Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-11-04

by a beautiful dispensation of Providence.
whenever a poor. shiftless. good for nothing
man is sent into our world some active, go
ahead little woman is invariably fastened to
him 10 tow him along through. and keep
his head above water. It's for the best. of
course. What would become of the poor
fellow without her? At the same time, she
sometimes finds it a little hard.
Nabby was ambitious and proud spirited.
willing to work hard. to save. to do her part
ANXIOUS to get on in the world and stand
well among the neighbors. The fact, gradu-
ally realized. that in her husband she had
no help, no support, only drag and bur
den. and finally disgrace. had been dis
appointment embittering her whole nature.
10 have a husband that no one respected.
that even the boys around town called Isl
Gould" was dreadful to Nahby. Perhaps il
was hardly strange that she grew hard and
bitter.
Meantime. Nabby had succeeded in start
ing the FIRE, and having changed her dress.
sat down 10 dry her feet until the tea kettle
boiled. But even the ruddy light and
warmth with which the kitchen now glowed
could no, send off the dreariness of the
night. The rain tapped with ghostls
tngcr-np upon the window pane" and the
wind howled and walled around the house
like the spirits Of the lost pleading TO be
once more taken back into human life and
warmth. Such a Wind s,irs in even the hap
plcst heart q vague sense Of loss Of change
Of all that goes 10 make up the unsa,is-
fac,oriness Of life. Dead sorrows creep
forth from their graves on such nights. and
stalk up and down the echoing chambers Of
the heart
Nabhy could not help wondering where
Josiah was tonight. Il was so lonely sit
ting there with no one TO speak TO. listening
TO the moaning wind. the creaking Of the
blinds. the loud ticking of the clock
And Thanksgi,in'. comm" thought
Nahby. "A pretty Thanksgisin' shall
have"
The wind walled and walled. and Nabby
thought and thought. The very fact OF
having freed her mind" to the squire had
relieved her long pcnt-up indignation. and
nos she felt more sad than angry Up he
fore her seemed 70 rise picture Of her life .
the youthful dreams and hopes. the changes
and appointments the love turned into
wranslIng- She even thought of Josiah
with pity. For the first time she put her
self IN his place" and realized how almost
impossible il was for one Of his weak nature
10 resist, unaidcd, the temptation which
would COS; stronger will no effort
I'm afraid I've been a little too sharp
With Josiah thought she. I've surfcr
took i, for granted vas a saint and he
sinner. and scolded him right along down
hill. \ nice saint am As proud and high
strung Lucifcr himself Oh dear :" sighed
Nahhy "A pretty mess I've made of living
II wc could only go back and begin over
again, seems 10 me thing, would 20 better"
Just then there was j faint noise, like the
clicking % the door latch. Nahhy started
and /. krd round. All was still asain-no
one visible. Yet \abby could not rid her
Sclf o: the impression that some one " ~
near her. that odd sense We have Of anuthrr's
individuality near Us. though no, present.
There's some one hangIn' round here,
know, said she 10 herself
Nabby was one who always met things
| halfway. Accordingly. she walked to the
outside door, and opening II quickly. pccrcd
out into the darkness. There stood Josiah
wet. sheepish, sorry. Once he had started
10 go IN, but his courage failing, he fingered
in dubious hesitation on the doorstep.
why iun't YOU come in, Josiah ?" said
Nabby.
Il didn't know you'd want me. Nabby. :"
replied Josiah, with all the mrckness becom-
lng a returning prodigal.
Want you2 OF course do" said Nab
| by. heartily. Come right along in. I'm
goin' 70 have griddlr cakes for supper, and
| YOU must tend them while | set the table" /"
/ Griddle cakes we're one Of Josiah's weak
nes,es. and Nabby knew il.
I Josiah came in. If he ever gets into
heaven. probably his sensations will not be
T one whit more delightful than they we're
| row. from the bleakness and gloom Of
/ the night. the furlornness of his wretched
wanderings, he came into the coy bright
ness of the kitchen. and felt that he was
I home once more. How good the tea smcllcd
I The fire roared ana snapped. the teakettle
/ boiled and bubbled and bobhed lis lid up
and down, and from the griddle the saSory
I odor OF the cakes a,cendcd like a homcly
incense. josiah's face, shining with mingled
I heat and happiness as he turned the griddle-
1 cakes, was something worth seeing
( Nabby stepped briskly around getting
supper ready. 1t seemed 50 pleasant To set
I the table for two again. to have some one to
I praise and appreciate her cooking. The
| November wind might howl its worst now
Its hold on Nabby was gone. In place OF
| all the bitter sadness tha, had hung heavily
round her heart was a warm feeling Of hap
| pinesS, of comfort and hope.
All the explanation they had was this ::
Josiah drew from under his shabby coat an
exceedingly awkward and knobby bundle.
I've bought somethin' for YOU, Nabby,"
said he
The something" undone proved to be a
very handsome brittania teapot. The tea
pot must have known that IT was peace
offering. with such preternatural brightness
did il shine and glisten. Something in
Nabbys eyes shone and glistened too, al
though she winked hard and scorned the
weakness of pocket handkerchief.
Thank you, Josiah she said, "I''s
regular beauty, and shall set lots by it."
Which, so long as they understood each
other, was, perhaps. as well as if Josiah had
made a long worded speech of repentance
and reformation and Nabby another of for
giyeness.
wish | could say that Nabby never
scolded Josiah again. But | can't How
ever" she drew il mild" and there was
general understanding between them that
this was only sort Of exercise made neces-
sary by habit-a barking by no means in
volying biting. And Josiah was so accus-
toned TO it that he would have missed it,
and not felt natural without being wound up
and set going for the day by Nabby.
One day later in the winter, Nabby was
washing for Mrs. Hosley.
$50 you've taken Josiah back again, after
all" said Mrs. Hosley.
"Well, yes, have" said Nabby, giving
last twist TO the sheet she was wringing out
.'Josiah mayn't be very much to brag of
but then. YOU see, he's my own and all I've
got. We're gittin' to be old folks. Josiah
and me, and we may as well put up with
each other the little while we've got to stay
here"
"How has he been doing since he came
back ?"
"First-rate. He's walked as straight's a
string ever since. He's a good provider.
now he's quit drinkin', and master hand
for fxin' up things around the house an
making il comfortable. tell YOU what it
is, Miss Hosley. we've got to make low ances
for folks in this world. We can't have 'em
always just to our mind. We've got to take
'em just as they are, and make the best
ont"