New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-01-23
A COMMON CASE.
BY ELIZABETH BAKER BoHAN.

a45s BY ELIZABETH BAKER BOHAN.
We were all sorry for her am sure,
and as John and I talked the matter
over a month after she had become a
widow, / could hardly keep the tears
back.
A vision of my husband carried
home on a .stretcher, dead, when life
was SO sweet, came to me and / said:
20, John, ] feel just like going and
putting my arms around her and
crying with her for a time aud then
asking her to tell me all her troubles
for know she has them, great
ones, too"
tsDo, DEAR" answered John, ssthat
Is just what ] think you ought to do"
Perhaps every one Of her old
friends feels just as [ have felt about
at, and SO the poor thing may be
longing for word of advice and en-
couragement and sympathy without
ever hearing it, One can mind ones
own business too much sometimes,
don't you think SO, John?"
He hesitated a full minute before he
answered (for John is over-cautious
about accepting my assertions) and
then said:
Hardly. When a person is suffer
ing, it becomes the business of those
around that person to relieve the suf-
fering.''
20 yes, butyou know what I mean,
John; | don't care about analysing
so much. / am so afraid Of seeming
TO interfere with what does not con-
Germ me that I have been so afraid to
approach the subject, but will now
You see, John had that day learned
that the $4,000 insurance that the
young widow had received was fast
melting away. Now that Clarence
Thwait was dead, bills came pouring
in, bills that she had never dreamed
OF, and, poor young thing, she never
thought of saying mo- or watt"
but paid every one as it came.
John and / had been wondering
what she would do when the money
was gone, for it would not last long
in Nettie's hands. She had never
known how to save, and as for that
Clarence, her husband, had known
no better.
They had lived like two children,
but we all loved chem. They were
50 full of fun, SO good natured and
frank and SO ready to do anything
for others that we never blamed them.
Then to look at Clarence one would
have supposed that he would live
thirty or forty years, but one never
counts on accidents.
But Nettie is sure to find way
to support herself and little ones" I
said after time. "You know, how
often we have spoken Of her intelli-
sgence and brightness. Don't you
remember asking her one evening
when she was here about six weeks
agoit there was anything she didn't
know"
Yes, but a woman may be intel
Iigent and bright and pleasing in
company, but still not know how
to earn her living. advise you to
go to her, dear, and find out what
she means to do. We may be able
TO help her. There is. not the least
danger of her installing your mo-
lives
Well: that afternoon [ went, and
was SO glad afterward that / did.
found her sitting with her two
little girls, and Oh, the stony look Of
on her sweetface. Ihad been
wondering how should begin, for [
had never spoken Of ways and means
ito her before, but there was no need
of the speech had made up. One
look at that drawn face was enough.
"a just took her i'll my arms and cried
,sOver her as i'll were her mo Their. Then
4 said:
Nettie, my dear, I've come to see
what you are going to do. You
wont mind telling me, will you? ~
Mind O., if you only knew how
good it is of you to come and ask
me. I've been feeling as if no one
cared. .
"They all care, Nettie, but I think
we all stayed away for the same real
rsonwe did notlike to seem offcious.
We will all be so glad to help you in
any way you like.
But what can do?" she said de-
jectedly.
in the first place, you won't want
to keep this immense house, nor the
horses. You can save q little fortune