Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-11-06

him. II hope you and Anna have had
no wordsp"
mo. indeed. Nobody could have
words with Anna. Butt would be
better for us to go, Bob"
She said TO Josey afterwards: "God
help him! She is sitting him. l
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
goodbye and prayed God to bless them.
81 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 sol" broke forth BOB.
i"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 selfshness 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 reigned supreme. The
only Trench left was Bob. over whose
stupid, affectionate, hot-tempered ma
ture rs 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 innr
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 APP
proved them.
"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 itp'
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 l ever had" said
poor James, the day before he died.
He was mild, lovable fellow, and
would have been glad to please her.
But he felt DULY that his life had been
unhealthy and dwarfed. There wac
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, apd strove vehemently to
drag her back to life again. He
watched her face grow thinner each
day with fierce wrenches at his heart
of love and remorse. When at last
he knew that she must go he brought
himself to speak, kneeling by her bed.
We've made mistake, Anna
somehow. God knows why! We've
got far apart. Can't we come together
againp Can't you forgive me, my dar-
lingp"
Certainly. 1 forgive you, Robert"
Her voice was weak but composed.
II am sorry you think / was to blame
in going apart from you. OF course,
we are all sinners. But tried to do
right. and-there is only one right
way"
She died that night, and was laid in
her grave with a,complacent smile on
her little, fair face.
Bob Trench left Oxford Immediately.
1t was said that he went to South
America in search Of John. After two
years they came back together and
settled down on the old farm. John
is thorough Trench, big, sincere,
impulsive. His father had pulled him
out Of the slough and he never re-
turned to it again. He married one
of his cousins, and the old homestead
is again the center of warm, helpful.
happy life.
But, oddly enough, Annals name is
never mentioned in it.
There are many well-meaning
women who carry about iron shoes
and have their own way with tn EN-
while living. but when they are dead
the world hastily cuts their name on
the cold marble of their tombstone
Rnd forgets them as quickly as pDssi-
ble.-Rebecca Harding Davis, in INDIE
pendent.
Origin Of indian Corn.