The Press., 1888-05-03
'zEKEI AN ME.

Oy k4k0 G1AS0 WA1ANyEE1 AB0A yV@ ~e~AA SS~ SAAS water in the. brook sparklin', and the red birds Aashin' in an' out the big cedaTs an white laylocks. I'm proper glad that you like our place though 'tis So old fashioned. 'Zekel warnt overly anxious for me to take boarders this summer as last year did hev tryin' time between the whims an notions of 6 6nicky widder an a timorsome maiden lady. They were allus wRrrihf7an spattin' with each other in a way that warn't good to see Nothin' pleased lem; the house was too small, my cookin' old fashioned, an they scorned my posies, continooAlly askin' me why didn't hev benonias, geraniums an carnations, ensteado Q clove pinks, marigocls,
 Aylocks an' 6owery almon's. You see, nom, fretted al.' worked until my system was all run down, an in October YVES taken with . slow, lingerin fever, costin' me more'n thrib- ble the money I'd made, payin' out fer medi- cine an doctor bills. --- e.+..-.>
 "But it's an ill wind that blows nobody good, an jest when my skies were darkestthe Lord sent 'Zekel to me, am all bitterness am hardness between us was healed Now, mo'm, know jest what you're thinkin', but 'Zekel am me aren't the husband an wife of long standin', though in our early youth we were promised to each other. We're skurcely over our honeymoon, or should say the time 1Otted fer it to last 'Zekel an me, after long years Gvin' apart hev determined that no vinegar moons shall riSe, full an' wane, in our future
 "Pm all O 50, an 'Zelxels 57.
 At 30 found myself alone in the world; father, mother, brothers an a sister all lay in the churchyard you can sec acrost the way. But had this farm an my one ambition was tomake it the envy of my neighbors am to show em that 'Zekel hadn't quite crushed me when he deserted me for Annie Bonn. Father kho f0 ovn FoT a ha sat helpless, jest where placed his cheer, allus lookin' happy, though could see that he longed to be free from his bondage. One consolation was left him, he could talk, and his faculties scanned to be clear an sharper than when he was Q strong and active man.
 ''He never mentioned 'Zekel's name to me but once after the weddin', am that was the week before he went to the better country. A neighbor came over to buy'a bushel of my choice seed potatoes for plantin'r an told us of the trouble 'Zekel's folks were hevin' with sickness am poverty. When we were alone father looked pleadin'ly at me, and said, softly:
 "'H we-forgive- t-how-shall-we hope to-be-forgiveng
 "I knew that was cherishin' wicked feel in's in my heart, but it seemed to me Xekel an' Annie didn't deserve sympathy orpardon from me. You see, mo'm, Annie Bonn was my dearest friend. I'd allus shared my se- crets with her. girl fashion, never dreamin' she was then Plannin' treachery am was to be the means O my losin' faith in every hu
 man bein', even feelin' bitter toward my Gre ator | can't tell in words how dearly I loved Annie an1 trusted in her. She was the. daughter of pauper further, who lived in Q delapidated cabin upon the edge of our farm. Father pitied old Bonn an, tried to help him. Annie was handy at bunnet trim min and dressmakin', and everybody liked to have her around.
 "'Zekel Harker, my lover, was the pride of his family, an bein' the only son was humored by his dotin' folks more'n was good for him. 'Zekel's oldest sister, "Tildy Ann, made no secret of her rejoicin' that we were promised, callin' me sister at the sings. quiltin's an apple parinHs, an all the girls courted him, 'cept Annie Bonn, who alIus acted as if she
 hadn't a second thought for him. Everybody
 s'posed we'd be married by the time was my
 own mistress, but some way 'Zekel didn't get
 on in business. At27 ha was still unsektled
 as to his future occupation. After studying
 for a few months law, medicine an for the
 ministry, he changed his mind, an imagined he could invent some wonderful machine which would bring him fortune, an TTildy Ann said she shouldn't wonder if he did, that iZekel was smart enough to do anything he was a mind to. Father once quoted to me: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel knew what he meant, an spoke out for 'Zekel, Sayin' his intellect was of 6 higher grade than the clods around us. Only give him time am he would excel.
 ''About this time 'Tildy Ann an' Mandy | Harker died with the pneumony fever, brought on by bein' caught in 0 drenchin' rain, on their way to the woolen mills, where they'd been to sell their wool Mandy's last words were, 'You'l-hnd-the-mo 1 'Zekel-wanted-in- chest He ex- l plained to me that he was on the eve of suc-
 ceedin' with his invention, an needed little money to finish it, an Mandy had undertaken to get it for him.
 ''I had my feelings hurt mors'n once durin' the next few weeks, havin' 'Zekel called 4sel- fish am a never-do-welL 'Zekel heerd their
 talk, too, an one old farmer advised him to ] quit dreamiA' and put his hand to the blow, l or his other sisters would foller 'Tildy Ann ] an Mandy. Zekel said nobody 'ceptin' me
 understood his hopes an aims, an' then l spoke out, tellin' him I'd allus stand by him, l no matter what happened. Id never forget
 we were promised, sn. this seemed to cheer him up wonderfully.
 "His folks began to be anxious for us to ! settle in 8 home of our own.
 Our farms joined, an Mr. HarkeF said we ] could count on forty acres apiece of good l mellow land, an 'twouldnt take long to put
 us up hewed log house, good enough for 1 anybody's home. was willin' to this ar- engagement but 'Zekel wanted to start in
 better style, an pictured Q city life so nice
 that came to think as hs did; yet I never
 stopped spinnin' an weavin' articles for my l weddin' outfit.
 ''In those days I was happy. Annie helped
 me with my weddin' preparations, an every I day 'Zekel came to look on. One June after ! noon Annie an' me were in our orchard l sprinklin' linen that was bleachin' on the ! grass. I felt so light hearted, the world
 seemed so full of joy and the birds sang SC l Sweetly. ., +. s.-. ~~& -- l "'Ob, Annie, why don't lover come q A wooin' you? It is so sweet to be loved, an I you are so much prettier than me, it's SC l strange that 8 lover doesn't lnd you out said l, not hearin' 'Zekel's step, an' entirely una 1 ware of his presence until Annie's blusheS
 caused me to turn about to find my lover | istenin' to my silly words.
 l ''To hide my bushes ran down the hill l into the garden, an gathered handful ot I damask an cinnamon roses, then hurried back, in my vanity, thinkin' 'Zekel would count the time long until was with him; 1 As walked slowly up the hill l saw in Annies blue eyes new light. Twas like
 the expression of one who has gained her hearts desire. Though all of 30 she looked
 % girlish in her white dress, the yellow
 braids of hair shone like gold, an every l movement She made was graceful. felt ! keenly the contrast between us took little l pains with my own attire, thinkin' moro ol my work. was homely an I knew 1t. kyc1 nvnO ASwNHR %kArN