Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-07-20
DARBY AND JOAN.

Ouslys on Mrs True 3 garden Inc ldUely
transplanted geraniums and petunias lifted
their heads gratefully to the warm shower,
and the fuchsias and aIyssum frightened
under ito influence.
II their mistress could have seen them, she,
too, would have rejoiced, for the flowers we're
her children, petted darlings, for whom no
care could be too grent, no attention too
painstaking. She had housed them in winter
set them cut in summer, trimmed, guarded,
hnng over them year after year.
IHvOiuntarily one looked for her mild face
at the window, smiling out upon them,
but she was not to be seen For the second
time only in her life Mrs. True lay IL her
chamber TOO i'll to heed the pattering 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 healtLful scents of the country.
IL was very stiH in the room where she lay;
very still and orderly The old furniture
polished and speckless; the linen as white as
snow; against the pillows, which had been
part of her bridal outfit, rested the gray
head, stin neatly cared for, and the face, with
Its paiOr, still wore a look of kindly patience.
At her side sat her husband, good Deacon
True, with bowed head and sad eyes; and in
.his wOrkhardened hand he held her feeble one.
Presently a foOtstep sounded on the muddy
sidewalk outside. Then the gate latch clicked.
Some one walked up the path and tap
" admitted.
But the two. with their faces turned toward
each other, took no notice.
"HOR 10 she2" said the neigh Dor down stairs
Palm answered Fidelia Perkins, the
maid Of all work, temporarily engaged for the
emergency.
Fairly beat out with prievin' Seems if
he hadn't no heart for eatin' or drinkin' or
nothin' just settin' up there along o her,
and holdin' her hand. never did see folks
set such store By each other as they do"
well, they haven't nobody else TO set
store by, YOU see " said the visitor, esta blsh-
ing herself by the FIRE, and holding out two
substantial feet to the blaze
"NO, that's So assented Fidelia, 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 cat downstairs, and nOthin' on earth
TO do. Why, there amt so much as tea
spoonful of dirt to clean up nowhere IN the
house. / never did see such hOusekeepin'."
"She was n master hand for cleanln', ," said
Mrs. Clapp, shaking her head thOughtfully,
and as 1 say, there warn't no children to
make dirt
mo, there warn't but them plants is about
as bad TO my thinkin' ciuttering up the
place half the year, and havin' to trail around
with a WateriR' pot, weediu and stewin' over
'em the rest of the time. She took 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 u powerful good man."
There amt no better
"Queer sech good folks hadn't a family
''Wcll. they did have one child
DO tell? L never heard oft before. Boy
Boy, I believe: law, Mis- True was most
Jickled to death about it, She was as proud
as an old hen with one chick, but it didn t
last long. 1 was sent for to nurse her. and
she was dreadful sick woman, out of her
head, just raying about that baby; gOin'
ON about what she was meaning to do for IT.
She had it all planned out for 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 a high chair alongside of her,
and finally, how he was to take the farm, and
hive with them always. My! she was ram
bin on so fast and a smiling away to herself,
while the rest of us-me and the doctor and
the dCacOn-was Jest a-fghtingfO for that baby s
life. And at last, when she come to herself,
there warn't nOthin' but dead baby to
show her"
Dear. dearl did she take on much?" said
Fidelia, dropping her knitting in her lap.
'"Take on2 Well, not like some folks. She
didn't screech nor cry; but she jest turned
awful white and her eyes got big and bad
lOOkin5' IL was enough to ha'nt you to see'em
and she never said nOthin to me; jest moaned,
and caught a hold of the deacOn's coat sleeve
as if she needed sOmethin' to comfort her. 1t
did seems 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 tellin.'
Some few folks are sO.-cOnsiderate and
feelin'-but mighty few. Most married folk
get tired of Twin together, or at any rate,
they appear so, to home. The deacon and
Mis- True they's been like they was a-cOurtin'
all these years. He's done all the chores for
her that a mortal man could do, and shes
been as sweet to him-well as sweet as one
them doves accom- away out there on the
barn"
''Hark WHAT'S thate" said Fidelia, holding
up one hand, warningly-
Ito was only the sound of q weak voice,
above. ana a deeper voice trying to answer
sOothmgly-
While the two women had talked the after
noon had waned. The rain seemed ike fast
falling tears. The flowers, some of them
were closing drOwsily The shadows were
deepening. The light green foliage of a birch
gree near the house looked gray in the JWi-
light Through the open chamber window
above sounded the sleepy thrill of a bird
safely Struggled 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 In close sympathy b
al fair helpless things, flowers. young birds
and infants. Now, IN her extremity, this
weak cry pierced TO her heart and woke her.
where's the baby she Whspered. "Mhy
don't they bring the baby TO me2'
She was living over again her only sick
ness She fanCied herself young once more
young and filled with a strange great happi
ness.
The wears between had vanished. They
were happy years. too, happier than mos
Doeple enjoy, for her desires had been easily
srrltifed her ambitions were of the simplest
kind To live within their small means; 10
lay aside little each year; to keep the house
immaculate and the flowers thriving; To
know peaceful nights and quiet, uneventfu