Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-09-12

dark, lustrous eyes dimmed and her TIN
lips trembled - she answered: .ho
is going to be buried to-day, ana s he
allus liked roses mighty vel, an la V
glad if you'd give me- some"
took the fragrant tea roses from my
belt, and giving them to hen. said: iou
are most welcome to them"
at isall I want now, and thank YOU
she said, sadly.
Then she led the way to the deao
house." q new room standing among the
oak bushels by itself. She unlocked the
door and the morning sun lighted up
the place and showed Us where lay nef
only girl in the painless silent sleep:
The mother turned back . white sneet
and disclosed q face young ana 1sir'
Even the pallor death had scarcely
| whitened the thin sweet lips, and the
face would have been fair anywhere.
Some one had dressed the baby from
the stock of refugee clothing, and 1t was
in pretty embroided night dress, and
the dainty scarlet initials of the former
owner showed under the white hands.
The mother put the bunch of roses gent
lly under the white fingere, and STOPPING
over kissed the cold lips in fearless,
quiet way, which set our hearts aching.
We vent out into the morning with q
sensation of pain, and also Of kindshlp
to the refugees that we would not have
believed possible in the morning.
Maria became our care tbenceforward.
She had been trained in q fine old Vir-
pinia family, and was skillful in all work.
We secured her a place where she eSrn-
ed the highest wages. In one year she
had paid for lot, and with the help OF
her two boys had built asmall two-story
brick house, and in two years the roses
she loved were blooming at her gate and
old fashioned flowers frightened her
door yard. The white haired old uncle
had died at Christmas in her house,
soothed and cared for to the last by her
ind hands. Every orphaned child and
disappointed girl, among all the refugees,
went to her for support and help, and
her life was living sermon upon the
text of "Feed the hungry, clothe the
naked"
Her husband was capable man, but
q confirmed drunkard and cruel. She
was slave to him, and in fear of him.
Once she said to roe: "BIack men treat
their wives as their masters used to treat
them, and whip them for everything" l
suggested she had 'better leave him."
She looked at me surprised and mourn
fully, and said: mo, no; I took Dave for
better or for worse, and if it's for worst
Pm Jest as much obleeged to stay rs if
it's for better. You see my word is out,
and never did 60 back on that" This
brief sentence settled all divorce Ques-
ton for her.
Gambling and drinking 60 together
among the weakest of the freedmen, so
at last her husband induced her to sign
a mortgage on her home and then
gambled the money away. Day after
day she toiled early and late and brought
home the money for food and fire for
the vicious Dave and the sons, who we're
grown to idling like their father. Once
l said to her: "Don't you get tired,
Maria, of this sort of life?"
She answered me, smiling sadly: 81
gets no time to study about that a week
days. It's when gets nothin' to do,
like Sunday, that studies on things.
Then rolls over and then rolls back,
and grow most crazy, all of studyin'. For
l can't read as you can, and just only
think and think. Week days work all
the time and keeps my mind on that,
and old uncle used to be powerful help
to me. He used to say: De Lord leads
us, and if He do it is dun shure. I'm no
account pussun to up and say He leads
wrong When I complained to him he
would say: 'Now, Riar, don't 60 and run
yourself down. If de Lord is gwine to
have church in our camp He's got to
make it outen the material He finds here
an you're to be bright and shinin'
light"
Thus did the words of poor, despised
Uncle Lige comfort human soul.
Another year came and went and the
power. Maria's husband and boys as
bad as they were, had the gift of leader
ship, and in spite of bride and threat,
they held their own ideas and their
votes defeated the opposition.
1t was after his election that Cecil said
to me, beaming with satisfaction: "You
were right, my dear, in your advice, and
1 have followed it. Three years ago
when you had Fsnny's postal card you
told me to make friends of the negroes.
What shall do for you for the advice?"
"Pay off Maria's mortgage for
Thanksgiving gift to her." cried. And
we planned how she should cone to
dinner that day with US and we would
make her the gift.
l had sent her word she must come to
held US that day, but remembered the
next morning that she had told me she
should "go to see Lizzie on Thanksgiv-
ing" Surprising she was to visit the
grave I bought some roses, and thought
to make her happy ~ giving then to
her for the grave.
1t was Thanksgiving morning; clear,
cold and shining. Ientered the humble
home, to find it silent and chill. Maria
lay upon her bed in sleep most peace
full and untroubled. She had gone to
see Lizzie on Thanksgiving morning"
NEVER WAS KNOWN TO FAIL.