The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-04-05

M NJ so1ke1 1ohco anu tne n1&neT course
The environment of mass OF men
NAY brighten and spread apace,
y TIL the deeds shall throng ali paths along
TO the glory Of all the race.
AN IOWA GIRLS STORY.
Hope Livingstone in the Chicago Advance
1t was In farm house on our Wes-
tern prairie that the story came to me,
In the golden, glorious month of October.
Mine host, Mr.. c., was hard-work-
Ing successful farmer of middle.age.
His father had owned and cultivated the
land before him, and had followed bis
wife to 1.-THE long home" some ten years
before. A younger unmarried brother
lived with them, and the brothers owned
and worked the farm together. Over
many an acre Of wheat their reapers
went; many cornf1eld 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 in
dependence! 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 din
ing-room, the sunny kitchen, the great
pantry and dairy beyond, the sitting
room, and long hall opening into tie
broad, vine.shaded porch, the parlor
with its closed blinds and doors, and the
bedroom back of the parlor, with it's
oldfashioned 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 40 much tired
from work or care as from sorrow. She
must have been very pretty In her girl
hoodI,the gentle beauty of clear
complexion, and soft eyes
and hair,cbut she looked
{ Prematurely old. Nor was it that either
Sbut an indescribable, heart-hungry,
mems faces, and often misunderstood in
a woman,s face. The more see of wes-
tern country life, the more often I find
it settled on the faces of farmers wives.
She had good, reliable help, and b or hus.
band 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 merri-
ment.
When, three weeks before, a sunny
room up stairs, with plenty Of quiet for
rest, ard the 'cream and honey" that
can be found only in the country, had
been granted the stranger from M ., she
was still presiding at the table, and Or
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. I
wished that I 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, 60
ing from dairy to fruit-room, and back
again; only noticed az 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 him incidentally if he
would send her one II the men to pick
ersaRHe a it. ~. ,.,,.. -. +c-1.,, ,,;n.;o.
You may better lose them dozen times
over than make yourself sick. I wish
you wouldn't work 30 hardw
And she looked up in that weary, sup
f-essed way: "What is there to do but
work2 I cannot sit with folded hands.
cannut play like a child" And each
day found her little paler and more
quiet; the sorrowful curves to her lips
more dropping.
came across Mr.. Cone late after
noon near the brook. He bad been
mendlng piece in the bridge thatspan-
ned 1t, and we spoke Of the Fall rains
and the overlooking harvest, nearly
gathered. Then mentioned his wife.
"She hardly seems rs we'll to-day. Has
she not consumption or some local trou-
bic? Have you no fearW
,"I really do not know" he answered
slowly. q great shadow creeping over bis
no consumption in her family. The doc
tor cannot seem to help her any; she
says she feels no pain; but, though she
will see to things round the house just
the same, can see she grows weaker.
The fact 10, 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 tho roof and
gables that sheltered her, as they stood
ont over the brow of the hill, and he adj
ded, II am af:aid I e::2 ss:3cs to lose her
and III can't seem to help it eitherw
His voice choked q little, the team came
elong; he turned to his men, and to
unable to leave her room.
& went into the old fashioned bed
room to 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 of her bed, and asked
her if there was anything that I could
do. She shook her head gently and
asked me if was not lonesome in their
quiet life. I told her, mo indeed! The
quiet and fresh air, and absence of ex-
element. are luxury to me. Then I
have 80 much reading I want to do"
"Ah, yes" she sighed "when I was
I. married lonRed to read, but there was
no time. I sometimes think / shall
never read again"
I though of the thinking that went on
day after day, and alas. nightafter:night;
and trembled for her reason. Then
something prompted me to break the
pause that followed by saying, "You
must miss the little ones the dear God
has taken from you, very much" and
was sorry the next instant, for a great
& spssm of pain swept across her face; but
with it I had learned the secret of her
3 WEAKNESS. She said with evident effort:
II have not been strong since baby
came and went. And must get we'll,
: there is 90 much to be done before VIM
ter sets in" She opened her eyes
brown eyes they Were-and I thought
Of Alice Cary's lines: @ III ~
Her slok soul sweary With waiting s.
Jenny, the dairy-maid came In for some
that look haunting me. a few days later
she was feverish and decidedly worse.
IT wish you'd 60 In and see her, If
you wouldn't mind, her husband said,
as inquired for her as usual after sup
B per. Then, instead of putting on his
broad hrimmed hat and following his