Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-14
THE CAPTAIN WIDOW.

pam or speech, ana 1t old not StrlK6 neI
that she might soften this cruel blow by a
choice of words or the meditation of her
voice. Her father raised his eyes to her
nomely face, so pale that every freckle
stood ont In bold relief, and then, as il
he had convinced himself that great scr
rOwhad fallen upon him, he broke silence
do you hear, Cimanthy? Jacob, our
son, is dead. Sally, your mother don't
seem to heed"
The old man rose from his seat, his stall
wart frame trembling and tears rolling
down his checks on to the grizzled beard
''Wife, wife," he repeated, "our son Jacob
is dead" But she remained motionless:
her fearless eyes had a hard glitter in
their dephs. The wrinkled hands, knot
ted with great blue veins were clasped on
her lap and the lips were drawn tightly to-
gether as though some strong will power
had sealed them fast least they should ut
ter words which had better not be said.
The old man came to her and laid his hand
upon her shoulder. "Cimanthy," he said,
in a broken voice, you've been a God
fearing woman, masterful you always
was and always will be, and it's that
sperrit that's keeping of you now from
giving in to Gods will. You always
loved Jacob better than Sally or me. I've
knowed it all along. When he was boy
you set him up before everybody else,
and as you let him have his way, you had
no right to moan and bewail when he
went off. L always told you that there
was good in the boy once't he was let
alone to fight his own away, aud, sure
enough, my words came true. You re-
member the frat letter with the money
in it, and then the others that KEEP a
coming, till we got enough to pay off
Jquire Meigs? Sence Jacob came back
with his wife and child I've seen that you
was bordering over something, Gilman
thy, but you was always smarter than me,
and reckon what you're keeping to
yourself is safer with you. You know
amt much of a chUrch-gOer, and / can
never light on the right chapter and
verse, like Brother Stebbins, or fall on
my knees and tell the Lord what I'd like
him to do, but I know this much: We've
got to abide by His judgments, and the
best way is to believe that he knows when
to take. Do you hear me, Cimanthy?
I've talked to you the best way l know
how. You amt turned to stone, woman,
that you can't thank God for what you
have left
Sally put light wood knot on the fire,
which blazed up, throwing ruddy glow
on the homely furnishing of the room,
and the woman sat down, rocking herself
to and fro as she looked at the old people
bearing so differently this cruel visitation.
They had hardly recognized Jacob when
he came back, and were not yet quite able
to associate this middle-aged man with
the youth who had left them so many
years ago. Now that he was lying up
-+o;, hn
truth that Jacob had gone on an
other Journey from which he would never
return. Neither message nor letter would
come to tell the old couple that although
he had been undutiful, yet he had kept
for them in his Utmost heart a great love
and reverence, and that he had held in
his mind the hard toll which it required
to make a crop on the piny woods farm
and therefore, saved and denied himself
in order to send them from time to time
a loving remembrance; and just before
Christmas there had come a letter say
ing that he was bringing home his wife
and child.
'Cimanthy," cried the old man, now a
little sternly, "the neighbors are a COM
ng and it amt no use to get talked
about"
At this she raised her eyes quickly to
his.
''Theyll do it anyhow, Steven. Neither
you nor me can prevent 1t now"
He gave her searching look, but for
some reason refrained from asking her
what dreadful meaning was conveyed in
this speech, the first that she had uttered
since she was told that her son could not
live. After the fashion of country peo-
pie, friends and neighbors were coming
in, and the old man went out to greet
them. Inviting them into the best room
where the chairs had been placed against
the walls, leaving a space in the middle.
Here the leaves of a folding mahogany
table had been lifted and a sheet spread
over them. Outside, the wind whistled
through the bare branches of the china
tree and the people in the room had
drawn close around the fire, for was a cold
night. An old daddy sitting next to Sally
whispered: Its lucky that it's turned so
cold. He'll keep until they can get the
preacher from Upton. How's she bear
ing up? should say she's not likely to go
to bed as some of 'em do
''She," answered Sally. II never see a
woman like her in all my born days. To
look at her you'd think she was only fit to
set in a rocker; but she's been on her feet
udNs anu NY III anu SLS uOu tdh6 OIl de
some of 'em DO. She helped to lay out
Jacob and then she locked herself in the
spare bedroom.
give heard ventured the old lady
''that you and her don't git along SO
WELL"
mo more than we DON'T" snapped
Sally.
II am plain Sally Norton, none of your
calogned and calarocomed ladies. 'Taint
no use with my freckled face, but I'll say
this for her, she's kept to herself and lei
the child run about pretty much as she
pleased, and pa, he's took to Lillian so as
never was, but ma don't seem to Spite he1
much
'sThe child amt bit like the Nor.
pOns."
about as much as I'm like queen
and, as things is, it's so much the worse
for her. Poor folks So" but the words
died on her lips-th the sound of slowly de-
scending footsteps could be heard; deep
silence followed the whispered converse
ton. They were bringing down the cap
tain. His tall figure was stretched upon
the table and covered with snow-white