Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-07-25
MlsCellaMenMs.
HANNAH'S PERvERsITY.

John Grove and his wife lived in tn
town of Manchester, in two-stor,
house, prim and white neat as piI
outside, and inside subject to the inces
SAINT painting, papcring, whitewashing,
and scrubbing of the extremely tidy
couple.
No kitchen boasted such white
floor no window curtains were so spot
less; i'll fact, no house in town boasted
such perfect arrangements internal and
external as that Of the Groves.
Were the Groves happy That was
not u difficult question to answer.
After the days work was done, the
two would sit in the chimney corner
silent, and evidently not too well pleased
with each others company.
The fact was, they were alone.
No children had ever gladdened their
home. No prattling tongues, or pat
tering feet kept them still busy after the
duties of the day we're over. They
hated to sit and face each other. The
monotony was tiresome to flesh and
blood. But their longings for ''some-
thing to love" we're kept pretty safely
locked in their own breasts
The cat and dog came in for due
share of attention; the hens and chick
ems were duly fed. and also the pigs,
the pride of their hearts. But still there
was something wanting.
'Let's go up to Tewsbury, John, and
take baby out of the poor-house," Han
nah Grove used to say, when she felt the
mother love urging her strongly.
mo other mans child for me, Han
nah. One week after my first wife
died, | buried boy of my own, just
out of potticoats, and | know what n
fathers feeling is. 1t is different with
you, Hannah you have never boen a
parent" said John, rather reproach-
fully, land one persons child is as good
as another to you, s'pose."
Hannah felt the reproach, sighed,
and kept on her knitting in silence.
"Wife, what became Of Eta, brother
Jim's girl? Did you ever hear p
"No, not exactly. Eloped, | think y
"Well, loved that child about as
we'll as ever could one of my own.
| wish we had taken her teu years ago,
Hannah"
$50 do | John. She'd have been a
comfort to US, perhaps"
"She's been gone about u year, hasn't
she wife ?"
"Yes."
This ended the dialogue, and the
worthy couple lapsed into silence again,
that was unbrokon save by the clicking
of the knitting needles, as Hannah mar
rowcd off the toe of Johns gray sock.
Ten o'clock struck, and John arose to
lock up the house, rake over the fire,
and get ready for bed. Stepping to the
door, as was his wont before retiring to
rest, he found thin mantle of snow
covering the ground, and the large white
flakes whirling and twisting in the sharp
breeze.
"God tempers the wind to the shorn
lamb, said John, fervently, as he closed
the door and bolted it, then mounted the
the stairs to his chamber, where Han
nah had preceded him.
An unusual restlessness had taken
possession Of the good wife. She could
not sleep. The gusts of wind that blew
down the chimney and swept fierccly
around the sharp corners Of the house
seemed to chill her to the very marrow
And yet she lay embedded in down with
small mountain of lambs wool blan-
kets above her.
At midnight she awoke John to lis
ten to the peculiar sounds that accom-.
panied the gusts of wind.
"That certainly seems like the cry
of child, Hannah"
"Yes, so it does; and young child
at that. Get up, John, and go down
stairs and listen at the window or door. /"
John jumped out of bed, put on his
pants, dressing-gown and slippers, and
taking a candle, descended to the floor
below. Shading the light with his hand,
he unbolted the door and peered out into
the darkness. The peculiar cry had
ceased but another had taken its place
a low sobbing sounding like the moan
of a babe that had cried itself to sleep.
The snow had ceased to fall, but the
doorway and steps we're covered with a
thin sheet that almost hid out Of sight a
covered basket in the corner of the
porch under the wooden seat
Led by the sound, John stopped dow1
and uncovered the basket, revealing o
rosy infant, poorly clad, about three
months old. Tenderly, carefully, Johr
Grove lifted the unconscious burder
aud carried it into the house; than rak
ing the Goals in the huge fireplace, b.
put on plentiful supply Of wood ; sool
the kitchen was warm aud the it'll
waif fast asleep in its improvised cradle
Hannah, who had come down stair
at Johns call sat opposite her hushaa
(for the couple sought their bed no mor
II that night watching the sleeping bah