The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-03
RICHARDs IeCK'SJHlTeI.

RICHARDS R0CK'Dy DylSlTo
Since his wife died Richard lsock had
lived alone and friendless. She, poor
soul, had kept some good feeling about
the home, now and then . spare plsts
stood on the table, or an extra chair By
tho fireside. Mean a. he, Wa, hs had
never quite brought himself to cay 10
her: "You shall not have guest, !"
though he prosed away by the hour
about "the terrible expense" after each
stranger departed. Neither could he
quite prevent deed Of charity now aud
then-the gift Of loaf, or an old gown,
or bag Of -four. The unhappy wom-
ans kind heart would have its way at
times, for Richards parsinony was not
induced bv poverty but by . missrly
soul. He had only been very econom-
ical young man when she Arst knew
him, but the greed Of gold grew with
every year, though they had no ohil-
dren to whom to leave il, and were
possessed of enough and 70 spare for
any ordinary lifetime.
Hts Rock died suddenly. a litfls
better living, q few luxuries, the
use Of carriage in wet wealth
or, and, above all, . little more
love and tenderness might have saved
her life. Perhaps old Rock did not
guess 1t. When she was gone he felt
her loss as he had never dreamed he
wouli. Her placid face and mild blue
eyes haunted him. The neatness with
which she had kept the dilspidated
home. the skill with which she had pre-
pared the coarse viands, the quiet way
in which she had ministered to all his
wants, had scarcely been understood be-
fore she was taken from him. More
wretched than he had been in all his
life before, he shut himself up in the
great, barren farmhouse, and lived
there like beggsr. No guest entered
his door. No one ever paused there for
charity. With its closed shutters and
naked door-yard, where once the wifs's
simple flowers and herbs grew, it was as
desolate place as one could dream of.
1t was winter now, and the snow lay
piled all about twas heaped upon the
fences, in the window ledges, and upon
the chimney pots. Long icicles hung
from the broken water-spout and the
edges of the great rain tub; and within
little wretched fire OF sticks and
branches burned in one small fire place,
over which rich Richard Rock shivered
andshuddered, as though he had been the
poorest creature in the town.
It was 8 O'Clock, and . Saturday
night. Few lights burned in the vii
lage, but the lecture room of the church
was all aglow. There they held fair,
the proceeds of which were to he be-
slowed in aims upon the poor of the
town, who had suffered much through
the hard winter. Some rich men had
given considerable sums in aid of the
object, and one enterprising individual,
bolder than the rest, had appealed to
Richard Rock, with no success what.
ever. He had, indeed, limited that he
himself stood in need Of aid, property
was bringing in SO little. and the chari-
table beggar fed affrighted. They
talked him over at some Of the tables
that night, and said how, if Mrs. Rock
had been alive, at least one IS bill would
have been found somehow for SO good q
purpose. When people are talking ill
OF any one, they say the ears burn.
Richard Rocks should have been hot
enough that night, were this the case;
but, instead, they were cold, cold as ice
cold as was the rest of his per.
son from head to foot; not
with quite natural cold
ness either. He was not used to much
fire, and he had ON old blanket about
his shoulders, over his ragged great
coat. Il was chill that seemed to
come from the heart, and made him
shiver fearfully. The first shiver
seized him when the clock struck 8.
It was such . deadly, curdling chill
that it frightened Richard Rock woe
fully: and before it had passed away a
knock at the door sent him shiverine
again. 1t was not . loud, fierce knock
just timid tremulous rap or two;
but none the less did his heart leap into
his mouth at the sound.
Who could it he, at that time Of
night? Richard Rock crept to the
door and unbarred it as he asked the
question. A figure. all drapped in
gray. shawl or mantle over the head,
dropping down to the feet, stood with.
out. 1t turned its face toward Richard
Rock, clasped its hands, and said, in
voice that set him sllivering again:
I'm cold tonight very cold, and
have no shelter. Let me in and give
me crust to eat, and let me lie any
where, and God will bless you"
Richard Rock shrunk away. 81
never encourage beggars, {" he said, and
shut the door and fastened il. But be-
fore he had reached the Fireplace the
knocking came again.
Again he opened the door. and re.
pulsed the beggar with harsh words;
but the being, man, woman, or child,
whichever it was. never stirred from
the spot. II stool just where he had
first seen 1t, and called him to the door
eleven times. On the eleventh he yield.
ed, and said: "Come in, then. The
figure advanced and approached the
re-place. There were two chairs al.
ways standing beside it. One was Mrs.
Rocks. Into that it dropped.
The gray drapery hid its face, but a
pair OF strange, bright eyes cleaned
through the shadow upon Richard
Rocks face. They frightened him
again. In fear, rather than pity, he
went to the table, and brought TO il q
piece of bread and cup'of milk, The
singular guest took them, and ate and
drank. Then it sat looking at the old
man steadfastly. To break the spell
which seemed to be falling upon him,
Richard Rock spoke.
you're q stranger here, I reckon,a
Il come from far away, said the beg
ger, not showing him more of the face
than he had yet seen.
"You chose a bad time to travel, said
Richard.
~ had work to do, said the stranger.
"For whom?" asked Richard.
"For the poor, said the stranger.
"You look poor enough yourself, /" said
the old man.
"But there are poorer than l." said
thesstranger. "Out in the village yonder
many will die il they have neither fire
nor food. I want a gift for them, Rich
ard Rock"
"You." cried Richard Good hoav.