The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-03-31
ROCK ME TO SLEEP, MOTHER.

1t was in farmhouse on our West
-ern prairie that the story came to me, in
the golden, glorious month of October.
Mine host, Mr.. c., was a hard
working, successful farmer of middle
age. His father had owned and cult
waited 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 cornfeld
laughed with every breeze that rippled
over it, and fine cattle stood knee deep
in the creek, or browsed peacefully on
the hill slopes.
" A well-to-do 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 farmhouse was full of
quiet life; the cool dining-room, the
sunny kitchen. the great pantry and
dairy beyond the sitting-room, and long
lGll lllO Jllt lIOdU, Nlut-SIlduGu
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 COR pleXion and soft ewes and
hair-but she looked prematurely old.
Nor was it that either, but an indescrib-
able, heart-hungry, baffled look; look
never found on mems faces and often
misunderstood i'll woman S face. The
more | see of Western country life the
more often | find it settled on the faces
of farmers wives. She had good, relia-
bic help and her husband was very
thoughtful of her in his great, strong,
clumsy way; but the house was very
quiet, save at meal-time, for no children
gladdened it with noisy merriment.
When, three weeks before, sunny
room upstairs, with plenty of quiet for
rest, and the ''cream and honey that
can be found only in the country, had
been granted the stranger from NJ, she
was still presiding at the table, and
ordering the ways of her household; but
she looked to me as though she needed
q long rest. To sleep and sleep, like a
child. All, how many of us need to
sleep the sleep of childhood again! |
wished that | might get near to her and
her woman's heart, for there was that
about her quietness which made my heart
ache for her. But she seemed always
busy, going from dairy to fruit-room
and back again; only | noticed as the
days went by she went oftener to her
own room to rest. Her husband said
one morning, as we gathered about the
breakfast table, and she asked incident
ally If he would send her one of the men
to pick grapes:
"Do let the grapes 90 to-day, Minniel
You had better lose them dozen times
over than make yourself sick. | wish
you wouldn't work so hardr'
And she looked up in that weary, SUD-
pressed way: what is there to do but
work? / cannot sit with folded hands:
cannot play like a child" And each
day found her a little paler and more
quiet; the sorrowful curves to her lips
more dropping.
L came across Mr.. C one late after
noon near the brook. He had been
mending place in the bridge that
SPAWNED it, and we spoke of the fall
rains and the Overlooking harvest, nearly
gathered. Then mentioned his wife
"She hardly seems as well to-day.
Has she not consumption or some local
troubleP Have you no fearp''
Il really do not know" he answered
slowly, great shadow creeping over his
face; "she does not cough. and there is
no consumption in her family. The
doctor cannot seem to help her any; she
says she feels no PAIN but, though she
will see to things round the house lust
the same, can see she grows weaker.
The fact is, she has not been the same
since we buried the baby. Our three lie
together on the hillside yonder," and he
nodded his head in that direction. Then
his eyes wandered to the roofs and gables
that sheltered her, as they stood out over
the brow of the hill, and he added: 81
am afraid | am going to lose her, and |
i can't seem to help it eitherH His
voice choked little. the team came
along; he turned to his men, and | to
finish my walk. A week later she was
unable to leave her room.
went into the old-fashioned bedroom
10 see her one night, after our early tea.
She was lying with closed eyes, and
feared to disturb her; but she looked up 80
sweetly that drew rocker to the side