The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-09-16
THE CAPTAINS WIDOW.

-Pavl Hayas.
THE CAPTAINS WIDOW.
''He's deadl" Sally Norton made
this dread announcement to the two
old people who were sitting opposite
to each other by the fireside. It was
Sally's way to be plain of speech. and
it did not strike her:tbat she might soft
en- this cruel blow by choice of words
or the meditation of her voice. Her
father raised his eyes to her homely
face SO pale that every freckle stood
out in bold relief; and then as if he
had convinced himself that great
sorrow had fallen upon him, no 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
stalwart frame trembling and tears
rolling down his cheeks into the griz-
zled beard. "Wife, wife," he repeat
ed. "our son Jacob is dead" But she
remained motionless; her fearless eyes
had hard glitter in their depths.
The wrinkled hands knotted with great
blue veins, were clasped on her lap
and the lips were drawn tightly togeth-
er. as though some strong will power
had sealed them lest they should utter
words which had better not be said.
The old man came to her and laid
his hand upon her shoulder. Gilman
thy he said, in a broken voice,
you've been a God fearing woman,
masterful you always was aud always
will oe, and it's that sperit that's a
keeping ofy you from giving in to God 8
will. You always loved Jacob better
than Sally for.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 have no
right to moan and bewail when be
went off. always told you that there
was good in the boy onc't he was let
alone to fight his own way, and, sure
enough, my words came true. You
remember the first letter with the
money in it, and then the others that
KEEP coming, till we got enough to
pay off Squire Meigsp Sence Jacob
come back with his wife and child I've
seen that you was bordering over
something, Cimanthy, but you was
always smarter than me, and reckon
what you're keeping to yourself is
safer with you. You know l amt
much of church-goer, and 1 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 l know this much:
We've got to abide by His judgements
and the best way is to believe that He
knows when to give and when to take.
DO you hear me, Cimanthy? I've talk
ed to you the best way 1 know how.
You amt turned to stone, woman,
that you can't thank God for what you
have left"
Sally had put light, wood knot on
the fire. which GLAZED up. throwing a
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 quite able to
associate this middle-aged man with the
youth who had left them so many
years ago. Now, that he was
lying upstairs dead, they realized
tho on~n11:r~ <~,,<h kloA Too>l l.L
gone on another journey. from which
he would never return. Neither mes.
sage nor letter would come to tell the
old couple that, although he had been
undutiful, yet he had Kept for them in
| his inmost heart a great love and rev.
erence, and that he held in mind the
hard toll which is required to make q
crop on the piHey-woods farm, and
therefore. saved and denied himself ir
order to send them from time to time
a loving remembrance; and just before
last Christmas there had come letter
saying that he was bringing home hi
wife and child.
"Cimanthy, cried the old man. nov
a little sternly. 1.-The neighbors ART
a-coming and it amt no use to ge
talked about
They'll do it anyhow, Stephen
Neither you nor me- can prevent il
now"
He gave her q searching look, bu
for some reason RETAINED from asking
her what dreadful meaning was con
veyed in this speech, the first that sh'
had uttered since she was told that hel
son could not live. After the fashion
of country people, friends and neigh
bors were coming IN, and the old ma,
went out to greet them, inviting then
into the best room, where the chair
had been placed against the walls
leaving . space In the middle. Her
the leaves of folding mahogany tabl'
had been lifted and a sheet spreat