Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-09-21

She sat by her fire, and sometimes
read and dozed, and then her fire would
60 out and a chill would awaken her.
Slowly the day wore on, and at last the
early twilight came, the moon arose and
Ann went out to the well to fill her
bucket. She stood still moment and
gazed with dim eyes at the sky. She
would be all over, and Satan could
The Lord might mean to take
her to himself! Then she began to
lower her bucket, and she heard foot
steps. She turned her head and saw the
Widow Johns and the sQuire's wife COM
ing up the narrow path by the fence.
She pulled up her bucket and hurried
into the house. She was not used to re-
ceiving visitors at this hour, and her
heart stood still with dread. When S q
reached the house her strength gave out,
and Sc sank into chair and the bucket
dropped from her ner,eless hand The
steps came nearer. There was knock
at the door, but It was opened at the
same instant and the two women came
in. Poor old Ann had put no wood on
her fire before she went out, so exact
had TO lee her economy and the room
was cold and Oh eerless. She sat by the
uoOl lICl llstI sui Oh llel Ilcdu. Lie GU
pushed against her; the crow was on the
shelf by the window.
The two women looked gravely at her
and wrapping their cloaks more closely
around them, for the air in the room
seemed colder than outside, they sat
down.
"We've come" said the widow in her
heaviest, most constrained tones, 'to
have little talk with you. For some
time we've noticed you seemed to have a
concern on your mind, and as old friends
We feel We must talk to you" r..|
Ann breathed heavily and took off
her hat. at was kind in you to come
first" she said, lingering the rim of her
squire and the constable had come in
stead. 1t would have been hard on me,
and have known you all your lives.
nursed you, Mollie Gibbons, when you
was baby, and your mother died"
The young woman's eyes filed with
tears.
Yes" she replied, "and my little
Abner too. You don't think we forgot,
Nurse Halstead, all you have done? We
haven't liked to come questioning you,
but you are in trouble don't you sup
pose We are sorry?"
''But haven't given up!" cried the
old woman. "Be sure you don't forget
to tell the squire that! You know he
hasn't anything to do with it until l do
give up. It's all in the Lords hands I'M
til them
The two women looked at each other
Surely trouble and poverty had unset
tied the old nurses mind.
And you mustn't give up" said Mrs.
Gibbons gently. ''The Lord will always
PROVIDE"
I've said that over and over again."
and the old woman's eyes lost their wild
ness; "but even his saints are delivered
into the power of the evil one, and all of
Jobs patience didn't save him from the
vexations Satan planned out for him.
But you needn't fear that" said the
Widow Johns. II am sure / don't know
what you've got, Ann, that the Lord
would care to take away from you!"
1t isn't that" replied Ann Halstead;
"but think of what the evil one would
offer! You don't know, Nancy Johns,
what it is to be hungry and have Satan
put all sorts of warm and comforting
food before you. and to be cold and have
him tempt you with pleasant winds and
a sunshiny land. Old Mother Hogan
knew it, and l know it, but 1
haven't given in, Nancy, take notice of
that. There'll be no call for the squire,
and burning would be against right and
grace both. I've been starved but I've
never tasted the devils dishes, and 1
been cold. and I've never cursed your
boy, Mollie Gibbons. No, not once, al
though the evil one has urged me early
and late. No, no." she muttered, s'I'm
no witch, I'm no witch! / know you all
condemn me, but I've never given in,
Nancy; don't you forget tell you so.
Mrs. Gibbons got up and laid her hand
gently on her old nurses arm.
And you'll See die in my bed, Mollie,"
continued the old woman; you'll never
let me be burned?"
Mollie shivered.
I'VE never do such things in Penn
sylvania," she said, 'and you couldn't
be that wicked anywhere, nurse, and l
waut you to come home with me-"
Ann shook her head. 81 can't" she
said, "I'm too weak, nv dear" and her
head sank slowly on Mollie's shoulder.
When she aroused again to conscious
ness Ann was in her bed. A fire of oak
logs burned steadily in the chimney
place and a bowl of Cruel stood on the
hearth. The widow Johns slept in AIMS
chair, and old Ben Clark was softly put
ting something out of q great basket into
the cupboard. There seemed to be
good many people in the room, and |
there was, in some mysterious wav q
sense of comfort and plenty. The sun
was shining, but every one spoke and
move softly, but that was, the old nurse
thought, because they did not want to
wake the Widow Johns
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