The Arizona sentinel., 1885-11-07
WELL MARRIED.
As Proved by the Testimony of a
Doorstep.

As Proved by the Testimony Of a
Doorstep.
Hannah Gne!dt leaned upon her
broom apd looked out from the low
kitchen door across the wintry fields
and ice glazed streamlet which Law be-
tween her home and the village of
Greenock, with its one tapering spire
and sloping roof and blank white
walls, bare now of the summer verdi
ure she had done her household
work, polished every article capable
of polish, and soaped and sanded ali
the rest. At the last she had swept
clean her doorstone, and now felt free
to do what she chose. to rest or gossip
or sit down to needlework, thing i'm
possible 10 her while spot beneath
her roof was out of order. just now
she felt neither like gossiping nor
sewing; her heart was very full, and
she found it necessary to stand still and
think awhile. Only that she was
not used to it she would have cried,
she was so very sad. 1t seemed to her
that the happiest people were those
who lay In their green graves in the
churchyard, with crossed hands upon
their bosoms, and were quiet from all
earthly going to and fro for evermore.
Not that Hannah Gneldt was tired in
BODY or --ra-- With the toll of house
no duty, fol sae was strong In frame
an her health w. Hs. -e. a5 -er
ha #- were willing. - . 10 her
HI -aara tt. buI.e- ~ --- sI.-it
th, was rorn with earth r- al a,..
ca
Twentv-ltTee years .o-dsr . We been
his - she mu-terg1, I've
loved him well, anu WORKED ...-..y AID
faithful to keep things decent, ana has
come to this last. Things had been
better says ne, if he'd married Miss
Lester.
Yes. that was what Farmer Gneldt,
barrassed by toll and debt, had said
that very morning; and it seemed to
Hannah like the confession of long
repentance, forced from her husbands
lips at last.
Poor mani l wish l could help
him." she sighed, leaning on her broom
beside the door. Il doubt he's right
about Miss Lester"
With that her eyes fell and rested by
chance on the doorstep.
Il can mend that, anyhow" she
said; lard l have time, for my work is
done"
So she hung the broom up and peeped
into her oven and set the kettle on, and
then, hooded and shawled, crossed over
the fields to where the farm Joined that
of Simeon Gray.
On one spot were men at work break
ing up the stones lying about. Hannah
Gneldt nodded to the old farmer and
he came to meet her.
Il want smooth stone," she said.
''May have one"
II wish you'd take 'em all, said the
farmer, $50 lot of rubbish. You see I'm
clearing away what they call the old
graveyard at last. Wife talks to me O.
sacrilege and disturbin bones. Bless
you, there amt been none for wears
and years; and these hard times a man
can't let laud go to waste. l tell wife
don't know nothin' about it. What
do you want TO do? Have a bit around
the well?''
mo, / want a.step," said Hannah"
s'That great whNe bne is just the thing.
And she pointe,. to a slab hard by.
''Ike shall bring it,iover tonight" said
the farmer.
Mo- said Hannah, 81 can roll it
along. l wish l could tell what that
was" she said. "Some ones age and
name. All! there were sore hearts
when that was new. hope when die
Oliver will have written over me that |
was 4 good wife. I've tried hard to be-
ought to know that big letter-wait
bit; believe it's T."
Then she turned the inscription down.
ward and washed the other side clear
and white, and fitted it into place.
She received little credit for her work
Oliver only muttered:
"You needn't have published the fact
couldn't afford porch to the place."
And no one noticed the step afterward
save Hannah when she scrubbed and
swept it.
Matters were very bad at the Gneldts
Oliver brooded over the fire in speech
less sorrow and grew grayer and balder
with each passing day. Hannah kept
ruin off a little by making a home of the
humble fare by her housewives skill.
She might even have been cheerful but
for the memory of that luckless speech.
Working in her garden one day,
when the first Spring grass was growing
green, Hannah heard footsteps. and, lift
ing her head. saw two gentlemen beside
her. The nearest gentleman, an elderly
man, with bright, dark eyes addressed
her.
Mrs. Gneldt, presume"
.'Yes, sir
She asked him to walk in and he did
SO. the other following. In the little
psrlor they sat down.
'.You are Mrs. Hannah Gneldt, Oil
yer Gneldt's wife.
..Yes, sir, it is observation-disclosures
me, you look like lawyer. and fear
II is more trouble for poor Oliver