Wichita eagle., 1888-05-25
DARBY AND JOAN.

Hiyssum frightened under its influence
If their mistress could have seen them
she. too. would have rejoiced. for the
flowers were her children. petted darlings.
for whom no care could be too great, no
attention too painseahng. She had
housed them in winter. set them out In
summer. trimmed. guarded. hung over
them year after year
Involuntarily one locked for her mild
face at the window. smiling out upon
them, but she was not to be seen For
the second time only La her life Mrs. True
lay in her chamber too i'll to heed the pat
tering rain or to think of the plants grow
ing 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 healthful
scents Of the country
1t wss very still in the room where she
lay; very still and orderly The old fur
niture was polished and speckless the
linen, 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 paIlor. still
wore look of kindly patience
Ather side sat her husband. good Deacon
True. with bowed head and sad eyes and
In his work hardened hand he held her
feeble one.
muddy sidewalk outside. Then the gate
latch clicked Some one walked up the
path and tapped softly on the house door.
and was as softly admitted
But the two with their faces turned
toward each other took no notice
How is sheY" said the neighbor down
stairs who had dropped in"
"Failin'." answered Fdelia Perkins, the
maid of all work. temporarily engaged for
the emergency.
"Hoess her"
Fairly beat out with grievin' Seems
3 If he hadn't no heart for eatin' or
drinlzin' or nothin' Just settin' up there
along O. her. and holdin' her hand. I
| never did see folks set sech store by
each other as they do"
We'll they haven't nobody else to set
store by. you see" said the visitor, estab-
fishing herself by the fire, and holding out
two substantial fest to the blaze.
NO, that's SO. assented Fidelia. tax
ing ont her knitting. Now you Just
make yourself comfortable, Mis- Clapp
Pm real glad to see somebody It's dread
ful lonesome here Jest those two still
critters up stairs, and me and the cat
down stairs. and nothin' on earth to do.
Why, there amt so much as a teaspoon
ful of dirt to clean up nowhere in the
house. | never did see sech housekeepin'.
She was master hand for cleanin', :"
said Mrs. Clapp, shaking her head
thoughfully. land as say, there warn't
no children to make dirt.
mo. there warl't. but them plants is
about as bad. to my thinkin'. cluttering
up the place half the year. and havin' to
trail around with waterin' pot, and
weedin' and stewin' over EN- the rest of
the time. She took sight of comfort in
EN- though
She was a real good woman. Mis- True
was" sighed Mrs Clapp. speaking al
ready in the past tense.
"And he's a powerful good man."
There amt no better"
Queer sech good folks hadn't fam
n.y."
well. they did have one child"
do tellS Inever heard of it before.
Boy or girl1"
Boy. | believe: law. Mis- True was
most ticllled to death about it. She was
as proud as an old hen with one chick, but
it didn't last long Twas sent for to nurse
her. and she was a dreadful sick woman,
out of her head. jest ravin' about the
baby; goin' on about she was meanin' to
do for it. She had it all planned out for
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 In high
chair alongside of her and, finally. how he
was to take the farm and live with them
always Myl she was ramblin' on SO fast
and O smiling away to herself. while tho
rest of us-me and the doctor and tbs
deacon-was jest a-fghting for that baby's
life. And at last, when she come to her
self, there warn't nothin' but a dead body
10 show to her.
Dear, dearl Did she take on much2"
said Fideha. dropping her knitting in her
lap.
Take ONT Well, not like some folks.
She didn't screech. nor cry: but she Jest
turned awful white. and her eyes got big
and bad lookin'; 1T was enough to hs'nt
you to see 'ern. and she never said nothin'
to me; jest moaned, and caught hold OF
the deacon's coat sleeve as If she needed
somethin to comfort her. 1t did seem 5
if her heart was broke sure. She never
had no more children"
Il guess that's why they've been so set
on each other" unused Fideha
''Well. as to that. there amt no telin'.
Some few folks are so. any-considerate
and feenn'-but mighty few Most mar
ried folk get tired of hvin' together, or.
ut any rate, they appear so. to home. But
Deacon and Mis- True they've been Ike
they was a-courttn' all these years He's
done oil the chores for her that mortal
man could do: and she's been as sweet 10
hiIn-weIl. SIS sweet as one of them doves
a-oooin away out there on the barn"
.<Harki What's that" said Fideia,
holding up one hand. wsrningly.
1t was only the sound of weak voice
above and deeper voice trying TO answer
soothingly.
While the two women hsd talked the
afternoon had waned- The rain seemed
ike fast falling teers. The flowers. some
of them. were closing drowsily. The
shadows were deepening The ighs green
foliage of birch tree near the houss
looked gray In the twilight- Through the