Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-01-12


If my work was going to be needed more
and more rs l grow older and less able
to do it." Then she burst into tears.
Jonce said no more upon the subject
that night.
These words of his wife cut Jonce
Trammell more deeply than if they had
been harsher, and she had directly COM
planned of his increasing infirmity. He
thought of taking a vow of total absti-
hence, but he could not see how he was
to keep it. 1t had not been his habit to
keep ardent spirits in his house, and it
was only when he went from home that
he took it. Whatever was his condition
when in town, he had been always sure
to return by nightfall; and it would be
amusing as we'll as touching to observe
his efforts to disguise his inebriety,
sometimes with seriousness entirely
foreign to his nature when sober, at 9TH
ers by an affectionateness so gushing
that he could but believe it sufficient to
win and keep won the heart of Il woman
even far less responsive than his wife.
JOnce understood this and other occa-
sional remarks of his wife to contain a
tacit proposal that if he would become
more temperate and more attentive to
the farm, she would recognize the dimin-
ished necessity of ruinous devotion
to her loom. He was right; and when,
after remaining at home two weeks,
he found that she was far
more temperate, and, farther, more
cheerful, he was almost sorry for the
occurrence of an apparent necessity one
afternoon that he should go to town on
some farm business. Mrs. Trammell,
though not urgently, suggested that
their son Tommy, ten years old, might
60 in his stead. But Jonce, upon re-
Election, thought he would 90 himself.
81 sha'n't be gone long, Nicely" said
he, as he rode off.
His business was at the blacksmith s,
at the near end of the village. After
getting his pillow sharpened, it occurred
to him that there was little matter at
BANDS store that he ought to attend to.
He scarcely looked into Fann's grocery
as he went up but on his return, seeing
Fam in the door for Fam, though q
mere grocery keeper, was right good
fellow, he paused for a little civil and
harmless chat. Among other things
said by Fam was this:
81 knOwed you was Uneasy bout
your wife, Jonce, and wants her totry
my cherry-bounce that I've seasoned
with cinnamon, specially for weak
Dresses. It's my own priperation, and
| tell You now, JOnce, that were study
in bout your wife when the idee struck
me-"
Anybody who knew Jonce Trammell
would have known to what such as that
would lead. Some time after dark he
reached home, and ashamed, remorse-
full, and inadequate for either the digni-
fed or the affectionate, feeling that he
could not endure the sight of the pain
his conduct was inflicting; dismounting
from his horse, he tottered around to the
wherein, drawing his hat over
his eyes, he took a chair and sat down
by the fire.
"Lor', Marse Jonce," said old Aunt
Dilcy, the cook, sskitchen no place for
white folks to set down in. Whint you
20 long in de big 'ouse long o. Miss
Nicely ?''
"I'm so mean, Aunt Dilcy, so that
amt fittin' to go into your Miss Meely's
house. You go tell her l said 500
"Miss Nicely weavin'. 1 hain't
not in two weeks. My POI mistiss goin'
kill herself wild dat loom"
"My God A'mighty!'' exclaimed
met his wife, and without a word from
house.
"Look here, Nicely" said Jonce, the
next morning, "killin's KILN, makes
al 4, ,l>ofh
Ky bottle or a shickle. If you'll quit
weavin' for good and all, I'll not take
another drink till the last day I'm a.
Twin on top O. the ground, and I'm a.
what I'm a-sayin'."
She had in her loom a wool that she
was taking great pains with. 1t was
stripe for frocks for herself and her
girls, and neighbor who had expressed
for it. She regarded it as
her masterpiece. She looked longingly
ut the loom, its fair handiwork awaiting
and inviting to completion.
"You are in earnest, are you,
Joncep''
81 am" said Jonce, firmly, even SOL
emily.
Then let it be So"
She rose, cut the cloth from the unfin-
shed wool, folded it, and laid it away
Each drew a long breath, for each felt
hat faithful observance of the mutual
pledges was to be at dear cost.
The loom was removed into shed
'oom, and Susan, a bright negro girl,
whom her mistress had been instructing
n the art, was brought in to its continu-
,us work. DIR. Lewis was right. What |
With the suspension of exhausting labor,
md the thought that her husband was |
'aved from ruin, the form of Mrs. Tram
nell Strengthened and filled, and the
bloom came back to her cheek.
Hard as was her struggle, that of |
(once was harder. But he loved his |
wife dearly, and he struggled like true
nan Jonce thought sometimes that it
night have been as well to modify the
compact from one of total abstinence to
nodarata indulpeuca Init he was