to stay whole week.
1t was tremendous undertaking, for she
said the harness might break or the buggy
collapse. or the old mare run away on the
road to town. and the cars might run off
the track or break through bridge, or
not stop long enough for her to get off
with the children, or let her off and take
the children on, OF some of US would get
sick. or the house catch atire. or some
tramp come along in the night and rob us
and cut all our Threats while We were
asleep. and We wouldn't know thing
about it till next morning.
= N9w as.s;7:,::;,said she be mighty
careful of everything for you know no
poor We are anyhow" Poor as Laz;
rus, said |, g but he 5 restin in Abr:
ham bosom, "Wcll never mind La:
arlls. said she: = the paregoric and gu
nine and turpentinc are on the shelf
the cabinet. | have hid the laudanun
for it's dangerous and you haven't MOI
than half sense in the nighttime. an
might make a mistake. Don't let Ralp
have the gun nor 90 to the mill-ponC
There are four geese setting. and yo
must loo, after the goSlirgS, and if yo
don't shoot that hawk spring chicken
will be might scarce on this lot An
see here. William. | want you to tax
the beds OF the bedstcads in my rool
and shut the doors and windows and max
a fire of sulphur i'll some old pan. The
say it Will just kill everything" Mus
| stay inside or outsider" said. in IA Gas
Sabianca tore. Maybe you had bette
try it awhile inside said she. lust t
see if You ever could get used to it. Nov
William take good care ofevcrything. 70
you may never see me again. Somehow
feel like something's going to harper
to me. Don't whip Ralph while I'm gon
the poor boy ain well-he looks RICH
pckid-and when you whipped Carl til,
other day the marks were all over his lit
tie legs. She always looks for marks
the little willows are soft us broom straw:
but she is bound to find streak or two
and there's tear for every mark.
William the buttons are all right OF
your shirts. Feed the little chickens til
come back. think the buntin hen i.
setting somewhere. and there's six er~.
i'll my drawer that old browny laid on my
bed. If the children get sick YOU must
telegraph me" And if get sick INV.
sell, said |, inquiringly. why, there's
the medicine in the cabinet. said she.
land you mustn't forget to water nv pot
plants. told Mr.. Freeman to look aftel
you and Mrs. Freeman will keep an eve
on the girls Goodbye. Don't YOU cut
the hams. | want them for company, and
don't 90 i'll the locked pantry" Ircckon
she must have taken them off with her.
for we can't find them. Good bye
take care of Brows." She kissed us all
around and choked up little and drop
ped few tears and was gone.
It's mighty still, and solemn, and lone
ly around here now. Lonely amt the
word, nor bowling wilderness. There
amt no word to express the goneness
and desolation that we feel There is
her vacant chair in the corner
Yes. the rocker still is sitting
Just where she was ever knitting
Knitting for the BARNS she bore