Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-05-11
MARTHA PHILLIPS.

She was dead. An old woman will
silvery hair, brushed smoothly away from
her wrinkled forehead, and snowy ca,
tied under her chin; sad, quiet face; 1
patient mouth, with lines that told O
sorrow borne with gentle frmness; ant
two withered, tired hands crossed Tha
was all.
Who, looking at the sleeping form
would think of love and romance, of {
heart only just healed of wound re
ceived long, long years ago.
Fifty years she had lived under that
roof, a farmers wife. If you look on
that little plate on her coffin lid you will
see aged seventy" there, and she was
only twenty when John Phillips brought
her home bride.
A half century she had kept her care
full watch over her dairy and larder, had
made butter and cheese and looked after
the innumerable duties that fall to the
share of farmers wife. And John had
never gone with buttonless shirts and
undarned socks; had not come home to
an untidy house and scolding wife.
But underneath her quiet exterior
there was a story that John never
dreamed Of. She did not marry for love.
When sic was nineteen, a rosy, happy
girl, a stranger came on visit to
their village. and that summer was the
brightest she ever knew. Paul Gard
ner was the strangers name; he was
All artist, and fell in love with the
simple village girl and won her heart;
and when he went away in the autumn
they were betrothed.
81 will come again in the spring." he
said. Trust me and wait for me, Mat
tie, dear"
She promised to love and wait for him
till the end of time, if need be, aud with
kiss on her quiyering lips he went
away.
Springtime came, and true to his word
Paul returned; he stayed only day or
two this time.
II am going away in few weeks to
study" he said.
They renewed their VOWS anu parted
with tears and loving words; he put a
tiny ring upon her finger, and cut little
curly tress from her brown hair, and
telling her always to be true he went
away.
The months went by, and Matte was
trying to make the time seem short by
studying to improve herself so that she
might be worthy of her lover when he
should come back to make her his wife.
One day she glanced over newspaper,
her eyes were attracted by his name, and
with white lips and dilated eyes she read
of his marriage to another.
''Married Taken another bride in
stead OF coming back to marry me! On.
Paul Paul I loved and trusted you
for this p
She covered her face with her hands
and wept bitterly. An hour afterwards
as she sat there in the twilight, she
heard a step on the gravel walk, and
looking up saw John Phillips coming up
the steps. He had been to see her often
before, but had never spoken of love,
and had received no encouragement to
do so. He was a plain, hard working
farmer, with no romance about him, but
matter of fact to the CORE His wife
would get few caresses or tender words.
He would be kind enough-give her
plenty to eat and wear.
Now he seemed to have come for the
express purpose OF asking her to be his
wife; for he took chair beside her, and
after the usual greeting, reserving scarce
~ a moment to take breath in, began in
his business like way. There was no
confession of love, no pleading, no hand
clasping, no tender glances; he simply
wanted her; would she be his wife !?
Her lips moved to tell him she did not
love him; but as she let fall her eyes
from the crimson hearted rose that
swung from the vine over the win
dow she caught sight of those few lines
again.
"Married % she said to herself.
"What can do? He doesn't ask me
to love him. If marry him can be q
true wife to him, and nobody will know
that Paul has Tilted me-"
The decision was made. Her cheeks
we're ashy pale as she looked up into
his eyes and answered, quietly: eyes,
l will be your wife,"
Her parents were pleased that she
was chosen by so well-to-do young
man; SO it was settled, and they were
married the same summer. People
thought she sobered down wonderfully;
more than that, nothing was said that
would lend any one to suppose that any
change had taken place.
Yes, she had sobered down. She
dared not think of Paul. There was no
hope ahead. Life was time to be filed
with something 80 that she might not
think of herself. John was always kind,
but she got so wearied of his talk of
stock and crops, and said to herself:
II must work harder, plan and fuss
and hustle about as other women do.
80 that 1 may forget and grow like
john"
Two years went by. A baby slept
in the cradle, and Martha nobody
called her Matte but Paul sat rock.
ing with her foot as she knitted a blue
WOODEN stocking for the baby's father.
There was knock at the half-open
door.