The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-03-13

lived. Nelly said Bob. his black eyes
growing dim He was an afectionate
fellow and his sisters were very dear
TO him Life alone with his wife
yaWned very bare and empty before
him. hope you and Anna have had
no wordsT
mo, indeed. Nobody could have
words with Anna Butt would be-
better for us TO go, Bob"
She said TO Josey afterward: God
help him! She is sitting him.
would stay. but ! will not have the
\, sAs s S3xsS Sssss .cramnsd. She has
I her little rigid idea OF duty and she
goes about forcing every other human
beings life into 1t. She might as well
have an iron shoe made to fit herself,
and then crush all our feet into that
Anna smilingly bade her sisters
good bye and prayed God to bless them.
II never thought to see the girls
leave the old homestead. said Bob,
/ hoarsely. Father meant their home
should be here.
As@AunassAheaFt was=xarulA 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. J"
she said. s sssss=
"Oh, suppose sol" broke forth Bob.
"You always know the right, Anna,
and il 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 selfishness or ignorance
had nodded it. It 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 as he grew older, she lost all
power. He would not lissen to her
scientific readings nor to scr EXPOSE
tions OF the creed of her OWE sect and
condemnation OF all others.
God help you II that is the religion
you teach your sons, he said y
But why should poor Bob talk OF
religion, who spent most OF his time
now in the bar-room Of the Oxford imp
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 ap.
| proved them.
1.-THE result will=be,n said Nelly to
her once, '.that those lads will be
either weak limitations Of yourself, or
hypocrites.n
Anna face olEinto its customary
smile Of superiority, There can be
but one right way OF thinking, talking
and living. way. is right. why
should Il not compel my sons to
adept it Pr 2,s =------- 3s---..
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 beer
unhealthy and dwarled. There war
no strength 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
nui SO her, and 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 a mistake, Anna
somehow. God knows why! We've
got far apart. Can't we come together
againP Can't you forgive ne. my dar-
lingp'
Certainly. l forgive you, Robert
Her voice was weak but composed.
II am sorry you think was to blame
in going apart from you. OF course,
VIC 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. 's~c1r&
Bob Trench left Oxford Immediately.
1t was said that he went to South
America in search OF John. After twd>
years they came back. together and
settled down on the old farm. John
is a 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. 81
There ARE many we'll meaning
women who carry about iron shoes
and have their own way with them
while living, but when they are dead
the world hastily cuts their name on
the cold marble OF their tombstone
and forgets them as quickly as posi-.
BILE Rebecca Harding Davis in Inde-