Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-04-20
Gales aud Sketfhes.
4 TALE ORA PUMPKIN.

A TALE OF PUMPKIN.
WHAT WAS WROUGHT By A WoAAN's
FAITH AND COURAGE.
TWAS on Thanksgiving night, after all
the friends and relatives who had spent
merry evening at his house had taken
.harnselves away-after the children had
heen sent to bed in high glee at the I'M,
wonted infraction on early hours, and
| while his wife was still putting away the
silver and fine table linen-that Farmer
Fielding went out alone with . lantern
swinoino in his hand, to take last looK
at the stable and cow-house and make
sure that the great barn door was proper
iy fastened.
He should have returned in ten minutes,
lint twenty had passed. when Mrs. Field.
inc looked at the clock, and asked herself
| in some surprise, what Hiram could have
found to dop And when ten more had
followed without bringing him. and ten
more went after them, she grew q little
alarmed. and tossing o shawl over her
head, went down the path that LED from
the kitchen to the barn calling:
"Hiram! Hiram !"
She called again, her voice taxing on
that shrill and unmusical tone winch 1rignt
brings with it. Hiram! speak where
are you?"
She stood by the barn door now. and it
was wide open. swinging in the wind ;and
within it ali was silent and dark. There
was not q sound-not q glinmer OF light
from the lantern.
"Oh. Hiram ~ she cried, ''don't scare
me don't try to scare me-" .,
There she paused. struck dumb with
terror. She had taken a step forward.
and her foot had struck something soft
and heavy that lay on the barn floor:
She guessed what it was her foot had
touched.
She knelt down and stretched out her
hand and felt about. The first thing that
she touched was cold, limp hand. that
fell inertly over hers as she lifted it..
Then she felt upward fromit, and touched
face, also cold. She gathered 1T up to
her breast. Dead" she sobbed, ''dead,
dead, dead" And her voice came back
in wall that rang out upon the night air
and brought from the kitchen Madge.
1.-THE help" and her beau, Ben, who had
been lingering over a parting there.
Ben, a great, stalwart fellow. lifted the
master in his arms, and carried him into
the kitchen. "Missus," he said, "boss
amt dead-he amt no such thing; he's
stunned like. No doubt he's hurt mighty
bad but Lor', no,-not dead. wouldn't
say so if it warn't true. I'll put him INTO
bed. missus, and 60 for the doctor. He'll
come to; tell you he'll come to-"
She bent over him as he lay on his
pillow. and bathed the poor bleeding
head, Madge the cold hands, and whis-
pered fond. comforting words as to
baby. And at last she saw. indeed, that
he lived. More color came to his cheek.
His eyes opened; but when she spoke to
him he answered her only with groans.
One of the children had been awakened
by the noise. and crept down stairs-a lit
tie white ghost with scred face-and
seeing what had happened, had awakened
the rest by her cries.
And in the midst of this the door opened
and there was Ben with horror in his
eyes, and hand pointed over his Shout
der toward red glare that flashed up
toward the sky.
Madge saw and comprehended, and
quietly slipped out after him. The barn
was on fire; and while poor wife within
the suffered room had one thought only,
"Will he | love better than the world be-
side live or die P" despite the fruitless aid
that came too late. though it was freely
offered, barn and stable, hay and cattle.
were licked up by the devouring flames,
all save the little homestead. and one poor
COW. dragged by Madge's faithful hands
into place of safety.
Noor Tho ri uipr for MrS Eia1d.
ing" said many kindly matron as she
heard the news next morning. Yet Sara
Fielding was at that very hour thanking
Cod for as the doctor went away, he had
patted her on the head, and said;
keep up your heart, Sara-keep up
your heart. Well get him through yet.
You'll not be widow this time"
He would live, and what did she care
for the barn or storeP Let all 60, so that
she had him.
But there was weary time before her
days of fever and delrium, days of weak
misery, when the strong man had become
like a fretful child. Sara's round cheeks
grew thin. Often she wondered whether
she could keep up much longer, but she
did and after three months illness. Hiram
got about again, gaunt and sallow, and
lame, too-although that would pass away
in month or so, the doctor said-and
was we'll enough himeelfto make it neces-
sary that he should be told what had hap
pended; that his barn was burnt. his hay,
his corn, all his provisions nearly gone,
and his horses and oxen, too-just the one
dun COW that gave them milk, tied in a
shed that Ben had knocked together, that
was all.
II suppose my lantern broke in the hay.
Sara" he said, when he could speak. ~
found the door open, and went in, and
there was man there. grappled him,
and he struck me-that's all I know
Either my lantern did it, or the man was
there to fire the barn. However it was,
it's all over now. 1t will take-Sara. you
took care of my pocket-tookp"
Darling" she said, "have patience.
Your pocket-book has not been found.
I've drawn all my little savings to live on
l thought you might remember where
Il always wore it in my vest" he said
"You know that kept all had about
me. There were five hundred dollars in
money, too. and receipts dare not lose,
for they are signed by rascals. Sara,
every chance had OF retrieving my losses
is gone. sure, forever. suppose l was
robbed as lay senseless, and though,
my own person better and safer than any
| hank Look af mo now miserable Grin