The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-10-07

Tic suouEt hard nan, ber hnkpAbQt wa
stricken down With typhoid fever, and
for weeks he lay balancing between llfe
aud death. His recovery was very slow
and hls convalcsceuce irksomo no prIsou
wall could hAve been gloomier than The
home walls that held him prisoner. Day
sficr day The patler Of bic wife's patient
nttle feet fell upon bic ear be eoald hear
them mp stairs and down, now here now
4 there, her voice alwAys kind aud tender,
ber hand ever ready 70 minister to her
\ dear ones, her words fall Of consolation,
and love and cheer
John Jones was not wholly unimpress.
Ible slowly the scales fell from bis eyes
the light came, and be was "a one born
into higher and better life. lie drew
bis bony hands Across bis eyes; often the
sign made him catch bis breath suspicious.
", and be marvelled much that be bad
walked beside this little woman for four.
teen years aud not known That be was
mated with an angel unswsre. His voice
grew softer, lenderer; bis grest talony
bands touched her forehead, and her hsir
lovingly as would = womRn's-touehed
her as though be were afraid she would
fade away q white mist.
Weeks afterwards, when be was able
10 ride out, the old, whimsical buggy,
that had done service in the days OF his
church going parents, was made comfort
able by soft, wooden blanket and sn
armful OF sweet smelling ost straw. John
didn't tell where be was going, but be
looked wise, and his mouth had jerkY
look about the corner. that seemed 10 say,
You just let me alone. | know what Pm
about.
1t was evening when he came home
He was still as wise as when he went
away. His cup Of tea was waiting and
bis toast aud the tender little pullet fried
nice and brown. He seemed really hap.
py-jolly. He trotted the baby on his
foot that night, and called bis wife Jenny
as 10 the days when be won her, and he
let Johnny play horse with bis boot, and
there was contented, rich expression on
his face that bis wife couldn't help won
dering what bad made such change in
him.
The next morning the crazy old rig was
called out again, and the soft blanket
placed in it, and John Jones took the
lines 10 bis emsciaied hands and drove
Off Ia the same direction as be did the day
before. When he returned he was &C.
companion by broad shouldered, good
looking German girl, whom heintroduced
to bis wife as 'our girl
She looked with smAzement upon 'our
girl aud then stared at John. He soon
explained things 10 her satisfaction.
The upshot n, the rnatiar ta. Jane, that
I've abused you long enough; the Lord
helpin' me. III never see you make a
slave o. yourself ag'in. 1t is burnin
shame for any great out like me to expect
a frail little body like you to be q man, an
dog, an wife. an mother an niger, am
me savin' an hoardin' up money and
means to leave TO The Lord knows who.
beg your pardon, Jane; an now you'll
tell this girl, Barbara Grootz, how you
want things done, and let her take your
place and work in your stead, and you
will live hereafter like human mans
vile ought to.
BY the time this speech was made, the
poor weak fellow was numbering like.
Poor little surprised wife She flew to his
neck and laid her head on his bosom, and
cried like baby as she said, John Jones,
you darling.
No, not bit Of darin' just an old
bear, regular old heathen, to sacrifice
the best little woman nnder the sun, inch
by inch, the way thats been going on for
years, suufTed be, as he fumbled over her
face in an simless, loving way.
Then Our girl Barbara, went into
Jane Jones' harness, and 1t fitted her to
fraction.
Now we've turned over a new leaf, 90
and dress up, Jenny, bless youi said the
new convert.
So, with the memory Of Lang Syne
warming her heart. Jane unearthed her
wedding dress 10 the afternoon, and put
il on, With a pretty, old fashioned collar,
aud brushed out her nut brown hair that
once upon q time curled beautifully. Per-
haps she felt foolish and girlish, and out
OF her sphere, but she looked sweet
enough TO make up for ell discrepancies.
She sat sewing, putting new band on
Ruby's new skirt, when the children came
home from school. Hef back was turned
TO the door. Tom came TO dead halt IS
be stepped on the sill, and then ran round
TO the lesn.lo to find bis mother. No
mother there, but the smiling pink faced
Germsn girl, who was pairing potatoes TO
bake for supper.
Tom bswled, Il mother desdY 0, ]
want my mother and circled around the
house and peeped 10 shyly with wet eyes.
Was that lady in soft gray merino
dress, wearing 40 embroidered collar and
gold ear drops, his motherI Surely il
was sparkling over and saying, Is this
you, mother1 Why, where have you
beenY
OBJ, maj said Tom, holding Der around
the neck as though she might III. away
the next minute; why, where did you 90
and when did you get bsek9
Poor little ones, bow prend they were
Of the household drudge in her new and
besuiiful transformation
But this is not all. Before the frat cold
blAAI Of winter came, sleps were taken %