The sun., 1888-07-05
DARBY AND JOAN.

A spI1ng RAIN was falling gently, continu-
ously, on Mrs. Trues garden. The lately
transplanted geraniums and petunias lifted
their heads gratefully to the warm shower,
and the flchsias and alyssum frightened
under its influence
If their mistress could have seen them. She
too. would have reioiccd, for the flowers were
care could be too great. no attention too
painstaking. She had housed them in winter.
set them out in summer. trimmed, guarded,
hung over them year after year.
InyoIuntarily one looked for her mild face
at the window. smiling ont upon them
but she was not to be seen. For ne second
time only in her life Mrs. True lay in her
chamber too i'll to heed the patteIing rain
or to think of the plants growing so fast in
the sweet moist air even though. through
the open window of her room. both sounds
and scents entered freely. the peaceful sounds
and healthfu scents of the country
1t was very still in he room where she lay
very still and orderly. The old furniture was
polished and speckless the linen az white as
SNOW; against the pillows. which had been
part of her bridal outfit rested the gray
head. still neatly cared for and the face. with
its palor still wore Il look of kindly patience.
At her side sat her husband, good Deacon
True. with bowed head and sad eyes; and IN
his workhaitlened hand he held hcr feeble one
Presently u footstep sounded on the muddy
sidewalk outside. Then the gate latch clicked
Some one walked up the path and tnp-
ped softly on the house door, and was as soft
" admitted.
But the two with their faces turned toward
each other. took no notice
How is she? said the neighbor down stairs
who had dropped in.
"FaiIin.' answered Fidelia Perkins. the
maid of ali work. temporarily engag ged for the
emergency.
"Fairly beat out with e1ievin. Seems If
he hadn no heart for eatin drinkin or
nothin. Just settin' up there along o her.
and holdin' her hand. never did see folks
! set such store by each other they do
Well. they haven't nobody else TO set
store by. you see. said the visitor. esta ablish-
ing herself by the fire. and holding out two
substantial feet to the blaze.
No, that's So" assented Fideiia. taking
out her knitting. Now YOU just make your
self comfortable. Mis- Clapp. I'm real glad to
see somebody. It's dreadful lonesome here.
Jest those two still critters upstairs. and me
and the eat downstairs. aud nothin on earth
to do. Why there amt so much IA tea=
spoonful OF ,iirt to clean up nowhere i'll the
house. | never did seq such housekeepin.
She Was master hand for cleanin - said
Mrs GapP. shaking her head thought!uly,
'';nd as say, there warn't po children to
ma se dirt. y
No. there warn't but them plants Is about
! as bad. to my thnkiu'. cluttering VI, the
place half the year. and hayin' to trailasound
with Il watefn pot, weed!n. and sewin over
'em the rest ot the time. She took Il sight of
comfort in 'em. though.
she was "a real good woman. Mis- True
was" sighed Mrs. Clapp, speaking already in
the past tense.
And he's a powerful good man"
There ain t no bettcr.'
Queer scch good folks hadn't q family"
We'll. they did have one child"
''Do tell? | never heard fit before. Boy
or airl?''
Boy, believe law Mis- True was most
tickled to death about it. She was as proud
as an old hen with one chick. but it didn't
last long. | was sent for to nurse her, and
she was il dreadful sick woman. out of her
head. just ravug about that baby; goin
on about what she was meaning to do for it,
She had it all planned out for Il lifetime how
she WAS a.oin to rock him to sleep nights
and how. by-nnd-by, he was aooin' to set to
the table in a high chair alongside Of her,
and finally, how lie WAS Ia take the farm. and
live with them always, N.Y. she was ram
bin on so fast and n smiling away to herself
while the rest of us-ina and the doctor and
the deacon-was jest a-tighting for that baby's
life. And at last when she come to herself
there warnt nothin but dead baby to
show her"
Dear. dear. did she take on muchan said
Fidela. dropping her knitting in her lap.
Take on! Well not ike some folks. She
didn't screcch nor cry: but she Jest turned
awful white. and her eyes got big and had
looking il was enough to ha Mt you tn see EN-,
and she never said nothn to Eie. jest moaned,
and caught hold of the deacuns coat sleeve
as if she needed eomethia' to comfort her. 1t
did seems if her heart was broke sure. She
never had no more children,
II guess that's why they've been SO set on
each other" unused Fi,lelia
We'll. as to that. there amt no tellin
Some few folks are so,-coRsdcrate and
feelin-but mighty few. Most married folk
get tired of livin' together, oE, at any rate,
they appear SO, to home. The deacon and
Mis- True .theyss been like they WAS a-courtin'
all these years. He's done all the chores for
her that mortal man could do. and she's
been as sweet to him-well. as sweet as one 0
them doves a-cooin away out there on the
barn
'Hark What's that" said Fidelia. halIing
up one hand warningly.
1t was only the sound of n weak voice,
above. and deeper voice trying Ia answer
soothingly.
While the two women had talked the after.
noon had waned. The rain seemed like fast
falling tears. The towers, some of them.
were closing dsowsy, The shadows were
deepening. The light green foliage of a birch
tree near the house looked gray in the twi-
light. Through the open chamber window
above sounded the sleepy thrill of n bird.
safely snuggled in the nest under the young
leaves.
Curiously enough this tender note alone
had the power to rouse the dying woman.
She had always been ia close sympathy , h
all fair helpless things flowers; young birds
and infants. Now. in her extremity, this
weak cry pierced to her heart and woke her.
tl,.,l, ,1N.-off l,i
don't they bring the baby to me,''
She was living over again her only sick
ness. She fancied herself young once more,
young aud filed with u strange great happi.
ness.
The years between had vanished. They
were happy years. too, happier than most
people enjoy for her desires had been easily
gratifiesl, her ambitions were of the simplest
kind. To live within their small means: to
lay aside little each year; to keep he house
immaculate and the flowers thriving; ia
know peaceful nights and quiet. uneyemsfll
days, to help neghbor in trpublc to sit in
the village church regularly ON sundays, and
to be sure that the grass grew green and the
white yiolets hourished over a certain small
mound in the graveyard; these were the ut
most limits of her hopes.
Her one great. grief ha,, grown so be q ten
der memory, end al the DAYS since had been
prosperous aud serene, unclouted NV one
harsh look or word
Now, suddenly she was Young again. "a
young wife in her HeW home with all her
humble household treasury new about her,
and this thrill Of expectation IN her breast
"Wharas the hahy? Why don't they bring
the baby to Me9" she repeated eagerly.
Her husband leaned forward, pressing her
hand In both of his.
The haby?.. he said; swhat. baby?" For
him the sad present had swallowed up the
past.