Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-18

assumed her uncovered state As prove
by her white plush bonnet. 4
( But the great trouble of the nsw honil
was lack of house room The family. likl
each one of those in the neighborhood,
lived in log cabin. and even the old Viz.
ginia welcome which met the bride could
not wholly compensate for The cramped
lodgings. So the groom stopped preach
ing. and took up the trade his Master had
I followed before the DAYS of his ministry ;
but. while all hands were busy rushing
ND the new house, fever laid its hands
heavily upon the old. and every bed had
an occupant. thought t, be sick unto death
The young husband was thought near
est the grave and then the young wife
found use for all her oyerfowing vitality
and that Pennsylvania training when
made her a wonder to her Virginia
friends. On her strong shoulders the
weight Of the emergency fell heavily. and
was bravely borne. From bed to bed OF
the sufferers she passed. and from cook
stove to table. preparing and serving food
for the visitors who flock in such COM
munities to the house of sickness. Ike
vultures or magpies around wounded
OK. to stare and wonder and be fed. VI
all her patients the doctor gave little
hope, but for her husband there was none
whatever. Speaking in after days OF that
time, she said
LAS for Thomas, there was nothing left
of him but handful of bones and tuft
Of red hair"
He sank into Inconsistencies, and peo-
pie ceased to inquire How is he?" and
said ..Is he still living? ?" One day she
e I. IL 4 Il, hQ
ing dark, and knew that she too was
coming down with the fever"
When the doctor came. he made assur-
ance doubly sure, and told her frankly he
feared for The result, she was so worn out;
but he gave her medicine and departed,
when she sal and looked the situation fair
ly in the face.
Her husband could live but few days
She would soon be delirious. There was
no vacant bed in that house, where she
might lie down. She could not become
charge on her overburdened mother-in-
law, thought she would surely die. and
must find a place to die in. ---.
OF all the women who had come to look,
there had been one whose scant calico
dress and sunbonnet were always clean
and who did not bring pipe; one who
had offered to assist and would not stay to
eat. Againstthis woman she had been
warned as one who was queer" and, of
course. not respectable; bu, to her she re-
solved to 90. This wOman's husband was
"A teamster and seldom at home. and she
had bst two boys in family. So the bride
got down her bridal bonnet from the raf-
ter where it hung. wrapped up in paper.
like a smoked ham, made small package
of underclothes, kissed her insensible hus-
band for final farewell. and started
across the prairie to the cabin. two miles
away. but visible from her starting place.
Taking Decline, she came into swamp
and sank in it so far and so often that it
became question whether she should find
"A grave just there, without the aid of a
but she climbed on tussocks,
picked her way from one to another. and
got across. wet and weary. AS she ap-
preached her destination. she saw the
woman she sought standing on log,
near the door of her cabin. and with an
axe chopping wood from the end of the
log. She kept on chopping, not seeming
to notice the approaching visitor, until
she stopped near enough to speak, when
she ceased her blows and leaned on the
handle OF her axe to give audience.
Continued tomorrow