Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-06-30
DARBY AND JOAN.

ttnuously. on Mrs Trles gurtfcn- The
lately transplanted gcraninms and petu
MAS lifted their heads gratefully 70 the
warm shower and tho fuchsias and sweet
illyssum frightened under It's influence
10 their mistress could have seen them
she. too would have rejoiccd. for tho
towers were her children. petted darlings.
for whom no care could DO too great. no
attention too painstaking She had
housed thcm In winter. set them out In
summer. trimmed. guarded. hung over
them year after year
Involuntary one looked for her mild
face AZ the window. smiling out upon
them. but she was not TO be seen. For
the second time only In her life Mrs True
lay In her chamber too III TO heed the pat
tering rain or TO think Of tho plants grow
Ing no 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 hcalthful
scents Of the country
Il was very still In tho room where she
lay very still and orderly The old fur
niture was polished and specklcss. u
linen. white n snow against the pillQE8-
which had been part Of her bridal Outfit
--rested the gray head. still nca6y cared
for. and the face. with its flor. still
wore look Of kindly patienfI
Athe side sat her husbsy good Deacon
True. with bowed head fsad eyes. and
In his work hardened I'D no held her
- = 81
Presently sounded on the
muddy sidewalk 10 Then tho gate
''eh clicked 20 one walked up ths
and tapf softly on tho house door.
5. vas N admitted
Blu. Aihe with their faces turned
toward Gag fer took no notice.
How 81" said the ncighbor down
stair. y had dropped In"
MAJ u all work. temporarily engaged for
~ emergency
Flows hey"
Fairly beat out with grievin' Seems
n be hadn't no heart for eatin' OF
drinkin or nothin Just settin up there
along o her and holdIn' her hand
never did see folks set scch store by
each other ~ they do
well. they haven't nobody clsc to sc,
store by. you see. said tho visitor. estab
fishing herself by the fire. and holding on,
two substantial feet to the blaze.
No. that's 80. assentcd Fidella. TAX.
Ing out her knitting Now you Just
make yourself comfortable Mis- Clapp
I'm real glad TO see somebody It's dread
fui lonesome here Jest those two still
critters up stairs. and mo aud tho cat
down stairs and nothin' on earth TO do
Why. there amt so much rs teaspoon.
fnl Of dirt TO clean up nowhere In the
house ! never did see scch housekcepin..'
She was master hand for clcanin', o
said Mrs Clapp shaking her head
thonghfully and Us say there warn't
no children To make dirt
No there warnt. but th,in plants Is
about a. bad. To my thinkin'. clutiering
up the place half tho year. and havin' e
trail around with wRicrin pot. and
wectin aud stcwin over c,n the rest oil
the tine She took a sight OF comfort In
EN- though
''Shc was real good woman. Mis- True
was" sighed Mrs Clapp. speaking al
ready In the past tense
"And he's powerful good man"
There amt no better"
Queer scch good folks hadn't fam
lily
"Well. they did have one child
DO tellr never heard Of It before
Boy or girly'
boy believe. law. Mis- True was
most ticklcd TO death about II. She was
a. proud ~ an old hen with one chick. but
Il didn last long Twas sent for TO nurse
her and she was dreadful sick woman
ont "f her head. Jest ravin about the
baby goin OH about she was mcanin &c
do for Il She had u NIL planned out fol
q lifetime how she was agoin' TO rock him
to sleep nights and how by and by. he
was agoin To set TO the table la high
chair alungsids Of her and finally. how lie
was 10 take the farm and live with them
always My she was rambln' on 30 fast
and n smiling away to herself. while the
rest 81 us-me and tho doctor and the
deacon was lest u. fighting for that baby's
life And at last. when she come to her
self. there wArnt nothin' but dead body
to show to her
.l,eai d-ar' Did she take on mnchy'
said F,drlia dropping her knitting In her
lap
Take ony Well. not like some folks
.t,.l. l.,,s -, S.,.,e
turned awful white. and her eyes got big
and bad iookin'. Il was enough TO ha n,
you To see en-. and she never said nothin
to me. jcs: L,oancd. and caught hold OF
the deacon's coat sleeve ~ II she needed
somethin' TO comfort her Il did seem :
" her heart WINS broke sure She never
had no norc children
u guess that's why they've been NO set
on each other unused fidrlia
We'll ~ To that there aint no tellin
Nome few folks are 80 any -considerats
aud frrlin - but mighty lew Most mar
Red folk get TIRED Of Twin together. or
at any rate. they appear 80. to home But
Deacon aud Mis' True they've been like
they was colrtin' all these years Hes
done all the chores for her that mortal
man could do. and shes been ~ sweet to
him well. N sweet NJ one OF them doves
a.eooln away out there on the barn .
Hank What's thatY~ said FidclIa.
holding up onr hand. warninGly
Il was only tho sound Of weak voice
above and deeper vnice trying TO answer
soothingiy
While the two women had talked the
afternoon had wancl The rain srcms'
like fast fsl.iEg tears Tue ll"w"rS sam.
Of them wcr, closing drnwsily This
shadows wcrr 'lerper:ng Tile hight green
foliage ~ a birch irre near the hnlis,