The Russellville Democrat., 1888-09-13

deal O taste In musician all tne while there was poor Stan's despairin' face in front on her. an you'd a thought even the cap'n could a told her heart was broke by the way she was singin'.
 An Stan he went of an jined q party O naturalist fellers who was goin' on a three-years' trip to I don't know where, arfter outlandish species Q spiders an caterpillers an sich. He didn't care where he went ter; he didn't know the difference tween bein' a man an able ter kite of when ye got hurt, an flourish round tell ye felt bet ter, an bein' a woman an havin' ter settle right down ter hum, an make the best O things.
 elf a woman's got grit-an' she gen'ally hasshe'll go ter work, mn she'll pull through somehow; some times it makes her sour an grabbed, but more often she turns her thoughts ter another country, where, ef she can't have the things she missed here, the comfort'll be she won't want 'em.
 An Alice went on doin' her dooty, keepin' things pleasant, an' kinder makin' it up ter the neighbors when the cap'n quarreled with 'em; but she grew paler an thinner every day, tell she looked jest like shadder O girl; !; but she didn't lose none O her pretti- ness; she couldn't longs there was any thing left on her. twas 'bliged ter be pretty. A
 "Well, after the cap'n had bin homo year or two he begun ter find it kinder tiresome; he'd done every thing he could think on ter his place, an twas then he took it inter his head ter buy his monnyment; that kep' him busy for months; he visited every marble-yard in the country fore be found any thing ter suit him. He said his monnyment was like poor mans suit O clothes-he wanted jest the right thing, cause it had got ter last him.
 He was pleased 'nough when he finally got it sot up; he'd walk down with Alico ev'ry Sabbath evenin' ter see it. an he hadn't bin ter visit his wife's grave fore sence she died; he clean forgot ter have her name put on the tombstone.
 Well, things went. on in this way tell one day he was took with fit, and went to lie beside his monnyment, and Alice was left ter take her Sab- bath evenin' walk alone, -w
 '.The minister had doubts about the old cap'n's futur, an he told her SO; but Alice, she said he want so bad but she could love him, anp she reek- oned Gods love and mercy'd stretch further'n ourn, an she couldn't help hopin' He'd remember what hard life the poor old cap'n had had. an make 'lowances fer him.
 'sThe minister he didn't say no more arfter that; guess he thought ei the idee was any comfort ter her she might ez we'll keep it. but it sartainly want 11 H afe
 Twas bout this. time Stan come home, older an browner an harm ever He was real shocke when he heard bout the cap'n, an more still when he see Alice in church. He'd thought he'd bin dyin' O broken heart all this time, but when he come ter look at her--not that he s'posed thinkin' O him had any thing ter do with it-he reckoned twas takin' care Q her father.
 He didn't go ter see her. He knowed be was cured, but still he didn't want ter resk gittin' hurt agin; he hadn't forgot what it felt like. so he walked home from meetin' with Judge Per kins' darter. an was arst ter stay ter supper, an spent a very pleasant evenin'; an Alice went home an cried herself sick difference tween men an women, that's all
 Well, twas the old cap'n's queer character that brought 'em together in the fust place, an twas the same thing brought 'em together in the end; eft hadn't bin fer him don't s'pose they'd ever noticed each other, an that's what folks git fer meddlin' in other folks affairs.
 ''Twas one Sabbath afternoon jest after meetin'; Stan was walkin' in the cemetary with his mother-they was goin' ter see of the grass needed cut tin in their lot--an' ez they passed by the cap'n's monnyment Stan happened ter look, toward it, an there he see some heathern boy had bin an printed Rum PuncN in big letters on the cap'n's urn.
 Stan most felt ez if twas his own it made him so mad; but he lidn't say nothin' ter tract his mothers 'tention. He got home quick's ne could, an he got some chemical stuff on rag. an some sand-paper. an he was goin' back agin ter git them etters of fore poor Alice could come an see 'em; but some body come in, an he was hendered tell twas pretty late fore he started. He knowed he hadn't many minutes ter spare, an he run for ais life cross lots.
 "She want there when he got there, m he warmed up that monnyment an ne worked like seventy-six, though he most spected ter hear the old cap'n ,rderin' him of; but he got it clean t ast, an clumb down, an there was Alice standin' watchin' him.
 Land sakes of the folks ain't all zone inter meetin' while we've bin akin We'll be late, sure's the world, lrfter havin' bin here hour fore any body else.
 Haven't finished the story? Yis, lave; didn't 1 tell ye Alice Broadus lever needed ter look at nobody more'n ,nce?" Harper's Weekly,
 How to Cure Poor Memories.