, 1890-02-02
MARTHA.

"She's a good gal an deserves to be
happy eff anybody doesl"
Cid John Compton gave the wheel of
his wagon an emphatic twirl around the
axle which he had been g~reasing. His
brow was troubled, his voice betrayed
emotion. Removing his funnel shaped
hat, he wiped the moisture from his
wrinkled face.
Behind him wac his cabin, and in its
entry his wife was at York. In front Of
him lay his crops exulting in the sun
shine. he took the prop from the axle;
then he Joined his wife.
Mother" he said, in the same dis
quieted tom that had characterized his
soliloquy a moment before, ''mother,
you think Martha's made up her mind
about Berry Bradley an 'twouldn't do
no good to reason furder with herr"
The woman turned from the churn,
and drew near to him. Her movement
was slipshop, her face as grave as his:
signing, she said:
d any good? Not a particle. I've
been agin it, John, the Lords my wit
ness. I've suffered torments; not a
nacherl nights rest in a month have /
had. But what's to be done? It's the
Lords will, l reckon. You don't know
nothin' about a mothers feelin's-a man
cayn't, it amt natur'; but I've got some'n
to tell you; you're her father an orter
know, though sech matters kin pass bet
ter betwixt women folks, kase they I'm
derstand one another.
Last night l couldn't rest. You was
sound asleep. l thought 1 heerd- some'n'
a-stirrin' in the child's room. 1 got out
O. bed and crept cross the entry, an,
a-standin' thar at that crack. I heerd her
a-cryin' an a-prayin' in thar to herself,
'thout a sign of a light.
81 peeped in at the door, an saw the
pore gals face in the moonshine. In all
my born days l hain't seed seoh misery
on a human countenance. She was as
dead white as a corpse, a-settin' on the
side O. the bed with her arms crossed,
bendin' for'ard IN BACKYARD, a-moanin'
an a-prayin' in whispers.
81 knowed twas kase we'd been A.
talkin' agin' Berry, an l went to her an
TUX her up in my lap-she's a pore frail
little thing anyway; she never was
overly stout.
after awhile she told me all about it
from beginnin' to end. Berry ulster tote
her dinner basket an jine her on the
road to school mighty nigh every day
three year ago fore he TUX to drinkin'.
She begun to love him then. She never
opened her mouth about it, an you
know he didn't come to the house even
as often as Glen Craig, so how's we to
know?
"She don't dispute that he's trilin'.
He's alays been kind an lovin' to her,
she says; an has promised time an agin
to stop drinkin'. She thinks she can get
i'm to give itup. He proved to her, at
meetin', yesterday, by Budd Logan, at
he haint teched a drop O. anything in
toxicatin' in over three weeks. He says
he never will agin; but the's no tellin'
bout them that's tied to liquor. He
mout start agin, an what I'D come O.
her?'
The huskiness in the woman's voice got
the mastery of her articulation, and she
went silently back to the churn. She
continued her work, but the dasher in her
unsteady hand struck against the sides of
the churn with unwonted force. She
was wiping her eyes on the skirt of her
bonnet.
IL oucJSSN VI NhS Sohf Iubt
reported was the only living child of the
old couple; their other children had died
before they had passed the period of in
fancy. Martha was the pet, the joy of
the humble household. More than once
the neighbors had expressed themselves
against what they considered to be dot
ing over indulgence of the girl on the
part of the father and mother.
She'll be eternally spilled" quoth
one.
She's the only gal in the hollow at
kin afford to wear shoes in summer
time; next thing you'll hear o her
a-havin' a boss an buggy" said another.
"They put her to school six months
last year. The most 'ancommon folks
gifts fur th'r children is q mont 'twixt
layin'-by time an Christmas" COM
planned an old crone with a ragged
brood of ten children dependent on her.
His wife's graphic recital Of the girls
unhappiness touched the old farmer
deeply. He could frame no reply. Walk
ing restlessly across the pupcheon floor
he shaded his eyes from the glare Of the
afternoon sun and gazed westward,
where he deserted a couple advancing
along the road through the fields. 1t
was Martha and her lover-a slight, girl
ish form in a homespun gown, a burly
young countryman with a slouching
walk.
They came to the cabin together, both
silent. The girls features were regular
and pleasing, her face deep and serious
she was about 10 years Of age, the young
man 25.
Wont you come in an rest9' she