Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-09-22
From the New Orleans -Democrat.]
THE CAPTAINS WIDOW.

this dread announcement to the two
old people who were sitting opposite
to each other by the Preside. 1t was
Sally's way to be plain CT speech, and
it did not strike her that she might
soften this cruel blow by choice of
words or g. 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 bad convinced himself that q great
sorrow had 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
stalwart frame trembling and tears
rolling down his cheeks onto the
grizzled beard. "Wife, wife," he re-
peated, s'our 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 clasped on her
lap and the lips were drawn tightly to-
gether, 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 g.
broken voice, 'tyou've been a Godfear-
ing woman, masterful you always was
and always will be, and it's that sper-
rit 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. I
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 COM
ing, till we got enough to pay off
Squire Meigs? Sence Jacob come
back with his wife and child I've seen
that you was bordering over some
thing, Cimanthy, 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 Broth
er 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 Judgment, and the best
way is to believe that He knows best
when to give and when to take. Do
you hear me, Clmanthy? 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 light wood knot on
the fire, which blazed up, throwing g.
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
wears ago. Now that he was lying up
stairs dead, they realized the appall-
ing truth that Jacob had gone on an
other Journey, from which he would
never return. Neither message nor let
Ter would come to tell the cid couple
that, although he had been undutiful,
vet he had kept for them in his inmost
heart great love and reverence, and
that he held in mind the great toll
which it required to make a crop on
the piny-wcods farm, and, therefore,
saved and denied himself in order to
send them from time to time loving
remembrance; and just before last
Christmas there had come letter say
ing that he was bringing home his wife
and child.
ssCimanthy," cried the old man, now
a little sternly, "the neighbors are a.
coming and it ain t no use to get talked
about"
At this she raised her eyes quickly
to his. 'They'l do it anyhow, Ste
ven. Neither you nor me can prevent
it now"
He gave her a searching look, but
for some reason refrained 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 fash
ion of country people, friends and
neiehbors were coming in, and the old
man went out to greet them, inviting
them into the best room, where the