The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-02-09
A STONY HEART SOFTENED.

week at Miss Keziah Fletcher's, that the
fruitful subject of Mrs. Denton's peculi-
arities was brought up for about the 14th
time. All the members, with the exeep-
ton of the minister's wife, were present,
and every one of them had something to
say of the poor woman whose strange
wavs had caused her to become quite a
curiosity in Briarville.
''Its my opinion such people are best
left Alone" said Mrs. Prudence Randall,
as she bit off her thread little spitefully.
'tShe's been a disgrace to the town
ever since she's lived in it,, said Miss
Paulina Cowan. 81 must confess hav-
er't any patience with such queer ways.
Poor thing.l she's seen sight of
trouble" said Miss Keziah, who was ever
ready to pour oil on the troubled waters.
"First her husband died of delirium
tremens-"
"Worthless sot She'd orter of been
pleased to death to get rid O. him, 7" in
terrupted Miss Matte Baker, throwing
her scissors on the table near her, with
considerable noise. s'You won't get no
pity for her out O. that, Keziah."
'"I'hen she lost two little girls with
scarlet fever" continued Miss Keziah,
unheeding the interruption, ''and only
year later, her second boy died of the
typhoid. She'd only one child left then,
and that was her eldest boy. She set so
much store by him! 1 remember seeing
her look at him once as if she worshiped
the very ground he trod on, and"
"That's ii" interrupted Mrs. Bliss,
whose husband was one of the pillars
in the church. "She thought more of
him than she did of her salvation, and
he was taken from her, that her hard
heart might be softened,"
"But it seems harder than ever," said
Mrs. Randell, ''She won't listen to words
of comfort nor anything else. No one
can make any impression on der. Miss
Cowan here went to her and told her how
we were all born to pass under the rod
which chasteneth, and that her Edgar'd
been called from the evil to come. What
dye think Mrs. Denton did? She rose
up like fury and told Paulina she pre-
ferred to be left alone.
eyes, giggled Miss Cowan, hysteri
aolIx, SsGhn'l ratbar ho-yn than
my company, any day. Howsomever, L
don't bear her no hard feelin's, 1 done
what 1 could for her."
''The minister's wife didn't get no bet
ter treatment" said Miss Baker. "She
sat in Miss Denton's shanty most an
hour talkin' of tho mysterious ways of
Providence, an everything being for our
good, and all flesh being grass and SO on.
An Miss Dendon she never spoke word
from first to last, but lay on the sofy.
with her eyes set an never said goodby
when Mrs. Bounce went away. Such
impertinence An [ went there too. L
didn't want to be behind the rest Of the
folks in doin' my duty. 1 told her about
these Affections being sent for our good;
an size must bow her neck to the yoke
and bend her back to the burden. She
laughed at me yes, she done just that. -
''She wouldn't even see me, said Mrs.
Peckham, tall, sharp featured woman
with shrill voice. 81 saw her at the
window, but she wouldn't open the door,
no matter how loud I knocked. But I
scattered tracts all the way down the
walk, and | hope they done her good"
"Miss Keziak, you ain tbeen l believe"
said Miss Baker. "Well, don't go; its
time wasted. Her hearts as hard as a
stun"
NO." said Miss Keziah, laying down
her work as she spoke. 81 haven't been
to see her. You know [ was away to
Helmstone when her Edgar had the
fever, and since I've been back my rheu-
matis' has been that bad 1 couldn't go
anywhere, But now I'm a trife better,
I'll take my turn"
"What's the use2 What can you do2
Haven't we done everythink ?" chorused
the ladies.
ST think I shall ask her to tea, said
Miss Keziah thoughtfully.
"Ask her to teal" repeated q half doz-
en- astonished listeners.
Eyes; none of you tried that, l believe"
answered Miss Keziah.
''She won't come" said Mrs. Bliss
Perhaps not; but all the same it won't
do no harm to ask her"
81 hope you'll try to soften her heart,
and bring her to prayer meetin' Thurs
day night" said Mrs. Cowan.
Miss Keziah made no answer, but a
peculiar look crossed her homely, good
natured face-a look Miss Paulina did
not quite understand.
Miss Keziah'll be wise to make no
promises" said Mrs. Bliss. sit stands
to reason that she won't succeed where
all the rest of us have failed. One might
well Vain W u SbUuC ho W 4hlo, bculCu.
Miss Keziah sighed and bent her eyes
upon her work. She had known what
suffering was once, and knew that while
sorrow and pain soften some natures,
they harden and embitter others.
Mrs. Denton lived entirely alone on
the outskirts of the village, in little,
weather beaten house, bought when she
came to Briarville, ten years before.
Weeds grew tall and rank in the yard,
the sunken steps leading to the door
were half buried in the vines, the gate
fallen to the ground; in fact, everything
about the place spoke of ruin and decay.
Not very cheerful place, certainly. y
muttered Miss Keziah, as, the day fol-
lowing the meeting of the sewing circle,