St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-03
THE CAPTAINS WIDOW.
New Orleans Times.pemocrat.

New Orleans Times-Democrat.
''Hes dead" Sally Norton made 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 soften 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 con-
WINGED himself that great sorrow had fall
len upon him. he broke silence:
do you hear, Cimanthy? Jacob, our
son, is dead. Sally, your mo4her don't
seem to heed"
The old man rose from his seat, his
stalwart frame trembling and tears rolling
down his cheeks onto the grizZled beard,
''Wife, wife" he repeated. ''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 together, as though some strong
will-power had sealed them fast lest they
should utter 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 God
fearing woman, masterful you always was
and always will be, and it's that sperrit
that's that's a-keeping of you now from
giving in to Gods will. You always loved
Jacob better than Sally or me. Eve 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. |
always told you that there was no 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 Meigs? Since Jacob come
back with his wife and child I've seen that
you was bordering over something. Gilman
thy. but yOa was always smarter than me,
and | reckon what you're keeping to your
self 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 | know this much: We've got to
abide by His judgments, and the best way
is to believe that He knows when to give
and when to take. Do you hear me,
Cimanthy? I've talked to you the best
way know how. You amt turned To
stone, woman. that you can't thank God
for what you have left"
Sally had put a light wood knot on the
fire, which blazed up, throwing rudy
glow on the hOnely 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
wears ago. Now that he was lying up
stairs dead they realized the appalling
truth that Jacob had gone on another jour
nev, 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 kept for them in his
Utmost heart great love and reverence,
and that he held in mind the hard toll
which it required to make a crop on the
piney- woods 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
letter saying that he was bringing home his
wife and child.
"Cimanthy." cried the old man. now a
little sternly, ''the neighbors are a-coming
and it amt no use to get talked about"
At this she raised her eyes quickly to
his. They'll do it anyhow, Steven.
Neither you nor me can prevent it now"
He gave her searching look, but for
some reason refrained from asking her