The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-05-02
MRS. pALEs TROUBLES.
Trial and suffering Ended by JOYFUL surprls

AEiaI anu suffering Ended Dy joyful Surprise.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: "The poor is
hated by his own nabor, but the rich have many
friends" said Mrs. Dale, and she lened her he'd
over her work tew hide the scaldiDg tears that
wood corse down her cheeks in spite of herself
Her two little girls, aged eight and ten years.
haG Just returned frum skoOl aud were relatin'
teW their mother the insults they had endured
on account of their faded and patched but clene
clothes. One year and hat before when the
cry "To arms !" resounded over our fare land,
Mrs. Dale was in different circumstances. She
he'd the strong arm of a loving husband tew
Iene upon. But now how different
Robert Dale had been good man, and he
had idolized his wife and children. Matte,
the eldest, was the very image of her father.
Dark with hare like the ravens wing. But
Nellie. The little golden haired darling was
the picture of her mother. At the brakeing
out of the war Robert Dale was earning $3.50
day working at his trade, and trying to pay
mortgage of $3.50 on his little home. But he
quietly lade aside his tools, shouldered his gun
and went TO the war. Mrs. Dale had bin proc
dent and tried in every way she Good to lay up
enuf out of the scanty wages of her husband to
cleer the mortgage. But there is great deal
of difference between $50 day and the scanty
wages a soljer got The man that held the
mortgage was stern, hard money-loving man,
and when she failed to meet the first payment
the mortgage was forclosed and she was ordered
tew go. She was brave little woman and
bore up under that misfortune with a strong
hart for it was her nature to look on the brite
side. But the heavy hand of affliction was lade
on her slender frame at last. After that awful
Seven Days fife of the Wilderness, news reached
Mrs. Dale of her husbands DEATH No one had
seen him fall, but when they buried the ded
he was wrapped in a blanket which had his
name on it, and so, of course, there was no ques-
tion that he was ded. One of his comrades rote
to her telling her of his deth. When she re-
ceived the sad news she drew her children to
her and cried:
oh, my children, ye are orfans-sad, desc
late orfans."
Six months of weary toll had begun to tell
on Mrs Dale. She had worked hard all day
trying tew finish some sewing she had on hand
tew get money tew pay her rent. Her he'd was
throbbng with pane, when her tew children
cum in and were relating tew her the insults
that had been heeped upon them that day at
skool.
Jennie Tice and Milly Wood had made fun of
their close and sneered at their poverty. Mat
ties eyes flashed with indignation, but poor
Nelly-it seemed as il her heart was broken.
She had thrown herself down in corner, and
was sobbing violently.
Oh, papa, papa" she cried, "why did you
leve us?"
The poor is hated Of his own nabor, but the
rich have many friends" repeated Mrs. Dale.
She lade aside her work and started to go
tew Nelly teW comfort her. But there was
mock at the dore. Mrs. Dale turned tew open
it and, 10, there stood man dressed in uni
form. ooh, it is my papa; it is my papa"
cried both children, and they thru their arms
around him and covered his hands and face
with kisses. Mrs. Dale looked amazed.
Has the grave given up its ded? Hevenly
Father, l thank Thee" sed she and fell in
a ded faint at her husbands feet. Robert Dale
had faced the lannon's mouth without finch
ing, but when he saw his wife lying there so
white and deth-like his hart almost stood still.
Oh, my darling, hev killed you with JOY"
he cried. Run, children, for help. Go tell
Peggy Fletcher to cum quick"
never will forget how darling little Nelly
looked when she cum flying in crying, aunt
Peggy, cum quick. Papa has cum and mama
is dead"
flew rather than walked When I got tew
the house Mr.. Dale had lade his wife on the
bed and was rubbing her hands and arms.
Oh, Aunt Peggy sed he as he grasped my
hand, fere 1 have killed my darling" /
stepped to the bed and looked at her. Your
wife has tainted, Robert" sed l. Joy seldom
kills" | got some water and throwed in her
face and put some eamfre to her nose. She
opened her eyes.
+" Hev bin dreming?" she asked.
No. darling" sed Robert as be reeched out
HIS dfDlS anu CidSpeu neT TO MS DFeSJ.
Reder, the scene that followed is tew sacred
tew be ritten here. Suffice it tew say that an
other man had been buried in Robert Dale's
bianket; hence the story of his deth. He was
taken prisoner, and when he was exchanged
he got furlo' and started for home without
waiting tew rite tew his wife. lie was moth
ing but reck, but the same manly. loving
hart still beet in his brest. Mrs. Dale nursed
him tenderly till he was able to go back to his
company. He succeeded in getting his dis
charge at last, and cum home tew stay, never
tew be separated agin till the grim messenger
calls. Over score of years have passed, and
they are happy in each others love. One boy
cum to brten their home that is an onor to
his sire, and he with his father voted for Har-
rison. Matte and Nelly grew up to be an onor
to society. They are married, and, would you
believe it? they married the brothers of the
very girls that made fun of their clothes that
day at school. There amt very many days
passes but what they make the hart of some
poor little girl glad. They never forgot the
dark days they saw when their papa was a
prisoner. Sum one remarked to me one day,
says they:
Aunt Peggy, don't you think that Matte
and Nelly are tew good for this world"
'0h, don't know" sell. "This is pretty
good world. It's the people that's in it is whar
the difficulty is. But really" SEE l, MATTE
and Nelly are good women. They are what