Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-07-11
DARBY AND. JOAN.
BY GRACE WINTHROP.


A spring rain was falling gently, con-
tinuously, on Mrs True's garden. The
lately transplanted geraniums and petu-
Mas lifted their heads gratefully 10 the
warm shower, and the fuchsias and
sweet alyssum frightened under its IN
huence.
If their mistress could have seen
them, she, too, would have reioiced, for
the flowers were her children, petted
darlings, for whom no care could be too
great, no attention too painstaking. She
had housed them in winter, set them
out in SUNNI er, trimmed. guarded,
hung over them year after year.
Involuntarily one looked lor her mild
face at the window, smiling out upon
them, but S he was not to be seen. For
the second tim e only in her lie Mrs.
True lay IN 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 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 speck-
less; the linen as white as snow; against
the pillows, which bad been part of
her bridal outfit, rested the gray head,
still neatly cared for, and the face, with
its pallor, 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 work-hardened hand
he held her feeble one.
Presently footstep sounded on the
muddy sidewalk outside. Then the
gate latch clicked. Someone 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.
Glow is she ?'' said the neighbor
"Failin, answered Fidelia Perkins,
the maid of all work, temporarily en-
gagged for the emergency.
Flows he ?"
Fairly beat out with grievin'.
Seem Ii he hadn't no heart for eatin' or
drinkin' or nothin'. Jest settin' up there
along % her, and holdin' her hand. [
never did see folks set sech store by
each other as they do"
''Well, they havn't nobody else to set
store by, you see said the visitor. es-
ing out two substantial feet to the blaze.
mo, that So" assented Fidelia, TAX
ing out her knitting. "NoW you just
make yourself comfortable Mis- Clapp.
I am 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 a
teaspoonful of dirt to clean up any
where in the house. | never did see
sech housekeepin'."
''She was master hand for cleanin', "
said Mrs Clapp, shaking her head
thoughtfully, and as say, there warn't
no children to make dirt.
No, there warn't, but them plants is
about as bad, to my thinkin', cluttering
up the place half the year, and hayin' to
trail around with waterin' pot, and
Weedin' and stewin' over 'em the rest
of the time. She took a sight of comfort
in lem, though"
''She was a real good woman, Mis-
True was" sighed Mrs. Clapp, speaking
already IN the past tense.
And he's powerful good man.
s'There amt no better"
@sQueer sech good folks hadn'ta fami-
ly.,
''Wel, they did have one child"
tsDo tell ? [ never heard Of it before
Boy or girl %
"fBoy, [ believe; law, Mis- True was
most ticKied to death about it. She
was as proud as an old hen with one
chick, but it didn't last long. [ was sent
for to nurse her, and she was dread I'll
sick woman, out of her head, just raving
about that baby; goin' on about what
she was meaning to do for it. She had
1T ali planned out for a lifetime how
l. 10 oI~ hTv11 10 cIn
nights, and how, by and by, he was
goins to set to the table in high chair
alongside Of her, and, finally, how he
was to to take the farm and live with
them always. My she was ramblin'
on so fast and a smiling away to herself,
while the rest of us-Ene and the doctor
and the deacon-was jest a-f2hting for
that baby's life. And, at last, when she
come to herself, there warn't nothin
but dead baby to show her."
dear, dear did she take on much ?"
said Fidelia, dropping her knitting IN
her lap.
'sTake on ? Well, not ike some folks.
She didn't screech nor cry; but she jest
turned awful white, and her eyes got
big and bad lookin'; it was enough to
ha'nt YOU to see 'em, and she never said
nothin to me; just moaned, and caught
q hold of the deacon's caot sleeve as If
she needed something to comfort her.
It 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 Fidelia.
"Well, as TO that, there Amino tellin,,.
Some few folks are so,-considerate and
feelin'- but mighty few. Most married
folk get tired of livin' 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 she's been as sweet as che
of them doves accom- away out there
on the barn."
'Hark What's that ?" said Fidelia,
holding NJ one hand, warningly.
1t was only the sound of weak voice,
above, and a deeper voice trying to
answer soothingly.
While the two women had talked the