The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-26

her her money! When you sold Toms pigs he
had his money to do as he pleased with.
Mice girls these of yours, mother said Mr..
Stilman to his frightened wife, They'll be
turning us out of doors next You pick up that
goods miss"
Rachel obedientIy took up the lawn and be-
gan TO fold it. 'Thar calf was mine" he went
on II only meant TO pay Margaret for caring
for it."
sYou should have said so. them" answered
his daughter, facing him with eyes as keen as
his own, but you told her if she could raise it
she could have it, and, of course, she thought
you meant what you said"
The father raised his hand as il to strike his
child then. as she did not drop her eyes, he
turned and left the room.
July came but the Stillman girls did not 60 to-
the picnic. Tom and the Glands" went, and
Mrs. Lansing aud her boys stopped at Stillman's
on their way and offered the girls seats in their
wagon. but the offer was not accepted. The
women folk Mr. Stillman said. "had to get
ready for the harvest hands,. and there was
more cooking, and ehurnng, and washing as the
days went on. No wonder Mrs Stillman grew
weaker until Mr.. Stillman noticed it and bought
her bottle of bitters and told the girls to keep
mother out of the kitchen" which they, indeed,
tried hard to do. But the mother could not rest
There was SO much to do. The girls could not
get along, aud Elizabeth was not WELL she
knew, for the patient elder daughter seemed
dropping, and a hopeless look had settied on her
face as if for life.
At last there came a morning about the mid
die of July. when mother did not rise to break
fast
Hadn't we better send for DR.. Lewis, fatherq
said Elizabeth.
20. no; your mother did not sleep, it was so
hot last night. She'll be up directly. Keep her
out of the kitchen, and see you have good din
ner on time. Wen have to work to finish to-day,
an I'm expectn Storm the air feels like it."
Twelve o'clock came. Dinner for dozen hun
cry men was on the table, and still Mrs. Stillman
was in bed.
While the men weraeating Rachel slipped in to
her mother She found her awake, but her
flushed cheeks and bright eyes startled the girl.
90 mother, she cried, You must have the
doctor; you are so sick"
NO no. DEAR" the mother answered; father
is too busy now, he couldn't take time You run
over to Mrs. Lansing after dinner. I'm not
much sick, but would like to see her."
Rachel returned to the diningroom
Take that fy-brush, Rachel" said her father;
"Susy's no account" Poor. tired little Susy
crmsoned to the roots of her hair as she handed
Rachel the brush
When dinner was over Mr.. Stillman glanced in
his wifes ROOM She seemed sleeping, and he
did not go in. Mother hasn't eaten bite to-
day, father" said Rachel. Il wish she'd have
the DOCTOR"
''Well," ID Mr.. Stilman impatently, 'if
she's no better by mornin' I'll send for him."
Not stopping to eat, Rachel went half mile
through the July sun for Mrs. Lansing. The
men had gone to work when she returned. Mar
garet was doing up the work. and Elizabeth and
Susy trying to make the poor, sick woman com
Portable by bathing her head and tanning her.
while they begged her vainly to drink the tea
they had brought her.
Rachel said Mrs Lansing, 81 saw DR.. Lew
ISIS buggy coming down the road as came here,
you run out and stop him when he gets here"
When, about o'clock, the rain began 10 fall in
torrents Mr.. Stiman had the satisfaction of
seeing the last load of grain just inside the great
barn door, and taking off his hat he wiped the
moisture off his face exclaming 'Weil, boys,
we beat the rain; it can pour down now for all
care"
Replacing his hat on his head he turned to-
ward the house, and to his surprise saw the
wellknown figure of Dr. Lewis on the porch.
Driven in by the rain, he thought; ''guess I'll
get him to see mother"
''Well, Doctor" as he stepped up on the porch.
show are you! Just got my wheat in in time;
lucky, wasn't IW
Very" said the Doctor. gravely, 'but just
came from your wifes beside, and she is, find,
very i'll. l ought to have been called long ago"
Mr.. Stillman was startled. Why" he said.
doctor, you can't think her dangerous It's
the weather's weakened her So"
The Doctor silent moment. Then he
said slowly: "Mr Stillman. it is my duty to
tell you that your wife can live at the furthest
but few days.
For once in their lives the men at Stillman's
Lansing took the superintendent of everything
on herself. John and his wife were sent for and
came, and before morning Jim Lansing, who had
learned the state of affairs from one of the
''hands," quietly hitched the horses to wagon
and went for Martha and her husband.
Poor Martha, who had not seen her mother for
more than year.
All night Mr.. Stilman watched by bis wifes
bedside or walked restlessly up and down the
long back porch. It could not be. His wife
was not dying; she was only tired. Yes, that
was it. Mr. Stillman; she was tired, and rest was
coming
When Martha came the mother who had so
longed for her did not recognize her.
''Mother Mother!' cried the daughter in
anguish. The mother looked at her with dim
eyes that saw no moro of earth, and muttered as
she tossed upon her pillow: Hurry, girls! oh,
hurry, it's almost L. and father will be in soon"
Then she grew quiet only her restless hands,
which her daugh tiers vainly strove to hold kept
reaching out as if trying to grasp the unknown
land she was SO soon to enter. just as the
rose in the morning Mrs. Stillman entered her
rest"
Her husband seemed stunned by the terrible
shock. With haggard face and trembling limbs
he bent over his dead wife. 81 loved her So"
he said 'how could she leave me?"
All, Mr.. Stillman, you are by no means the
first person who has failed to care for their be-
loved ones until too late.
Life went on as usual at Stillman's after the
mother had gore. For little while the father
had been kinder, but as time went on old habits
were resumed. Elizabeth went listlessly about
evidently failing in health.
Margaret was growing every day more defiant
toward her father, and constantly quarreled
with Tom, who, now that his gentle mothers
influence was no more felt, grew every day more
meddlesome and overbearing toward his sisters
The Summer following Mrs Stimans DEATH
Mrs. Lansings eldest son, Frank, took unto him
self wife, and late in the fall the Eeighborhood
was electrified with the entirely unlocked for
marriage of Mr.. Stillman to Mrs. Lansing. Her
boys, on learning of her intentions had uremon-
strated earnestly with her, but she said: You
boys do not need me now, and those girls are
going to destruction. Think of Rachael saying
God had nothing to do with her mothers death,
and she didn't think he cared anything for
women anyhow; He just created them for mems
convenience and then look at little Susy; the
child's face haunts me-"
WELL" said JIM II know things are in bad
Gx there hut II isn't SrS1s faca that