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

white sheet. Such was the custom in the
country those days. Those who wished
to look upon him turned back the sheet
and saw the set features and the singular
| look of pain which had settled upon them.
| Perhaps 1t was his last earthly trouble
which had fixed its impress upon his
! face.
The women were dying of curiosity to
| see the widow, and one elderly woman Of
fered to go upstairs to keep her company
| but word from Sally deferred her, and
she reseated herself, with the consoling
| thought that Sally's rolls were of the
| lightest, and on such an occasion the cot
fee would be of the strongest. About
midnight it grew bitterly cold and the
| watchers found it more cheerful before a
roaring fire In the adjoining room than
in the one in which the body lay. Into
the silent chamber old Mr.. Norton enter
| ed, holding the child in his arms. She
was asleep her curly head resting on the
old mans shoulder. He seated himself
close to the fire SO that the little ones feet
might keep warm. Meantime Sally was
with her mother urging a request which
the old woman at first obstinately refus-
! ed.
eff she's got anything to say let her
come to me-"
"YOu owe it to Jacob ma, to do what
she asked you. For his sake Gomez
| Then she rose, and, disdaining Sally's
! arm, entered the room with a firm step,
closed the door between the death cham
! Der and the neighbOrs, who we're sadly
disappointed that they should miss this
moving spectacle, and sat down beside
| her son, not uncoyer1ng his face to look
at him, but allowing her eyes to follow
the CHASTITY outline of figure beneath the
! sheet.
90, my son, my SOM. she moaned, ''is
this all that is left to me in my old age?"
At that moment, silently and almost
unnOticed, the captains widow Joined
the group and stood at the foot of her
husband, placing one hand on the table
as if to steady herself. Her face was
almost colOrless, her eyes circled with
purple rings and her abundant golden
hair pushed back from her forehead.
''I've asked you to meet me here" she
said in low faltering voice, ''because [
wish to beg your forgiveness before I
leave the house" Pausing, she let her
eyes test on Mrs. Norton. 'You are
honest, god-fearing people, and such as
[ have no right here. I want to tell you
how it happened, that you may have no
hard thoughts of him."
''Why don't you set down." asked Sal
ly in loud whisper.
"Thanks; [ will stand until I've said
what have to say; it won't take me long
Five years ago this man met me in a ball
room where men were free of speech and
women liftened unblushingly to their
words. [ was young and pretty and
there for the first time; but I soon grew
afraid of the rough company and refused
to dance with some of the men. This
gave Offense and | was insulted. Jacob
FOrtOn stepped forward and announced
that [ was under his protection, though
l had never seen him before. There
were Oaths and pistol shots, but we man
aged to leave the place unhurt. He and I
never parted until now" She
paused a moment to overcome her emo
ton, then continued:
"He deceived you, his old parents, but
he did it for love of me. God knows why
he should have wronged himself for such
as [ am. never deserved it. I allowed
him to marry me as people get married
in those wild parts, and then after weeks
of what he called happiness-poor fellow,
ed my baby"
Mrs. Norton half rose from her chair
as if she would put the audacious woman
out Of the room, but the old man ex-
claimed:
"Cimanthy," and she dropped into
chair.
EYES," continued the widow, II had a
baby left at a miners hut IN charge of his
wife. [ never intended to go back for
her, but the yearning came on me and [
set off without letting Jacob know where
had gone. It was night when I came
back again, with the child in my arms. [
looked through the window and saw the
poor fellow sitting by the fire. Some
thing in his face told me that I need not
be afraid, so went straight to him and
said:
"'Jacob, this is my baby
''He turned awfully white, and for mo-
ment | thought he was going to kill me,
but he only said, in voice I hardly
would have known as his:
"Neliie, we must try to take care of
her between u.s..
"He took the child from me and I fell
down at his feet and cried as never cried
in all my life before He never went back
on me or on her. God knows he didn't,
and he brought me here against my will
[ never wanted to come. Oh, indeed I
didn't! And now I'm going away, with
Lillian"
"By G., you shan't leave this house
while have a peck of meal Left cried
Mr.. Norton, rising and placing his hand
upon upon her arm. "Steven Norton
shan't be outdone by his own son. CT
manthy Norton, this woman and this
child belonged to our son Jacob. His
great heart took 'em in, and mines big
enosh to hold 'em, too"
The old mother stood looking at her
dead son, and then sank down on her
knees weeping aloud.
Sally had taken the child from her
fathers arms, and the poor homeless
Nellie knew that she found out now why
Jacob had brought her home.
They had taken her and Lillian as their
own for his sake.
Utilize.
Our Country Home.
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