The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-09-26
SELECTED.
BIG RED ROSES ON A GREEN
GROUND.
by MARY {. HUNGERf0RD.

The old missionary Familiarity as
"Priest Packard lived in Il rough border
community, where religion was so highly
disapproved Of by the leading spirits,
that to profess it was to become in most
instances target for abuse. He was a
giant in size and strength, and his Prov
ess anu bravery has won admiration for
himself, and, AS a personal compliment,
some slight federation for the doctrine he
taught in his earnest, unfettered fashion.
His great age left his muscular Chris.
tianity simply matter of tradition and
now he and his daughters were kept from
starving, chiefly by yearly pittance sent
them from n humane society in the east.
Within large, cheerless room, which
was the principal one in the barn-like
house they occupied sat the pair of elder
ly women, inaptly called by their father
"the girls" Idle moments were rare
with them, but some engrossing matter
had made one turn from the dandelion
greens she was washing and impelled the
other to drop the shoe to which she was
attaching clumsy patch.
at seems a pint of duty for us to
write to brother Nathan's child Lucinda
the elder sister, was saying.
"There amt been ink enough in the
house to drown fly, sense father took
the shaking palsey," was Miderva's an
swer IAN eff there was, neither of us
could write IL letter fit to 20 into a public
post-oilce."
II don't see," said the other sister,
fretfully. "what answer we could give
anyway"
'Well, settlin' on The answer don't
blong, to us it's for father to say, said
Minerva, noddlng her head sidewise
toward wooden rocking chair, where
Priest Packard" sat, with pillow at
his shoulders, pathetic hgure, with his
long attenuated frame and poor, worn
out-cothes, which, In immaculate clean
ness and profuse decorations of darns
and patches, testified TO his daughters
care. The soft June wind, coming in
tiower-scented from a window beside him
waved the white locks lying on his thin
temples. One shaking hand lay helpless
ON the armchair; the other held loose
grasp of remotedly dated religious
weekly. His blue eyes, clear and bright,
in spite of their like setting OF
wrinkles, were absenty turned toward
the cloudless sky. His ears, only open to
loud sounds, were closed to the women $
low talk, and he was saying softly to him
self, again and again the line, Must be
kerried to the skies on iiowery beds of
easep"
mo, no." he calculated at last in loud,
err tones, turning toward the girls.
"Tain't'httin' fur private like me to
banker fur better things than the great
Cap'n had when He was on airth."
"What is il now, father!'
"Oh, the same old story. When I'd
ouphter been praisin' God fur his good.
ness, my mind wanders oil to that carpet.
"Lor, father, can't you quit yearnine
fur carpetf"
yes" contrtely. "a body wout
think tibet arter Twin twenty year on
stomped airth floors, an then gettin' 81
fine as to hev reg'lar-built plankin hool
fur twenty year, might forget there even
~uz a carpet.
I'm sure I've forgot ever seeing any
that blonged to any o my folks" said
Minerva.
.You was too little to take notice, but
we always he'd 'em foIe we moved out
this way. often think of what yer ms
give up to marry poor circuit preacher
En- when the call came fur missioners tC
even than It's now, cause our lives
wsrn't securely safe, she jes rose an
obeyed the call, en- lef' her fathers com
Portable farm house in Yarmouth, where
we'd gone on livin' arter we wuz merried
an where you an your brother wuz born
Every floor in that house was carpeted
an the best parlor, where we was merriet
had one on it that wuz jes alive with biz
4 In rppnI haf L head
an a ground greener'n grass No, your
ma never spent her time COMPLAINED, but
| guess she rely broke her heart In
dumb kline er way, over her oldest. hei
only bow. that we left with his grandma.
IAN She never seen him again." said
LUCINDA, leading up to some news she
wished to impart.
"No." shaking his head sadly; 1--WE
never see our tirst-born again. though he
lived to be man growed up an merried
fore he wuz sweep away to Jlne his
mother"
"Brother Nathan left widder en- child
YOU know" pursued his daughter, getting
nearer the subject. ,
.Yes. we got the news In letter
Poor Nathan he"
"Well, pa, there's another letter come
an there's more news the Wilder
dead !"
Tine old man looked surprised; hardly
grief stricken; for he had never seen his
sons wife. "All gone" he said, softly
them strong young folks, an I'm iei'
cumb'rin the ground"
"They amt all gone" said Minerva
there's child left"
"Nathau's boy!' exclaimed her father
joyfully. "But who's 70 'oo@ ai'e' h'"'
now?'
,.Taiu't boy; it's a girl, and there's
been some mismanagcment OF the prop,
erty, an she's left without q cent an
,he wants to come here to US. Inc doc
tor that tended her mother Tree OF charge
is eoin' to pay her way ef Well take her '
"Of course We'll take her, an oe gao,
ssid her father. "But sh, II find 1t Kline
er roughi>h here. | wisht we could q
made out to get carpet fore she comes.
~ don't see how we're goln' TO take
care OF her, anyway" said Minerva sor
sowfully. There's times when II seems
like we'd starve ourselves, en- l dom
know how we're goin' to nli another
month. Even with the Christmas bar
comm every year, from that church II
the east, we hev . turrible squeeze gettl !
along with the 'lowance f!om the 'Su
perannuated Ministers Fund Ell 'twarn,
fer Cindy's garden we'd die In our tracks.
"But We couldn't refuse TO take TIL
child iu-our own flesh an BLOOD sait
her father, pleadingly
They could not indeed refuse, poo
though they were, the women agreed
and four weeks later Hetty Packar'
Knocked at her grandfather's door, afte
~ hong journey which the novelty o
travelling had made very enjoyable.
Her welcome from the old man W.
touchingly tender, but the auuts were to-
sreotlv appalled, TO he decently cordial .
6ret. They bad half expected . child
~ hsro vs. . tall, beAutiful .yeun