Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-08-05

Il
Twas still pale and weak. fa
n."fake her away while," said the doc
tworked." !"
i '"But," said honest, puzzled John. "she
Idoes nothing but the house-work for us two.
iEShe has no child, and our sewing is not
4 much" -~,, ::
The doctor looked into the troubled face.
1Eou are good man. John Reynolds and
pa strong one," he said; twill you let me tell
byou a'few truths 81 81
is~'sYes. About Lina?'
"About Lima. You remember, do. you
not, the tiny antelope you admired so much
in the fpenagerie we had here last summer o.
p sCertainly," said John, looking more puz-
izled than eyer.
4 "Suppose you had bought tlat little area
fture and yoked it with one of your oxen to
a cart to do the same work ?"
J. s''I've been fool,' said John, 'that little
thing couldn't work. 1t was just made
pretty to look at and to play"
-sssThatis it, John. Now don't think God
ever made a woman to look pretty and play,
but he made some for the rough work of
this world and some for the dainty places;
come to cook and scrub, and some to draw
mems souis TO Heaven BY gertle loveliaess
Your wife is one of the latter. II yod wera
a poor man would have held my tongue
but you are rich one. Give your wife a
servant; let her have books, music, pretty
things around her. Let her rest from toll,
and you may keep her by your side. Put
her back in the old place and you may order
her tombstone, for she will soon need it.
DON'T put yoHt antelope beside your oxen,
John" ''
81 will not Thank you I understand
Poor, loving, patient heart p'
s'That's right Take her now for little
! pleasure trip and get back her roses"
Lima clapped her hands when John asked
her il she 'woHiQ like to snand week iG
New York, and really seemed to draw in
new life from the very idea.
1t was delicious fun to see Johns wide
open eyes as they entered the parlor of the
great city hotel and were shown into the
bedroom, whose beauties were quite as be
wildering.
| HThe best room" he had told the land
| lord, and Lima could not repress a cry of de-
light at the vista ct the cosy sitting roofn
with piano standing invitingly open.
! go, John!" she said, "w0n't you just go
in there and shut the door for five minutes,
please ?''
John obeyed, of course John, she
thought, gratefully, refused her nothing
now.
ssHow lucky it was brought some of my
old dressesl' p Lima thought. II have not
! worn them since I was a school-marm.
Fancy Mrs; :, Reynolds scrubbing the floor in
John rubbed his eyes and pinched himself
as little figure sailed into the sitting room,
made him a sweeping courtesy, and went
to the piano.
Was that the little woman who had worn
prints and sun-bonnets so long? The fair
hair was fashionably dressed, and bands of
blue velvet looped the golden cprls, A dress
of blue silk, with softest lace trimmings and
ornaments of pearl had certainly made a fine
lady of Lima. The piano was yielding its
most bewitching tones to the skilled little
| fingers, and Johns bewilderment was COM
plete when a voice of exquisite sweetness,
not powerful, began to sing.
Only one song, full of trill and quavers,
Snd then Lima rushed from the piano into
Johns arins.
"John, darling" she said, hold me fast.
Don't let me slip from you !'
30, Lima % he groaned. was not fit to
marry such dainty bird But loved you,
little one"
'sAnd I love you, John, rough old John
Let me sing again. 1 am very happy to-
day, my husband -
But no wonderful trills filled the little
room now. In a clear, pure voice, full of
expression, Lima sang;
"I know that my Redeemer liReth.P
Every word fell like hot tears on poor
Johns heart, until, as the last chord trem-
bled upon the air, Lima turned to him,
stretching out her arms.
''Take me in your arms, john"
He took her tenderly to the room she had
quilted so gayly, and replaced her fnery by
white wrapper, whose lace trimmings
looked like fairy work to his pnaocustomed
eyes.
care you tired, love ?'' he asked, with
great spasm of terror at his heart, as he
looked at the white, wasted face.
eyes; very, very tired, but happy, JOhnH'
and with little sigh of entire content Lima
nestled down against the warm heart whose
every throb she knew was all her own. The
white lids fell softly over the violet eyes and
she slept peacefully as a child.
Softly as she rested, the faint pink flush
gathered on her fair cheek and a smile erept
over her lips, while John, bending over her,
lifted his heart in earnest prayer for the life
that made his own so bright.
share of astonishment during her holiday,
and it commenced by the apparition of John
the second day in suit ofhandsOme clothes
that well became his manly figure. There
was no foppery, but he looked gentleman,
though he made more than one grimace be-
fore he got, as he said, "wel shaken into
store Clothes"
Can l describe that week? What was
new to John was old, familiar ground to
Lima. Central Park was not soon exhaust
ed, and the little gnide grew stronger and
roster every day. in Johns thoughtful care,
that provided plenty of pleasant excitement,
but guarded against fatigue.
It was early in the afternoon of sunny
day when the train drew up at the Scott
field station, and John handed his wonder
ing wife into neat little one horse carriage
waiting for them.
"a new purchase, dear !' he explained.
''We are to take drive every afternoon.
DR.. Greyson prescribes it,"
The house was where it had always been,
but Lima rubbed her eyes and wondered if
she had been suddenly carried into fairy
land.
The dnll little sitting room had been pa
pered, carpeted, curtained, and transposed
into cosy dining-room. The stiff parlor
was very bower of beauty, with a fine
piano, the daintiest of furniture, soft muslin
curtains, anda carpet covered with bouquets
of exquisite flowers; the bedrooms were
carpeted brightly, and rejoiced in cottage
sets, and in the kitchen the most good-na-
tured of stout German girls fairly shed tears
when Lima addressed her in her own Ian
guage.
"But, John !' she cried, s'the Stanley
farm O.
'Is sold, dear. You were right; we will
make this home so lovely the Stanley farm
will never cost me a sigh. DR.. Greyson and
his wife took all the trouble here, and have
hired two new hands, so as to have a little
more leisure"
'sBut john" the little wife said, earnest
ly, 81 do not want you to think am fine
lady, doll to wear fine clothes and live in
idleness. I want to be truly helpmeet to
you."
$50 you will be, Lima. God meant no
one to be drone in the busy hive of the
world. You are not strong, but you will
find plenty to keep you busy in superintend-