River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-09-16
THE CAPTAINS WIDOW.

az > NDetus 9AitN ANOANpl llAdttt
this dread announcement to the two
old people who were sitting opposite
to each other by the fireside 1t was
Sally's way to be plain of speech, and
it did not strike her,that she might soft
en- this cruel blow by choice of words
OF 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 q great
sorrow had fallen upon him, he broke
silence.
''Do you hear, Cimanthy9 Jacob
our son, is dead. Sally, your mother
dom { 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, tour son Jacob is dead" But she
remained motionless; her fearless eyes
had a hard glitter in their depths.
The wrinkled hands knotted with great
blue VEINS, were claspcd 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 broke voice.
you've been God fearing woman,
masterful you always was and always
viii De. and it's that spcrit that's a
keeping OF YOU from giving in TO God
viii. You always loved Jacob better
than Sally for me. I've knowed il all
along. When he was a 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 oil. ! always told you that there
was good in the boy onc't he was let
alone to fight his OWL way, and, sure
enough, my words came true. You
remember the first letter VIII the
money in il, and then the others that
KEEP coming, till we got enough TO
pay off Squire Meies? Sence Jacob
come back with his wife and child I've
seen that You was bordering over
something, CimanJhy, but YOU was
always smarter than me, and / reckon
what you're keeping TO yourself Is
safer wit" 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
ike 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 / know how.
You amt turned to stone, woman,
that YOU can thank God for what YOU
have left.
Sally had put light, wood knot on
the fire. which Glazed up, throwing 4
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 Eaanv
years ago. Now, that he was
lying upstairs dead. they realized
the appalling truth that Jacob had
gone on another journey, from which
he would never return. Neither mes
sage nor letter would come to tell the
old couple that, although be had been
undutiful, Vet he had kept for them in
his Utmost heart a great love and rev.
erence, and that be held in mind the
hard toll which is required to make a
crop on the piaeywoOds farm, and,
therefore, saved and denied himself IN
order to send them from time to time
a loving remembrance; and Just before
last Christmas there had come a letter
saying that he was bringing home his
wife aud child
"Cimanthy,' cried the old man. now
little sternly. 1.-THE neighbOr5 are
a-coming and it amt no use to get
talked about. :
They'll 10 it anyhow, Stephen.
Neither you nor mt can prevent it
now.
He gave her searching look, but
for some reason refTained from asking
her what dreadful meaning WAS con-
veyed in this speech, the first that she
had uttered since she was told that her
son could not live. After the fashion
Of country people, friends and neigh
bOrs 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 ? folding mahogany table
had been lifted and 4 sheet spread
over them. Outside, the wind whistled
through the bare branches of the china
trees and the people in the room had
drawn close around the ire. for it was
a cold night. An old lady sitting next
to Sally whispered: ITS lucky that
it's turned so cold. He'll keep
until they can get the preach
er from Upton. IIow's she a bearing
up? | should say she's no. likely to
90 to bed as some Of EN- do.
She answered Sally. Il never
see a woman like her in all my born
days. To look at her you'd think she
was only fit 10 set in a rocker; but
she's ben on her feet day and night,
and she don't take on as some q en-
do. She helped to lay ont Jacob and
then she locked herself in the spare
bedroom
I've heard. p" ventured the old lady, /.
''that you and her don't git along so |
well.
NO more than we don :, - snapped I
Sally. y am plain Sally Norton, none (
of your coiogned and calarocomcd I.
ladies. faint no use with my freckIed I.
face, but I'll say this for her, she's +.
kept to herself and let the child run
about pretty much rs she pleased, and f.
pa, he's took 10 Lillian so rs never was, +
but ma don't seem to Spite her much. -
Tine child amt Bit like the nor. +.
tons"
about as much as N ike a queen,
and, as things is. it's so much the
worse for her. Poor folks" but /
the words died on her lips-the sound /
of slowly descending footsteps could /
be heard; a deep silence followed the !
whispered conversation. They were /
bringing down the Captain. IFS tall /
figure was stretched upon the table /
and covered with snOw-white sheet. /
Such vas Ire custom in the country 10
hose days. Those who wished 10 look /
upon him turned back the sheet and /
saw the set features AMI the singular /
them. Perhaps Il was his last earthly !
trouble which had liked its impress on
look OF pain that had settled upon |
his face.
The women we're dying Of curiosity 1
to see the widow and one plf..r-;r rtaF I