The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1883-03-28
ROCK ME TO SLEEP, MOTHER.

BOCk ME TO SLEEP, MOTHER.
IL was in a 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 a corntield
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
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 sOld-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- 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 / 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, a 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
a long rest To sleep and sleep, like a
child. All, how many of us need to
sleep the sleep of childhood again! l
wished that l might get near to her and
her woman 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
aud back again; only 1 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 go to-day, Minnie!
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, sup
pressed way: "What is there to do but
wOrkP l cannot sit with folded hands;
cannot 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.. c. one late after
noon near the brook. He had been
mending place in the bridge that
spanned il, and we spoke of the fall
rains and the overlooking harvest, nearly
gathered. Then l mentioned his wife.
"She hardly seems as well to-day.
Has she not consumption or some local
troubleP Have YOU no fearPn
n really DO not know, - he answered
slowly, great shadow creeping over his
rnnns dtgha flpou rrfr ~ d.
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 tothe roofsand 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 1
Il cant seem to help it eitherM His
voice chOked a little, the team came
along; he turned to bis men, and to
finish my walk. A week later she was
unable TO leave her room.
/ went into the old-fashioned bedroom
70 see her one night, aIber our early tea.
She was lying with closed eyes, and l
feared to disturb her; but she looked up so
sweetly that / drew a rocker to the side
OF her bed and asked her if there was
anything I could do She shook her
head gently and asked me if was not
lonesome in their quiet life, ] told her:
'No, indoedl The quiet and fresh air
and absence of excitement are luxury to
nc. Then | have so much reading
want to dOn
''Ah yes, she sighed, "when 1 was
married longed to read, but there was
no time. ] sometimes think shall
never raal again"
81 thought Of the thinking that went
on ,lay after day, and alas, night after
pighti aud ] trembled for her reason,
Thun something prompted me to break
che pause that followed by saying: "You