Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-10-13
MARTHA PHILLIPS.

She was dead. An old woman
with silyery hair, brushed smooth
ly away from her wrinkled fore
head, and cnowy cap tied under
her chin /; a sad, quiet face; pa
tient mouth, with lines that told of
sorrow borne with gentle tirmness ;
and two withered, tired hands
crossed. That was all.
Who, looking at the sleeping
form, would think of love and ro-
nance, of heart orly just healed
of a wound received long, long
years ago.
Fifty years she had lived under
that roof, a farmers wife. If you
look on that plate on her coffin-lid
you will see aged seventy there,
and she was only twenty when
John Phillips Brought her home a
bride.
4 half century she had kept her
careful watch over her dairy and
Iarder, had made butter and cheese,
and looked after the innumerable
duties thet fall to the share Of q
farmers wife. And John had nev-
er gore with huttonless shirts and
undared socks had not come home
to an un.idy house and scolding
wife.
But underneath her quiet exte
iror there was story that John
never dreamed of. She did not
marry for love. When she was
nineteen, a rosy, happy girl, a
stranger came on visit to their
village, and that summer was the
brightest she ever knew. Paul
Gardner was the strangers name ;
he was an artist, and fell in love
with the simple village girl and
won her heart and when he went
away in the autumn they were be-
trothed.
Il come again in the spring. he
said. Trust me and wait tor me,
Matte, dear
She promised to love and wait
for him till the end of time, if need
be, and with kiss on her Iuiver-
ing lips he went away.
Springtime came, and, true to
his word, Paul returned he stay
ed only a day or two tkis time.
Il am going away in few weeks
TO Italy to study be ssid.
They renewed their vows and
parted with tears and tender, low
ing words !; he put tiny ring upon
her finger aud cut little curly
:ress from her brown hair, and
telling her always to be true, he
went away.
The months went by, and Mat
tie was trying to make the time
seem short by studying to improve
herself, so that she might Ge wor-
thy of her lover when he should
come back to make her his wife.
One day she glanced over a
newspaper, her eyes were attract
ed by his name, and with white
lips and dilated eyes she read Of
Fhis marriage to another.
married Taken another bridge
instead of coming back to marry
me Oh, Paul Paul l loved
and trusted you for this =
She covered her face with hel
hands and wept bitterly. An hour
afterward, as she sat there in the
twilight, she heard step on The
gravel walk, and, looking up, saw
John Philips coming up the steps
He had been to see her often be-
tore, but had never yet spoken O
love, and had received no encour-
agefnent to do SO. He was plain
hard working farmer, with no ro-
nance about him, but matter o
fact to the core. His wife woule
) get few caresses or tender words
lie would be kind enough-givt
her plenty to eat and wear:
Now he seemed to have COM
for the express purpose OF askinI
her to be his wife !; for he took
chair beside her, and. after the us
ual greeting, reserving scarcely
moment to take breath in, begal
in his business like way. Their