Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-06-11

I Tne walls were diIaptdated, the hoo
OF rough puncheon. The shingles thA
covered the roof were 80 curled by th
sun that the rain dripped through
them whenever there WAS down pour
1.-THE hearth, TO the wide, open f;eplao
was made Of rough, fat stones, bu
here and there large crack opened
Ealmost wide enough to take In the foo
bof the unwary. The poor structure wa
unshsded by trees; no flowers bloomet
near its unpromising walls.
"What place for human being Il
call homel" he said TO himeelf as he ap
proached the door, which sto0d slight,
tajAr.
He knocked. and heard from within
uquerulous "Come in" He entsrtd, AND
saw pale, thin, elderly woman, will
tgray hair and sunken eyes, q forIorn
wretched. looking creature, in the mids
LEI the most humble surroundings. Sh,
Erose to welcome him. and offered him |
Iohair OF rude construction, and dilapi
dated ut shat.
There was something 80 desolAte IL
the old laoy's appearance that eoot
Elder Meigs fe' Is his heart drawn out II
pity. He wanted 70 offsr her some con
solatiou, but he did not know how Il
Il bosAbtuhUos A1p bpbho va bAb WOntLC
40 an unfAiling resource, said IL was Q
lovely spring day and he supposed
Brother BowArd was busy IN the Geld
A balfsullep, half inAItioulAte Or.
swer was given.
swell. sister, hope you have sweet
I comRunings with the dear Jesus. You
not seem TO have much TO turn you
H aside from sweet, spiritual converse
Sith this dear friend"
Instead OF answering, she turned
ipon him abruptly and asked: "Art
yoa married again, Brother Meips2"
"Yos, sister," he answered, wonder
iuR ut her abrupt question.
II thought l heard tell something
ke 1t Did you marry q strange
Somau2"
why, NO, sister. had known and
louored her for many years"
well, I'm glad o. that" she said
9Th something like interest in her
manner. ~ tell you, It's an awful
hing to marry stranger. did that
orty years ego, and as nigh as I can
Ialculate We haint got acquainted yit."
THAT must be sad indeed, Sister
Toward. can't quite understand you. /"
Presently the old mAn appeared,
Walking with stumbling gait. He
was THO and poorly clad, though his
clothes xere well mended and clean.
"Good day Brother Howard; / hope I
zee you we'll this Hne spring day" said
the Elder, rising to greet the man As he
approached. Howard held out In al.
moat lifeless band, which he allowed
warm-heArted Brother Meigs 70 shake,
mt he did not seem to find any words
To utter. After q little time no went 10
ho water pail that stood on . shelf In
she corner, and taking down q gourd
Upper, sought for water.
"Why, Phrony, there amt Bit o
water In the pail" he said, in re-
proaohful tone.
"wel, you didn't bring any" was
the whining reply.
The man TOOK the pail and went off
90 the spring. some distance from tae
house, through tall grass still wet with
dew. Elder Meigs had drawn his chair
near the door, and now sat looking
after him.
"It's = good bit Of Q walk to the
spring, Sister Howard" said the Elder.
Eyes, Brother Melgs, and I've bru ~
hundreds of pailfuls Of water from IL
But the doOror said mustn'g do that
any more or I'd he bringing 1t now.
Pears like Howard never thought ont
till tho Doctor told hun that It was my
trAilin' through the wet grass that Civ
me the rheumatic this spring, and IL
10 me nigh cripplin' me for lifs."
s'ThAt was very thoughtless OF your
husband" said the Elder.
"Wall, I suppose It's what one must
expect whom you marry stranger,
she said, In sp'ritlosa tone.
"But forty years ought TO be long
enough to make you acquainted" said
the Elder.
"No, Brother Meis,, I don't think
etArnity would be long enough when
you're naturally strangers" abe ssid,
looking keenly into his good nAtured
face.
"But that Is dreadful, siltsr Howard.
How can you live together In the same
room, cit at the same table and sleep In
the BRme bed, and still be strangers?"
~ can't toll you how 1t is, but 1t has
always been 30, from the day he brought
kind friends and neighbours, and put
me into this miserable cabin and told
me this was my homs.p
'And you never planted tree nor .
fiJwer, nor did anything TO make 1t
look cheerful AMI homelike2" said the
Elder, in tone that had 10 1t q sound
OF reproach
"Yee, did for good many cars;
6ut the cattle browted down my little
trees, aud tho hogs rooted up my flow
ere, aud Howard said they was notlin'
bat weeds, and he didn't care II they
was rooted ont; 70 / Civ 1t up. he
seemed to be kinder Jealous OF seoh
things, and said cared more for them
than did for him.
ibid you evsr neglect him for your
garden? Did You let him come In hun.
CRY and fud nothing ready when on
had been tending yeur flowers. sister,"
mo, Brother Meigs, not unless he
had forgotten to alt me thinRs to cook,
or wood to make q Are. Theu, you
know, couldn't get him his dinner"
"Evlde1tly not" But as Mr.. How.
ard WAS approaching, he could not
continue bic remarks Mrs. Howard
brought teaoup, and offered her quest
water, and he drank aud praised 1t.
"Yts, Brother Meies," said Mr..
Ho ward, ''tbat water Is the best In the
county. II 1t hadn't been SO good, /
should have dug well ss the door !"
81 good Brother Meigs SAW that there
was one thing that aroused the enthus-
iasm o! this strange man. That spring
water he ADMIRED and loved He won.
dsred If there WAS In his heart no we'll
spring OF tenderness. But time was
passing, and he must finish his call and
go on his way. 30 he asked permission
to havea word OF prayer, and he pray
ed most fervently that the spirit of love
might aaicend upon this brother and
sister, and m ske them one as Christ and
/ the church are one, and that In their
hearts living waters might spring up,
that they should thirst no more. Then
R he babe them farewell, and ezhorted
than to hsak TO live loving Christian