The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-07-06

A spnng ram was falling gently, c]ontinu,
ously, on Mrs. True's garden. The lately
trauspianted ]gerauinms and petunias lifted
their heads gratefully to the warm shower,
and the fuchsias and olyssum frightened
under its influence.
Htheir mistress could have seen them, she,
too, would have rejoiced, for the flowers were
her children, pctted d~urIings, for whom no
care could he too great, no attention too
painstaking. She hadhoused them IN winter,
set them out in summer, trimmed, guarded.
hung over them year after year.
InvoluntariIY 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 in her
chamber, too i'll to heed the patteTing 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 healthful scents Of the country.
1t was very still in the room where she lay;
very still and orderly. The old furniture was
polished and speCkiess; the linen as white as
snow; against the pillows, which had been a
part of her bridal outfit, rested tine gray
NthNt bLlu uehllY CdINN loI, anu tlb luCts Will
it's paIor, stil wore a look Of kindly patience.
At her side sat her husband, good Deacon
True, with bowed head and sad eyes; and in
his w%orkhardened hand he held her feeble one.
Presently q ~footstep sounded on the muddy
sidewalk outside. Then the gate latch clicked.
Some one walked up the path and tap
ped softly on the house door, and was as soft
" admitted.
But the two, with their faces turned toward
each other, took no notice.
"How is she?" said the neighboF down stairs
who had dropped in"
''Faiin'," answered FideIia Perkins, the
maid Of all work, temporarily engagedforthe
emergency.
Fairly beat out with grisvin'. Seems if
he hadn't no. heart for eatin' or drinkin' or
nothtn' just settin' up there along o her,
and holdin' her hand. Inever did see folks
set such store by each other as they do"
FWeL, they haven't nobody else to set
ators by, you see" said the visitor. establish
ing herself by the fire, and holding out two
substantial feet to the blaze.
mo, that's So" assented Fideia, taking
out her knitting. "Now you Just make your
a., comfortable, Mis- Clapp. Unreal glad to
- SOMEHOW; It's dreadful lonesome here.
Jest those two still crItters ITstqifs, and me
and the cat doBnste!-s ana notfta er earth
to do. Why, there amt so much as a tea
spoonful Of dirt TO clean up nowhere in the
house Inever did see such housekeepin'."
"She was q master hand for cleanin1 " said
Mrs. Clapp, shaking her head ~thoughtfully,
"abd as ! say, there warn't no children TO
make Dirt
enc, there warn't but them plants is about
ns bad, to my thinkin, cluttering up the
place halfthe year, and northumberland
with a waterin' pot, weedin. and stewin' over
EN- the rest Of the time. She took a sight OF
comfort IN EN-, though,
sShe was a real good woman, Mis- True
was, sighed Mrs. Clapp, speaking already in
the past tense,
and he's a powerful good man"
There ain no better
Queer sech good folks hadn't q family
"Well. they did have one Slid
'Do tell2 Iuever heard Gift before. Boy
boy, / believe; Jaw, Mis- True was most
fiekied to death about it. She was as proud
SIS aa old hen with one chick, but IL didn't
last long. was sent for TO nurse her. and
she WBs O 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 ii all planned out for a lifetime how
abe was agoin' TO rock him to sleep Nights
and how, by-andsby, he was agoin' to set to
the table In q high chair alongside Of her,
and finally, how he waste take the farm, and
live With them always. Myl she was ram
bin q s. fast and q smihngaway to herself,
while therest Of us-me and the doctor and
tie deacon--wasjes a-fghtingfor that baby's
lie, And at last, when she come to herself,
there warn't nothin' but a dead baby to
show her.
Dear, dearl did she take on much2n said
Edelia, dropping her knitting IA her lap.
take ont Wen, not Ike some folks. She
didnt eereech nor cry; but she jest turned
awful white, and her eyes get big and bad
lookins II was enough tohn ut you to see'em,
and ehenever ~saidnofhin TO me; Jest moaned,
and caught q hold Of the deaeon's coat sleeve
~ IL she needed somethin' 70 comfort her. 1t
did seems ii her heart was broke sure. She
never lad no more children.
"a guess that's why they've been so set on
each other, unused Hdelia.
Well. as to that, there amt no teIin.
Some few folks are eo,-considerate and
feoiin-but mighty few. Most married folk
ct tired oflivin' together, or, as any rate,
they appear so, TO home. The deacon and
Mia True they's been ike they was a-courtin'
Al these years. He's done all the chores for
her fhatA mortal man could do, and she's
been as sweet 10 him-weIitus sweet as one Q
them doves accom- avaN out there on the
bagn.
Hmk What's that7P said Fdelia, holding
M one hand ~warningly.
~ WAS only the sound 81 D weok voice
nbpre end q deeper voice TRYING TO ansNei
eootbinHly.
Whiie he two women had talked the hfier
noon had wuned The ram semed ike fast
iatlipg tears IAe aoveSe, some Of them
ffe ft9SfffE urpWsiiy. Inc shadows vert
deegfninR. Tie light green foliage of a bircl
tfss near ne house looked gray IN The twi
Nkht Through the open chamber window
abopa sounded the sleepy fhfjll Of q bird
e@Eay suu8gleai y thu nest under the youns