The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1885-05-20


~ down." urged Mr.. Walters.
4 mind your own WORK, young man. I'm
4 ~ your patient. Hows shef"
Nj. Walters did ali he could for the sick
rUownp, and then, drawing Reuben out Of
/ ~ room, broke TO him as gently AZ he
eoold the certainty that his wife could not
i've msny hours. Reuben would not be-
usse II, and gave vent To expaessions Of
savage contempt for the whole race OF doc.
tosS
But next day poor old Mary died, and the
stricken husband shut himself up To be
Alone with his grief. Even II the funeral
be would not exchange q word with the
many kindly mourners who gathered round
he grave
The following morning, however, be
sent for his son and daughter-in-law, and
made arrangements 10 live with them and
their little boy.
"Gwendoline," he said, more gently
than usual, you did yonr best for her.
You're worth more than | thought w d
better all live together"
"Of course, father" said his son, hearth
ly; we'll make you comfortable, and Gwen
Will try 10 take mothers place.
''Keepa sensible tongue in your head,
boy" said Reuben, with slow scorD.
'Your wife's well meaning gal. maybe,
but as ignora. as baby. Mothers place,
indeed! My Mary's place -
He leant his heavy head on his hands,
and would not speak again
As Luke Sparrow walked away with his
wife, he asked her seriously whether she
was ready to bear with the old mans diff.
cult temper.
Nobody couldn't help putin up with
an old man like that" replied Gwen, whose
grammar was hardly as genteel as her
- 7
along all right"
But herein Gwen was too sangune
From the time she and Reuben became the
inmates OF the same little house, her every
action was harshly criticised, If not severe
ly blamed; her management of the house
uDfavorably compared at very turn with
that OF her mother-in-law; her ignorance
made the source ofdsily complaint :siler oc-
casioual tlighty manner, the theme OF new
er-eDding lectures.
Nothing but admirable patience and
good .humor and u real humility that ac-
cepted his judgment as better than her
own, could have enabled the girl to perse-
we're as she cid in her determination to
please the old man. In Difference to his
wishes she simplihed her style of dress,
put her thick hair idly off her face, and
discarded all jewelry save her wedding
ring and little brooch given her by old
Mary. Sarcastic and unkind as was Reu-
ben's tone in speaking to heI, she undoubt-
eddy prohted by his fault-hnding, and after
Il time she discovered that Luke was right
in saying his fathers bark was-worse than
his bite. More than once, when some
small domestic difficulty perplexed her,
Reuben's watchiul old eyes perceived it,
and she found herself at the same time
snarled at AS fool and helped out of her
quandary.
Again, the old schoolm, ster took very
kindly to his grandson. and Gwen, who
was keenly conscious of her own want of
education, was reaiy to put up with much
churlishness to herse for tbl sake of get
ting the boy taught by Reuben, whose
learning inspired her with profound re-
spect. Often when she busted his book
shelves, where Horace, Virgil, Cicero,
Thomas Kempis, Shakespear, one or two
works on education. and little old fash
Toned volume of Bacon's Essay and Locks
Conduct on the UNDERSTANDING" leaned
side by side n friendly tolerance of one
another's copten g, she would scan their
titles and read II page here and there, wish
ing she had had more schooling, and that
Peer might grow up stbook-wise."
One day Reuben eau ht her at 1t.
Put the boo back!" he exclaimed
peremptorily. can The years We lived to-
getber, the old woman never SO much as
opened book of mine, and here are you,
gal that can hardly spell her own outland.
ish name, poking into them, spelling them,
and wasting your time -
IL wasn't hurtin' EN-, father said Gwen
earnestly, but unluckily she had laid, his
fayorite Shakespeare open, face downward
on the table, and the old man broke out
atresh
f,hT b,t' tl., e IL
thing OF you? Surely, any foold know it
hurts book to lay it so! Get along! I'll
put the shelf right my self; never you touch
it again"
Every well, tather,' said Gwen, quietly;
"but | was only thinking of Peter, and
wondering if perhaps some day, You'd
teach him what's in the books"
"Well, well!" said Reuben, somewhat
Modified, "bes a good little chap, and
sharp enough too. He put me in mind OF
Luae when he was little one, but he'll
hardly come up to his father. LIKES got
first class head, If he'd only stick to
steady work, and not take up so with in
ventiops tbatll never come TO any good.
He's fine lad-he ought to have married
woman of breeding"
Pooi Gwen WINGED, for of all the shafts
in Rubens culver of abuse, this was the
one that wounded her most cruelty. The
sting of the words lay in their partial truth,
for she knew that her kind, clever young
husband might have made better match.
And yet she loved him so dearly ana strove
so hard to be worthy of him. 1t yeXed
her too to hear Reuben speak SO sighting.
ly of Lukes invitations, for as matter OF
TACT, the young engineer had sold the t.
enls oil various small labor-sayius contrl-
vances for considerable sums Only 10 one
hui bp fai nd bat
Reuben should seem to remember, that so
much better than the successes. Gwin de-
lighted In her husbands work, and rather
than let him be disturbed by dom site wor
ries, played out all her wonau's tact In the
eDdeayor to make 1t appear to him that the
fault finding TO which Reuben sometm
subjected her, even in his sons presence,
was merely the froth of calm sea OF un-
derstanding.
She little imagined, however, that this
view of the matter was Reuben's own, TIL
one day to her establishment a peighoor re-
morked-
"Old MIR. Sparrow thinks deal of you
Mrs. Sparrow, doesn't he? He drops in
now and again and tells US what good
manager you are, and how comfortable you
make him. He says you are wonderfully
thoughtful for such a young woman"
Gwen could hardly answer for surprise,
but the discovery that Reuben praised her
behind her back encouraged her greatly,
and she tried harder than ever to improve,
not only in her management of the house,
but in speech, style and manner
You are becoming quite lady, Gwen"
said Luke one evening; whereat she flush
ed with pleasure, and Reuben gave grunt
of dubious significance, which Gweh chose
to interpret as All expression of assent.
49,, Cal
rect--quite correctly. mean"
81 hope 90" said Luke, SO eagerly that
Gwen looked quickly up at him, and per-
ceived the strange excitement iD his eyes.
II hope so," he repeated, drawing deep
breath, "for believe l am going to make