The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-05-17
THE DOORSTEP.


Hannah Gneldt leaned upon hel
broom, and looked out from the low
kitchen door across the wintry fields
and ice-glazed streamlet which lay
between her home and the village o.
Greenock, with its one tapering spire
and sloping roof and blank white
walls, bare now of their summer
verdure. She had done her house
hold work, polished every article
capable of polish, and soaped and
sanded all the rest. At the last she
had swept clean her door-stone, and
now felt free to do what she chose
to rest or gossip or sit down to needle
work-a thing impossible to hel
while a spot beneath hef roof wa:
out of order. Just no& she fel,
neither like gossiping or sewing; hel
heart was very full, and she found i,
necessary to stand still and think Q
while. Only that she was not used
to it, she would have cried, she was
so very sad. 1t seemed to her tina,
the happiest people were those who
lay in their green graves in the
churchyard, with crossed hands upon
their bosoms, and feel quiet from all
earthly going to and fro for ever
more.
Not that Hannah Gneldt was tired
in body or weary vito the toll oi
household duty, for she was strong
in frame, and her health was perfecI
as her hands were willing. 1t was
on her humble heart the burden lay
her spirit that was worn with earthly
trouble and care.
"Twenty-three years to-day I'vt
been his wife," she murmured, "anG
I've loved him well, and worked hard
and faithful to keep things decent
and it has come to this at last
Things had been better, says he, i
ne had married Miss Lesfer.'
Yes, that was what Farmer Gneldt
harrassed by toll and debt, had sale
that very morning; and it seemed te
Hannah like the confession OF Ions
repentance, forced from her hus
bands lips at last.
Poor man! l wish ! could helT
him." she sighed, leaning on heI
broom beside the door. II doubt
he's right about Miss Lester"
With that her eyes fell and rested
by chance on the doorstep.
81 can mend that, anyhow" she
said; "and | have time, for my worh
is DONE"
So she hung the broom up anc
peeped into her oven and set thu
kettle on, and then, hooded and
shawled, crossed the fields to where
the farm joined that of Simon Gray
On one spot were men at worl
breaking up the stones lying about
Hannah Gneldt nodded to the ole
farmer and he came to meet her.
Il want a smooth stone, "she said
May l have one?"
81 wish you'd take 'em ALL" said
farmer; "a lot of rubbish. You see
I'm clearing away what they call the
old graveyard at last. Wife talks tc
me of sacrilege and disturbin bones
Bless you, there amt been none
for years and years; and these hard
times a man can't let land go te
waste. | tell wife she don't know
nothin' about it. What do you want
to do? Have a bit around the we'll p
"No, / want astep," said Hannah.
THAT great white one is just The
thing" And she pointed to slat
hard by.
"Ike shall bring it over tonight,
said the farmer.
No" said Hannah; Il can roll i,
along. wish could tell what that
was" she said. ''Some one'sage and
name. Ali there were sore hearts
when that was new. l hope when
l die Oliver will have written over
me that l was a good wife. I've tried
hard to be. / ought to know that
big letter. Wait a bit. / believe
it's L."
Then she turned the inscription
downward and washed the other
side clear and white and fitted itinto
place.
She received little credit for her
work. Oliver only muttered:
"You needn't have published the
fact that / couldn't afford a porch to
the place" And no one noticed the
step afterward save Hannah when
she scrubbed and swept it.
Matters were very bad at the
Gneldts. Oliver brooded over the
fire in speechless sorrow, and grew
grayer and balder each passing day.
Hannah kept ruin of a little by
making a home of the poor house
and feast of the humble fare by
her housewives skill. She might
even have been cheerful, but for the
memory of that luckless speech.
Working in her garden one day,
when the firstspringgrass was grow
ing green, Hannah heard footsteps,
and, lifting her head, saw two gentle.
men beside her, and arose precipi.
lately, with womanly anxiety about
her ankles, not strictly covered. per
haps, by her cotton gown. Thenear'
est gentleman, an elderly man, with
bright, dark eyes, addressed her:
"Mrs. Gneldt, l presume?"
"Yee, SIR
She asked him to walk in, and hs
did so, the other following. In thu
little parlor they sat down.
"You are Mrs. Hannah Gneldt
Oliver Gneldts wife?"
"Yes, sir; it is about-about-ex
cuse me; you look ike a lawyer, ant
/ fear it is more trouble for poor OF
iver."
s.Reassure yourrelf. madam = sait
the gentleman; treasure yourself
madam Your hnahand n not con