Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-09-05


church in the last days of her life and
have joined in a passionate hymn or
in shouting '.glory!'' But Anna. when
she told her this, gently shook her
head.
II do not think such excuses are
reverent." she said. ..Dr. Patey will
come and pray with you this after
nOon.''
Il will not see Doctor Patey," cried
the old lady. vehemently. Anna told
her husband of this refusal.
Mother Used to be Methodist.
Perhaps she would like to go to her
own church," said Bob. anxiously.
LAS if there could be more than one
church," thought Anna. She let the
matter drop. II Mrs. Trench would
not hear the truth in decorous fashion
it would be better she should hear
nothing. So the dying woman made
her peace with God alone, if she made
it, AID died, and Doctor Patey buried
her.
Soon after this, Nelly. Bob's widowed
sister, told him that she would take
her children and make little home
for them. ''Josey and Kate will go
with us, BROTHER" she said.
''But father meant thought we
all would keep together while we
lived. Nelly" said Bob. his black eyes
growing dim. He was an affectionate
fellow and his sisters were very dear
to him. Life alone with his wife
yawned very bare and empty before
al L \
no words?''
mo. indeed. Nobody could have
words with Anna. Butt would be
better for us to go, Bob"
She said to Josey afterward: God
help him! She is sitting him. 1
would stay. but will not have the
children's lives cramped. She has
her little rigid idea of duty and she
goes about forcing every other human
beings life into it. She might as we'll
have an iron shoe made to fit herself.
and then crush all our feet into that. :"
Anna smilingly babe her sisters
good bye and prayed God to bless them.
II never thought to see the girls
leave the old homestead" said Bob,
hoarsely. Father meant their home
should be here"
Annals heart was warm with tri-
umph that she was at last mistress of
the old homestead. but she really did
not know the cause of her triumph.
She thought she was pleased that her
sisters had done their duty.
''After all, it is but right that Ellen
should exert herself for her children. ~
she said.
"Oh, suppose so!' broke forth Bob.
''YOu always know the right. Anna,
and it is always so cursedly disagreea-
ble!'
To be just to the little woman, when
she went about with her idea of right
like an iron shoe, she did not suspect
that her own selfishness or ignorance
had nodded it. 1t was. she sincerely
believed, of Gods making, and it was
His will that all human feet should be
crushed into it and walk in it.
After this she rSegned supreme. The
only Trench left was Bob, over whose
stupid, affectionate. hot-tempered ma
ture as he grew older. she lost all
power. He would not listen to her
scientific readings nor to her exposi-
tions Of the creed of her own sect and
condemnation of all others.
''God help you if that is the religion
you teach your sons" he said.
But why should poor Bob talk of
religion, who spent most of his time
now in the bar-room of the Oxford inn?
His old neighbor gave ''poor Trench.
who was going to the DEVIL" the cold
shoulder. and pitied his sweet-tem-
pered. pious wife.
Anna had two boys, twins. On them
she had full time and power to expert
ment. She dictated their diet, their
words. their beliefs, their verythoughts;
she was their nurse, their governess.
their tutor; she prepared them for
college; she permitted them to form
no acquaintance with other boys until
she had closely examined and ap-
proved them.
1.-THE result will be-" said Nelly to
her once. '.that those lads will be
either weak limitations of yourself, Or
hypocrites.'
Annals face fell into its customary
smile of superiority. There can be
but one right way Of thinking. talking
and living. If my way is right. why
should not compel my sons to
adopt it?''
The boys went to college. Then, as
Nelly expressed it. they kicked off the
iron shoe. John plunged into every
dissipation within his reach, was ex-
PEELED and disappeared. James drank.
but drank alone and in secret. His
mother took him home and struggled
with him for years; but even her will
was not strong enough to conquer.
1T is the only fun ever had" said
poor James, the day before he died.
He was a mild, lovable fellow, and
would have been glad to please her.
But he felt DULY that his life had been
unhealthy and dwarfed. There. was
no strength in it to resist temptation.
Anna lived but a year after him.
She was calm and self-possessed to the
last.
Poor old Bob insisted on helping to
nurse her, ard strove vehemently to
drag her back to life again. He