The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-03-29

Z
Who sail the sea in ships
In elf-land, or in cloud-land,5
Or on the dreamand shore, g In 4
Can you find the little laddies
Whom lean find no more?
Three quiet thoughtful laddies, -,.z
Three merry, winSOme laddies.
Three rollicking, frolicking laddies,
On any far-Off shore? f-t
Julia q. r. Do1T, In Christian linton.
ROCK ME TO SLEEP, MOTHER.
1t was in a farm -house on our West
ern prairie that the story came to me, in
the golden, glorious month of October
Mine host, Mr. c., was hard
working, successful farmer of middle
age. His father had owned and culti-
vated the land before him, and had fol-
lowed his wife to '.the long home'' some
ten years before. A younger unmarried
brother lived with them, and the two
brothers owned and worked the farm
together. Over many an acre of wheat
| their reapers went; many corntield
| laughed with every breeze that rippled
over it, and fine cattle stood knee-d deep
| in the creek, or browsed peacefully on
the hill slopes.
"a well-to-d6 farmer. ~ How much
that suggests of plenty, comfort and
independence! And all that can
surround farm life with beauty
and content seemed included in the
picture of those Indian Summer days.
| The large, white farm house was full Of
quiet life; the cool dining-room, the
sunny kitchen, the great pantry and
dairy beyond the sitting room, and long
hall opening into the broad, vine shaded
| porch, the parlor, with its closed blinds
and door, and the bedroom back of the
parlor, with its old fashioned mahogany
bedstead and bureau, "clothes press and
open fire. Here it was my story came
to me. Mrs. c. was a pale, quiet
little woman looking always very tired.
Not so much tired from work or care as
from sorrow. She must have been very
pretty in her girlhood-the gentle beauty
of clear complexion and soft eyes and
hair-but she looked prematurely old.
Nor was it that either, but an indescrib-
able, heart-hungry, baffled look; a look
never found on mems faces and often
misunderstood in woman's face, The
more l see of Western country life the
more often find it settled on the faces
of farmers wives. She had good, relia-
BILE help and her husband was very
thoughtful of her in his great, strong,
|
quiet, save at meal-time, for no children
gladdened it with noisy merriment.
When, three weeks before, sunny
room upstairs, with plenty of quiet fol
rest, and the .cream and honey tha
can be found only in the country, hao
been granted the stranger from NJ, sh'
was still presiding at the table, ant
ordering the ways of her household: bu
she looked to me as though she needed
long rest. To sleep and sleep, like I
child. All, how many of us need t.
sleep the sleep of childhood again!
wished that might get near to her ant
her woman's heart, for there was tina
about her quietness which made my hear
ache for her. But she seemed always
busy, going from dairy to fruit-roon
: az d back again; only l noticed as tn
days went by she went oftener to he
, own room to rest. Her husband sal
one morning, as we gathered about tn
3 breakfast table, and she asked incident
) ally if he would send her one of the me-
to pick grapes:
'.Do let the grapes go to-day, Minnie
: You had better lose them dozen time
over than make yourself sick. / wis
3 you wouldn't work so hardr'
anu BIC IOOhSl WEARY, SUI
, pressed way: '.What is there to do bu
,, work? | cannot sit with folded hand:
= cannot play like child" And eac
day found her a little paler and NOR
quiet; the sorrowful curves to her lip
E more dropping.
g came across Mr.. c. one late aftel
. . noon near the brook. He had bee
: mending a place in the bridge tbs
!. . spanned it, and we spoke of the fal
d rains and the overflowing harvest, nearl
e gathered. Then l mentioned his wife
!: "She hardly seems as well to-day
y Has she not consumption or some loc;
5 trouble? Have you no fear?"
n 81 really do not know" he answere
d slowly. great shadow creeping over h
face; "she does not cough, and there
no consumption in her family. Th
), doctor cannot seem to help her any; st
:, says she feels no pain; but, though sf
will see to things round the house ju
x the same, can see she grows weake
g The fact is, she has not been the san
since we buried the baby. Our three l
IS together on the hillside yonder," and l
- nodded his head in that direction. The
his eyes wandered to the roofs and gabl
y that sheltered her, as they stood out ov,
i. the brow of the hill, and he added: .
/ am afraid l am going to lose her, and
e I can't seem. to help it eithern' II
voice choked little, the team can
along; he turned to his men, and
finish my walk. A week later she w
!, unable to leave her room.
: went into the old-fashioned bedroo
If to see her one night, after our early te
: She was lying with closed eyes, and
:, feared to disturb her; but she looked up
h sweetly that l drew a rocker to the SIT
% of her bed and asked her if there W
anything I could do. She shook h
" head gently and asked me if l was n
lonesome in their quiet life. | told he
"No, indeed! The quiet and fresh 6
and absence of excitement are luxury
:; me. Then 1 have so much reading
- want to do"
Sc "Ah, yes" she sighed, "when I W
u married longed to read, but there W
L. no time. | sometimes think | sh'
e never read again
~ Il thought of the thinking that we
on day after day, and alas, night aft
night; and l trembled for her reaso
II Then something prompted me to bre
IN the pause that followed by saying:~'Y
rs must miss the little ones the dear G
D. has taken from you, very much"-an'
was sorry the next instant, for gri
spasm of pain swept across her face; t
is with it l had learned the secret of /
ed WEAKNESS. She said, with evident
Il, fort: