Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-01-03
WITH FACE GLORIFIED.

spring rain was railing gently, con-
tnuously, on Mrs. True's garden. The
lately transplanted geraniums and petunias
lifted their heads gratefully to the warm
shower, and the fuchsias and sweet alys-
sum frightened under its influence.
If their mistress could have seen them
she, too, would have rejoiced, for the
flowers we're her children, petted darlings,
for whom no care could be too great, no
attention too painstaklng. She had housed
them in winter, set them out in summer,
guarded, hung over them year after year.
Involuntarily one looked for her mild
face at the window, smiling out upon
them, but she was not to be seen. For the
second time only in her life Mrs. True lay
in her chamber, too i'll to heed the pater
ing rain, or to think Of the plants growing
SO fast in the sweet, moist air. even
though, through the open window of her
room, bo.h sounds and scents entered
freely, the peaceful sounds and healthful
scents of the country.
1t was very still in the room where she
lay; very still and orderly. The old
furniture was polished and speckless; the
linen as white as snow; against the pill
lows, which had been part of her bridal
eutft, rested the gray head, still neatly
cared for, and the face, with its pallor,
still wore look of kindly patience.
At her side sat her husband. good
Deacon True, with bowed head and sad
ewes; and in his work hardened hand he
held her feeble one.
Presently footstep sounded on the
muddy sidewalk outside. Then the gate
latch clicked. Some one walked up the
path and tapped softly on the house door,
and was as softly admitted.
But the two, with their faces turned
How is she?" said the neighbor down.
stairs, who hid dropped in"
"Failin'," answered Fidelia Perkins, the
maid of-all-work, temporarily engaged for
the emergency.
Flows he?"
Fairly beat out with grievin. SEEMS
if he hadn't no heart for eatin or drinkin'
or nothin. Just settin' up there along O.
her and holdin' her hand. never did see
folks set sech store by each other as they
do"
We'll, they haven't nobody else to set
store by, you see, said the visitor, estab-
fishing herself by the fire and holding out
two substantial feet to the blaze.
mo, that's so, assented Fidelia, taking
out her knitting. Now you just make
yourself comfortable, Mis- Clapp. I'm
real glad to see somebody. It's dreadful
lonesome here. Jest those two still crit
tiers upstairs, and me and the cat Gown
stairs, and nothin' on earth to do. Why,
there amt SO much as a teaspoonful of
dirt to clean up nowhere in the house. l
never did see sech housekeepin'.
"She was a master hand for cleanin'.
said Mrs Clapp, shaking her head
thoughtfully, and, as say, there warn't
no children to make dirt.
mo. there warnt, but them plants is
about as bad, to my thinkin', clutterin' up
the place half the year and havin' to trail
around with waterin' pot and weedin
and stewin' over EN- the rest of the time.
She took sight of comfort in EN-, THOUGH. !"
aShe was real good woman. Mis- True
was, sighed Mrs. Clapp, speaking already
in the past tense.
"And he's powerful good man.
There amt no better.
Queer such good folks hadn't family.
Well, they did have one child.
DO tell? I never heard of it before.
Boy or girl?"
aBoy, believe. Law, Mis- True was
most tickled to deal about it. She was
as proud as an old hen with one chick, but
ii didn't last long. Twas sent for to nurse
her. and she was dreadful sick woman,
out of her head, just raving about that
baby-goin' on about what she was mean
ING 10 do for it, She had it all planned
out for lifetime how she was agoin' to
rock him TO sleep nights, and how, by
andby. be was agoin' to set to the table in
: high chair alongside of her. and. finally,