The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-06-21

"Myra," said I, "this is wicked ex-
travagance," for knew her money was
all paid out.
"But it isn't,'tshe said, laughing II
earned it myself by drawing and paint
ing those bits Of sketches. / sold them
all, and can cell all can do. That was
my way Of cutting carpet rags"
Well, we put the carpet down, and it
ldid look pretty-though didn't cay SO.
1t isn't my way to spoil anybody with
lattery, and saw Johns wife was get
ting the upper hand too fast. The neigh,
bors were beginning to notice her, and
that foolish old minister, when his wife
came back, had been over there; and
she led the singing in church and pre-
tended she had got religion, and all the
time she never scrubbed foor, or
washed dish, or put her hands to the
churn.
"John can afford to hire help" she
said to me one day, "and I'm not very
strong, and my mother died of consump-
ton" Then she began to cry like a
baby, and John came in and looked at
me as il it was my doing.
must say she could succeed in doing
all sorts OF useless things-raising ffow-
ers in every nook and corner, making
pets Of all the animals, and painting, or
playing on the organ. She was real or
namental, and I suppose some folks
thought she was pretty. John did for
one. don't know that she made me
much work either. She did her own
washing as long as John would let her,
and kept her room neat enough, though
it. was mostly Uttered up with flowers
and birds and her sketches, and at first
she sang from morning till night, aud
she did have a real lovely voice. I'll
allow that, but after while she didn't
talk much. and then John began taking
her meals up to her. The first time
saw him getting tray ready, said:
ats good thing you were brought
mp to be handy, John, seeing you've got
an invalid wife,"
He didn't say anything then, but q
few days after he came to me and said |:
"Janet, get girl as soon as you can,
and let Aunt Betsy come over and stay
with Myra; she is nervous and low
spirited, and needs company"
"Well, I suppose you've guessed the
upshot Of it all; a little daughter was
born to John, and it seemed to me that
a miracle was worked in the house. Per-
haps had never really loved Johns
wife-she was 80 different in her ways
from me-but when heard that baby
cry, felt thrilled to my very soul, and
I just threw my work-apron over my
head and cried for the first time in years
Myra didn't get strong, and the days
went on and still she didn't get up, and
I felt ii was nv duty to go and tell her
that she mustn't favor herself that way,
LtteS sb.-cOuIun H6 aUed e..,a avs usIs,
asrs take care of her child, and that
she'd never get strong till she'd got out,
but I made up my mind to speak in a
gentler sort of way. I had been think
ing it over and about concluded to let
Myra live her own way and not try to
make her over, especially since John
seemed so well satisfied with her, and !
went upstairs and opened the door soft
ly and stepped inside. John was stand
ing at one window looking out at the
sunset-it was all red and gold, and the
room was in fame. He turned as /
came in, aud the tears were rolling down
his cheeks. I never saw John cry be-
fore since he was a grown man!
"What is ?" I whispered, going up
close to him.
He made motion with the back of
his head in the direction of the bed. i
went over there. Aunt Betsy was in a
rocker by the side Of it, reading the BIZ
BILE. Myra was looking at the sunset,
then at her baby's sleeping face. I'm
not dull to see things, and saw there
what made my heart turn cold-it was
the valley of the shadow Of death!
That all happened these three years
ago. There is simple rustic cross up
10 the graveyard with "Myra'' carved
on it, and little Myra and l GO up there
every Sunday and carry flowers to dec
orate it, and the dear child sits in my
lap and puts her blessed little arms
about my neck and whispers: "Auntie,
talk about my mamma In heaven" and
I tell how patient and gentle she was,
and how she sang and played, and how
she shall do the very same thing some
day-for I know, now. that fowers are
as necessary to Gods creation as the
wood and grain, and the least little thing
that makes sunshine in the world is of
great value in the dark places, and l feel
sure, when I look up to the hills she
loved, that Myra has reached far-off
heaven before me. Perhaps-perhaps,
she will intercede for me there.