The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-09-12

Jhsey mat night, pale aud rcd-eyrd
burned all her sketches.
why did you not tell M they were
worthless daubst" she said u Kate bitter.
ly. "As for altar carpets and chenille
work, that is not religion. viii have
nothing to do with them; But in q
week she Wa at work upon the carpet.
"Bob's wife shall never interfere with
my life" Kate boosted holly.
Yet it was Anna who called B1ts at
tcntion to the fact that young Whiting
had been hanging around the girl for
months
His salary is a mere nothing and his
health Is not good" she urged
"Kathy has something Of her own, and
If she loves Billy she may wish to nurse
him back to health said good-uatured
Bob.
ut is not right that her life should be
sacrificed to an Invalid.
! Really, Anna. / cannot interfere.
Kate is old enough to judge Tor herself
a. to the right course
dearest Robert, there can be but one
right course. have told you what it is -
| In consequence of this and many other
talks Bob treated young Whiting with
such GOODNESS that he left the house one
nigh. deeply offended. Soon afterward
he immigrated to California, there to
grow healthy aud rich, and in time marry
a'girl who resembled Catharine Trench.
Kate il still unmarried.
Grandma Trench died Ia the second
year of Annals reign. She was, unac-
cOuntably weak the physician said,
land unable to resist acute disease He
told his wife that he suspected Mrs.
Roberts dietary was not of nourishing
kind and the old lady belonged to a
large-boded, hungry race, who required
rich food and plenty of it,"
Soon after this, Nelly, Bobs widowed
sister, told him she would take her child
rem and make little home for them.
"Josey and Kate will 90 with US, broth
err, she said
But father meant thought We
all would keep together while we lived,
| Nelly" said Bob, his black eyes growing
! dim. lie was an ailectionate fellow, and
his sisters were very dear to him. Life
alone with his wife yawned very bare
and empty before him.
Il hope you and Anna have had no
words!'
no, indeed Nobody could have
words with Anna. Butt would be
better for US to 90, Bob
She said to Josey aftcrward; God
help him ~ She is stilling him. | would
stay, but will not lave the children
lives crumped. She has her rigid idea of
duty, aud she goes about forcing every
other human beings Efe into it. She
might as well have an iron shoe made to
fit herself, and theu crush all our feet ill.,
| to that
Anna smilingly babe her sisters fare
well, and prayed God To bless them.
Anna's heart was warm with triumph
that she was AT last mistress of the old
homestead, bat She 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.
After this, she reigned supreme, The
only Trench left was Bob, over whose
stupid, a,iectionate, het-tempercd nature
as he grew older she lost all power. He
would not listen to her scientific readings
nor to her eXpositlons 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 re-
il zion who spent most of his time in the
bar-room of the Oxford inn? His old
ncighbors gave poor Trench, who was
going to the devil" the cold shoulder,
aud pited his sweet-tempered, 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 very thoughts
she was their nurse, their goyerness
! their tutor; she preparc.i them for col
lege; she permitted them to form no ac-
quaintances with other boys until she
had closely examined and approved them.
The boys went to college. Then, as
Nelly expressed it, they kicked of the
iron she's. John plunged into every dis
sipation within his reach, was expelled
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.
at is the only fun | ever had" said
poor Jhonny, the day before he died.
lie was mild, lovable fellow, aud would
have been glad to please her But he
felt duly tina, his life had been unhealthy
and dwarfed. There was no strength in ii
to resist temptation.
Anna lived but year after him. She
was calm and self-possessed to the last.
Bob Trench left Oh'ord Immediately
1t was said that he went to South Amer
lea in search OF john. After two years
they came back together aud settled
down on the old farm. John is thor
ough Trench, big, sincere. impulsive
His father had pulled him out of tn,
slough and he never returned to 1t 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 Ii
never mentioned in 1t.
There are many well meaning womer
who carry about iron shoes and have
their own way with them while living
hut when they are dead the world hastily
cuts their names on the cold marble OF
their tomhstones and forgcts them a
quickly as possible.