The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-10-30


auNlce OF the village minister. That she
was very fond of school-teaching, that it did
not take very much of her time, and that she
mad plenty of time to devote to society.
She had hardly finished telling me what she
was fond Of in her quick, voluble pretty way,
when we came to an inviting looking farm
mousse by the side of the road; whose lawn
sloped down to the river. Here the school,
ma am requested me to stop.
tiful?" ~ M - ''''N
l gazed down the valley upon the distant
smoky hills to the southwark. at is beau
tlful," l said; "but," resolved not to lose
der storms!"
% YOU'RE right" she replied, "why! that
reminds me. You spoke Of the way to
u, we've passed the road long since. 1
am very sorryv'
The horse stopped in front of the door.
he looked very much used up: had driv-
en- him very hard the past week, urging him
indifferently up and down the steep roads
in search of buyers.
81 am very glad =" I replied. eff can I
Will remain here over night, my horse is
nearly used up.
The school-ma'am gladly assented. put
my horse up in the large, ample barn, and
came into the house. The school ma am
was p-stairs somewhere. The two old
maids who received me soon left me alone in
lIO sOlcHlH pdIlOT. III u SUOTJ IlIlle tHe
school -ma'am, whom / now knew as Miss
Newman, entered, prettier than ever, in a
dark dress and some bright ribbons.
Do you care to take a short walk before
tea" she asked. l rose gladly, we went out
into the tender six O'Clock slanting sunlight.
There were some clouds in the west, deli
cate, golden tinted. She led me down to
knoll above the river; past an apple orchard
whose white blossoms were now largely
sprinkled upon the ground beneath. We
looked down upon the slow moving river. A
bend In its bank turned the dark water to
the west. The bend, was lined by beach Of
yellow sand. Opposite rose huge, I'M
wieldy mass of earth, miscalled, as Miss
Newman said, "Mt. Spear" /" branched
out" and talked Of the beauty Of the scene.
At last Miss Newman laughed little and
said:
" And yet-you're lightning-rod mann
Then we heard horn blow and went up
to the house.
When we returned to the m-house, we
found three old men washing their faces at
the pump. They appeared to be farm
hands. Each was over 20. One OF them
looked up and said, "Whar's brother Will
lamp
g dunno" replied the one next to him,
Confess he's a-plantin' them beans"
I'll run and fetch him." said Miss New
man, going toward the garden.
s. He's hard o. hearin'," said the first
speaker. Ell he want fetched he'd keepa-
workin' till twas too dark. You be a-sellin'
iightnin' rods, eh"' he asked.
YES" l replied, "I'm travelling about
trying to sell few"
"Ye can't sell one here ~ said the second
man. "Our haouse was struck thirty-three
years ago, am lightnin' never strikes twice
in the same spot"
| took out Of my pocket small volume of
" Incidents" l read him the sad account of
Mr.. Higgins, of South Wibraham. 1 read
feelingy of the negectful lack of rods upon
Mr.. Higgins's house and barn. then gave
in glowing detail the description of the
lightning as it played about the bed of Mr..
and Mrs. Higgins, the trundle bed Of their
twin children, and the final disappearance
of the lightning in new batch Of bread,
which was placed upon the kitchen table. |
gave as well the interesting details of the
funeral, with the remarks at the burning
ground, of Rev. Jonas Childs. But the old
men shook their heads.
''Brother William may conclude to buy"
said one of them; "Brother William may
conclude that the haouse needs rod, but 1
cal late we don't think 500
| closed my book of Incidents" sadly.
One of the old maids came out to us, Where
we were standing near the pumps.
''Haow's mother" asked one Of the old
men.
'.she's perry comfortable this evenin',"
"Don't believe she'll fetch through this
time"
''she's goin' to fetch through-an' you
know it, Silasv'
''She haint! Mothers on her las legs an
you know tibet, Cynthy, as well as dol"
"Come, naow," said another of the old
men, moving toward the house, "yeou two
is alters titin' over mother. Mother never
gets daown sick but what yeou two gets
quarr'lin' over her. Ell she fetches through,
she'll fetch through. Eff she don'tshe won't,
thet's the end ont"
Miss Newman came up at this moment,
followed by Brother William. Brother Will
liam was little older than his brothers, and
somewhat more bent. But he seemed to be
very ''spry," and carried a hoe over his
shoulder. We went in to supper.
The school ma'am and | kept up pretty
lively conversation during the evening meal.
After it was over, one Of the old maids said
to me: 'P'raps you'd like to see mother
your smart talk 'ud int rest her, 'Xpectn
| was ushered into an upper chamber,
which had close. shut-up odor about it.
Seated in an arm chair near an open window
was young woman of three and thirty or
Whereabouts, who bore striking resemblance
to Miss Newman. She was very thin and pale.
Her wan face bore evidence of late stage of
consumption.
Before her upon the window-sill stood a
vase OF flowers, wild June roses. The view
from her window was of the distant hay
southern hills. Her cheeks flushed little
as | entered, and two round red spots re-
manned there during the time sat with her.
She could only speak in u whisper. Alto
gether there was something ineXpressibly
sad in the pretty, delicate, drawn face.
You may think mothers rather young"
said Cynthy eXpanatorily, in whisper alter
we were seated. But father married four
times. This is his fourth. We all thought
tibet she wouldn't live long, when she first
came to the haouse. But father got kinder
struck with her, and would hev his way.
Nothin' would bender him. He fetched her
home, and 'twant long afor he died and left
her reflex. But she won't be reflex long
onless she fetches through"
At that moment the school am entered
the room and went up to the sick woman
and kissed her. Their features were so sim
liar that it seemed an allegorical picture,
when they were near each other, Of life and
death.
:" Miss Newman is her sister," said Cynthy.
"Thet's haow she's here, but she's very in
dependent. She pays her board"
1t was a bright moonlight night. strolled
out into the road, not without a certain I'M
conscious desire Of catching glimpse OF the
freshfaced school-ma'am somewhere. /
lighted a cigar-being now out OF sight Of
the group OF old, yet energetic brothers.
| came over little ascent, and stood a
moment upon the brow OF the hill; at the
foot was n watering trough half hid behind