Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-02-18

| Heavier and heavier grew the weigh
upon my heart, until at length 1 thought
1 would go crazy if Jacob did not soor
return. My crime loomed up before me
darkly and threateningly, and 1t seemed
to me that my husbands death was tc
be my punishment. Oh, when would
the firing cease, and when would my
husband come home, that I might fall
upon his neck and ask his pardon for all
the wickedness / had done!
"The firing ceased at length, but in
stead of hopefulnees, the dread became
heavier and more heavy. I was hunting
for my bonnet, intending to go out and
meet my husband, when L heard heavy
feet in the garden The cloud had set
| tied down and the thunder crash had
come. Men came and told me not to be
frightened-my husband was hurt, but
they hoped not seriously. Perhaps they
thought was calm; they did not know
that my heart was frozen, and that the
fount of emotion was shut up. Then
other men brought my husband in upon
a wide board, and | saw that his limbs
were limp and hfeless, that his face was
like marble, and that there was blood
upon the board-blood trickling down
upon the floor |! And I heard them talk;
they told me that he had been run over
by the heavy gun carriage-that in COM
ing down the hill from where the salute
had been fired men and boys, in wild
confusion, had seized the trail-rope, and
that my husband, in attempting to pre-
vent the rush, had been knocked down
and ruin over.
"Two doctors came. l heard them
talk of broken leg, of broken ribs, and
of other injuries, and during all this time
[ was as one in horrid dream, unable
to move or to speak, and almost suffo-
eating. By-and-by I heard one of the
doctors say that he would live, and then
[ sank down senseless.
"When L came to myself it was night,
and one of the neighbors sat at my bed
side. [ told them [ wished to see my
husband, but was informed that he was
| asleep, and that [ must not disturb him
then. In the morning [ went to him,
and he put up his we'll arm and drew me
down upon the pillow and kissed me.
And he told Inc not to worry myself; be
was badly hurt, but if [ would nurse him
and love him he would soon get well.
Glove him! Oh, my soul, how strong
[ felt then!-how strong in my love, and
in my determination to be a true and
faithful wife.
| Aunt Annie took off her spectacles and
wiped her eyes, and presently she added,
"Girls, that was forty years ago, and
from that day to this L have not spoken
one cross word to my husband. My ma
ture is not changed at all; but I have
gained control of my will and bent it in
the right direction; and when once /
found how much pure joy there was in
| doing right it came very easy to do it.
"Ahi here comes your uncle Jacob
now. See how good he looks. You can
see his gray hairs, and note the wrinkles
| upon his brow; but to me he is ae
young as ever, and I know that our love
was never more fresh and fervent than it
is now"
Just then Uncle Jacob came in; and
when, an hour later, we saw him and
Aunt Annie in the garden together pick
ing flowers like to young lovers we were
forced to come to the conclusion that they
were really and truly happy couple;
and Hannah Cleaves had no more reason
to defend Cousin Ruth against the charge
of folly and wickedness in allowing her
own nl-temper to make herself and he1
husband miserable.