The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-03-31


the sweetness of her disposition than for
her comeliness. Her modesty and kind
| ness perpetuated the admiration inspired
! by her personal charms. Among those
| who became strongly attached to her was
! an old woman known as Mother McNavit,
who lived in howell adjoining. She was
past seventy, childless, friAndless, and des-
titute. She earned a meagre livelihood by
the labor of her aged hands. Her sharp
tongue and uncanny behavior had alienated
general sympathy and attention, and she
dwelt alone, hating the world which had at
last withdrawn what little kindness it had
ever shown to her. But the poor old heart
was not so unfeeling as the world thought
it, or az she herself wished it was. 1t Mad
simply been bruised and neglected till it's
soreness made it angry and defiant toward
oil that approached.
! All but one. The beauty and gentleness
of Annie had come upon it SO tenderly that
its constituencies and hostility were disarm-
ed, and chung to the child " it'll an unnatural
strength as the only object it loved in all
! the desolate world. The forlorn creature
! had once had children Of her own, but she
| had buried them all. She f"ncied that
Annie looked like her daughter Hetty. If
she had lived. she said, her poo, old moth
| er might not be SO forsaken now; but the
sweet bairn could not have been kinder or
! dearar to her than was her Hetty- Annie,
! God bless her!-for so she mingled their
two names together.
The devoted love Of the helpless old wo-
man was returned by as warm an affection
on Armies part. Her pity was touched by
| the forsakenness and restitution she saw:
the fondness with which she was caressed
! and idollzed awoke the deepest sympathies
III her nature; while the constant associa-
ton OF her name with that of the dead
daughter finally impressed her with feel
ing that she stood in the same relation to
the bereaved mother. With a nature as
sincere as Annie's to feel thus was to man
ifest her sense of flal love in every possible
way. SO marked and unremittipg were her
attentions to the object of this strange affec-
ton that her parents and more intimate &C
| quaintances were wont to address her
sportive)y as Mother Nc Nayit's child. The
epithet did not offend her Her love was
! too earnest and respectful for her to be
ashamed or annoyed by any allusion to it
whatever. If the nick name produced any
effect ut ali upon her, it only strengthened
the tie that existed between her and the
1esoate old wonlnn.
At the date OF this story the smallpox
| was ravaginc Edinburgh. The disease was
Of an unusually violent type, and the great
est Consideration prevailed throughout the
! city. Ons day mother McNavit was .iiling.
Tie frightened ncighbors summoned a
| physician, who told them She was stricken
i with the cont;eion. They Informed ler
| that she must be removed to the hospital
The intelligence seemed to inspire her with
a mortal terror She beeget! and prayed
them to leave her where she was, but they
/ paid no heed to her surp'ications As q
!SS st favor he aSiye1 fhot hafrv he 4o
ken away they would let her see her Hetty-
Annie. When Annie WAS told of this de-
sire, in spite Of her natural timidity and the
circumstances OF her fri~nds, she went to
| the friendless bedside. Tie poor, terrified
! old creature. upon behelding her, exclaimed
! wildly:
"Oh, Het:y~Annie, daughter il you ever
| loved or litied me, show it now! They're
! going TO take me to the 'ospital. Don't let
them! dont let them!-for mercy's sake,
| don't let them?
''Wouldn't it be better FOR you mother"
''My God! Go you say that too, Hetty-
Annie? and all this while have thought
OF on as my child. They've all forsaken
me, and you are going with them. God
! will desert ME next; then there can be no
more disappointment"
| There, there, mother dear, don't cry"
said Annie, fearlessly and tenderly pressing
| her lips to the burning cheek in her eager
ness to console the poor old woman; I'm
not going to forsake you. I merely asked
| it the hospital was not a better place for
you because they all said so"
Yes, they all say it; and they all think
the grave would be still better place for
me I'm willing to SO to my grave, but not
from the 'spital! not from the 'spital / can
die here alone just as we'll, and it won't
break my heart as it would to be sent to the
'spital. Oh, Hetty~ Annie!" she cried, wildly
clasping her withered arms about the girls
neck. there is no one but you to take my
part; for sweet Jesus sake, don't let them
| take me to the spital!'
| Annie quieted her with endearing names
and carresses, and laid her gently back upon
the pillow.
you shall not go to the hospital, moth
er; you shall not die here alone: you shall
not die at all, if can save you"
Her manner was very calm, but her fea-
lures were deadly pale. She commenced
| quietly arranging the things in the little
| room, as if she had taken charge of it.
Turning to neighbor, she said:
I'm not going home again until Mother
| McNavit is we'll Please ask mother to send
me the things shall need"
When expostulated with by her parents
and friends, she only replied:
Here is poor. terrified, friendless hui
man being, who clisgs to me frantically as
her only hope and comfort on earth. l
could never be happy if forsook her in
| her agony"
! When the influence Of her pastor was en-
listed to point out to her the uselessness OF
her sacrifice, she simply said:
Il do it for Christ himself; for He teaches
me in His word that inasmuch rs do it
| unto the least of these DO it unto Him.
And so, immovable in her calm purpose:
| she watched by the wretched bedside;
| watched through the fever and delirum, land
and all the horrors OF the loathsome disease;