Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-27
ONE DAYS WORK.

" Therei bot coffee waiting for you in the
Library, sir" said the man. Mrs. Fergu-
son begged you would drink it at once. the
morning IS 50 raw
Very well, Thomas" lie turned into
the dinine-roon. Margaret never forgot to
care for hin. But in old times she would
have brought the coffee herself, and put
the sugar ia. sitting on the arm OF his
chair. Now she sent it by Thomas.
There was nothing morbid about John
Ferguson. But. like many another strong,
practical man, he needed, as much as
child, to be loved and petted and made
much OF in his home. For five years he
had gone without it all because his wife
was tire OF his boyish, undigniiied WAYS.
as he thought. What if she knew of Mat
thew Hale
The Judge would have been glad that
morning to lie dead there in the library. if
he could only go down TO the grave with
the respect of Margaret and his children.
Bnt now
He went out of the house and walked for
hours, ont through the busy streets to the
park, into the long stretches of leafiess trees
and dead grass.
Now the fact was that the Judge. as
Matthew Hale. had not been a criminal.
He had sowed his wild oats at eighteen, by
running away from home and Joining a
troupe Of barn stormers under an assumed
name. IN Norfolk he fell in love with a
biacksmiih's daughter and married her
She was silly and vulgar, and when she
and her child both died within the year, he
bore the blow philosophically. When ten
years had passed, and he asked Margaret
Fleming TO be his wife, this stormy episode
of his yoath seemed so like disgraceful,
long-forgotten dream that he resolved to
keep it a secret from her
He knew her well enough now to know
she never would forgive the blot on his
life, and still less the secrecy.
About 9 O'Clock he came back to the city
and took train for Nicetown. He was
quite resolved now on his course The
negro could not be trusted in any Aged
Women Home within reach of gossipv
Mrs. Luray. A line from him TO a couple
of young physicians that he knew, would
find place for her in the insane asylum at
Norristown. which harbored so many
crazy paupers. If she told her story there,
it would be reckoned part of her mad
ness. As for her husband he should not
want. He felt that at last he saw a way
out of his trouble.
lie found Sarah's house easily. IL was
miserable shanty, even worse than he ex-
pected TO s?e. The nipping wind drove
through the wide cracks in the wall But
il was not squalid. The floor and door
steps were white with much scrubbing,
and the wOman's old calico dress, though
patched with twenty colors, was clean The
Judge entered the hut in a strained state of
excitement, with the one idea that possess
ed him but the chill poverty OF The place
touched him, and for the moment took his
thoughts from himself A little fire burned
on the hearth; the Old man was placed
directly IN front of it, wrapped i'll all the
coats ana blankets in the house, and his
wife's shawl She i'll her thin gown and
bare feet worked outside, shivering with
the cold. she gave the Judge an eager wei
come, and even the old man looked UP
with twinkle in his beared eyes, putting
his paisied hand up to his forehead, mum
blins
Sarah stepped to listen, anxiously. He
says its Il great honah, sub. Eli George
was himself, sub, nobody kin 'spress him
self more perspicuitiy. tole him you was
a-comin' | knowed you'd be shuah to
come. fought you'd like to talk with
some as had knowed Nuhgin-yoh good
lady. She brought forward a rickety
chair, ana the Judge sank into it. He
stared al the woman TO whom he was ex-
pected 10 talk OF Virginia and her child
But in fact, he aud his concerns did not
much interest Sarah. Like the rest of the
world, she much preferred to talk of her
own affairs, and lost no Time in beginning
It's long way OFT hysh, cunnel. and
II was mons Gus kyipd of YOU to come. I'll
tell yoh gvoi lady SO when l go to see her.
Mis- Lgc.y gib me her dress. Yes. Its
n long Way 1t Ollie lonesome hyah. |
doan ;nind IL: but it's tahhle lonesome fob
pocV George when I'm gone, doan spec
/ mentioned TO yoh bout George. He's an
Ollie sufferer. Jes show de gemmen yoh
legs Look Oar, sub, clicking her tongue
with pity beyond words. Swelled up to
dat, and when he was young de fohmost
'oStler at Maioh Bickford S. Sprys year
lin colt n he got head ON him. too
When de teacheth come, after de wah,
George was fus on de spellin' book, sub
Nc, was nowhahs r. laughing. IN now
he'sa wreck, mine'n body. Nobody to keer
for him but de ole oman
=" Well. you take good care of him, sup
poseY said the Judge, for lack of some
thing to say.
Old George mumbled again, ami Sarah
eagerly bent TO listen; but when She heard.
did not speak.
What does he say?"
She hesitated. Twas kind of private
tween HMM me-" she said, abruptly. "He
said as Ga been mortal good to him. She
adjusted the old rags about his shoulders
tenderly. Some expression which glowed
through her withered face as she did il
moved the Judge.
" Old and black and a slave-a woman's
a woman still, he thought, and, stopping,
began 10 slowly fling some chips of wood
on the fire, while he looked thonghtfully al
the old couple. Nothing could be easier
than To dispose of them before nightfall.
There WIS the alnshouse for this old man
twhere really he belongedl, and once at
NoIristown Sarahs tongue was silent for
ever.
- could live out the few years left Inc
with al least the respect OF my wife them
he thought
Sarah, with the hospitality of Virgin
ian brought out big, red apple, washed
it, and put it, wet and shining, on clean
piate, with a knife, before the judge,
smiling and bobbing. while the old man.
peering from out his wraps, blinked and
nodded with pleasure.
John Ferguson pushed the plate away.
4 plotter for the first time in his clean,
downright life. he tried TO scowl malig-
nanilv at the old creatures, tried to force a
malignant scowl into his heart.