Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-11-03
HANNAH GNElDTS DOORSTEP.

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HANNAH GNEl0TS DOORSTEP.
Hannah Gneldt leaned upon her
broom, and looked out from the low
kitchen door across the wintry fields
and ice-glazed streamlet which lay be
tween her home and the little village
OF GreenlOck, with its one taperinQ
spire and sloping roofs and white walls.
bare now OF the summer verdure. She
had done her household work, polished
every article capable of polish, and
s0aped and sanded all the rest. At
the last she had swept clean her door
stone. and now felt free to do what she
choose, TO rest or gossip OF sit down TO
needle-work-a thing impossible TO her
while spot beneath her roof was out
OF order. Just now she felt neither
like gossiping nor sewing; her heart
was very full, and she found 1t neces-
sary to stand still and think awhile.
Only that she was not used TO it. she
would have cried, she was so very sad.
1t seemed to her that the happiest peo-
pie were those who lay in their green
graves In the church-yard, with crossed
hands upon their bosoms, and feel qui-
ct from all earthly going to and fro for
eyermOre.
Not that Hannah Gneldt was tired
in body OF weary with the toll of house
hold duty; for she was strong of
frame, aud her health was perfect, as
her hands were willing. It was on
her humble heart the burden lay, her
spirit that was worn with earthly
travail.
"Twenty-three years to-day I've been
his wife" she muttered, "and I've loved
him well, and worked hard and faith
full 10 keep things decent. and it's come
to this at last. Things had been bet
ter. says he, "if he'd married Miss
Lesterf"
Yes, that was what farmer Gneldt,
harrassed by toll and debt, had said
that very morning; and IL seemed TO
Hannah like tho confession of n long
repentance, forced from her husbands
lips at last.
"Poor mani / wish | could help
him." she sighed, leaning on her broom
beside the door. "I doubt he's right
about Miss Lester"
With that her eyes fell and rested
by chance on the doorstep.
81 can mend that, anyhow" she said.
"and l have time, for work is done"
SO she hung the broom up and peep
ed into her oven and set the kettle ON.
and then. hooded and shawled, crossed
the field to where tho farm Joined that
of Simeon Gray.
On ono spot were men at work and
stones lying about.
Hannah Gneldt nodded to the old
farmer and he came Co meet her.
81 want a stone," she said. "May
have one?"
IL wish you'd take 'em ALL said the
farmer; "lOt Of rubbish. You see
I'm clearing away what they call the
old graveyard nc last. Wife talks 10
me % sacrilege and disturbin' bones.
Bless you. there amt been none for
years and years; and these hard times
man can't let land 60 TO waste. /
tell wife she don't know nOthin' about
IL. What do you want TO do? Have n
bit around the well ?"
mo. l want STEP" said Hannah.
THAT great white one is lust the
thing" And she pointed TO n slab
hard by.
"1ke shall bring il over tonight. -
said the farmer.
mo-" said Hannah. can roll il
along"
And her arms. strong as most mems.
went TO work at once, and the slab was
rolled and pushed and lifted on its way
It was toll for labOrer. but it did
Hannah good. She tugged away,
pushing and lifting. and adding wo-
mans ingenuity 10 mans strength. so
that Mt last 1t was Mt her own door.
There she let IL rest and dug the old
stone out, and afterward brought wa
ter to wash the slab with; white as the
driven snow. for the most part. with
some little yellow weather stains about
the edge. and on one side the black in.
scription--a name. eulogy, and dates.
Hannah stared with the curiosity of
one who cannot read.
II wish could tell what that was. .p
she said. "Some ones age and name.
Ali there were sore hearts when that
was new. l hope when 1 die Oliver
will have written over me that L was
u good wife. I've tried to be. ought
To know that big letter-wait a bit: /
believe it's H."
Then she turned the inscription
downward and washed the other side
clear and white and fitted it into
place.
She received little credit for her
work. Oliver only muttered:
"YOu needn't have published the
fact / couldn't afford a porch to the
place" And no one noticed the stem
afterward save Hannah when she
scrubbed Il.
Matters were very bad at the Gneldts
Oliver brooded over the fire in speech.
less sorrow, and grew grayer and bald.
er with each passing day. Hannah
kept ruin of a little by making a home
OF the poor house and feast of the
humble fare by her housewives skill.
one might have been cheerful but for
the memory Of that lucklcss speech.
working in her garden one dav
when the first spring grass was CROW
ing green, Hannah heard footstens and
nIt,ng her head saw two gentlemen
s's,' ,ue ner. and arose precipitatelv.