Wichita eagle., 1890-03-11
MADAM MOULTONS STORY,


was sixteen yeares j that yeare O tn
eygre at Hampton, whereby my father,
Robert Moody, came to S end-his boat and
be being lifted inland, they sayd, almost in
sight of our home and then drawn down 70
death by tn mighty arm o the deep seas.
Well | mind cur home. It's small place
where three little pines stand in a row, the
length OF q meadow from tn coNlmon field,
and cure next nayhour-a solid, low house
under big trees and well set about with fences
md palisadoes-thc Garrison house they be-
gan to call it thcs yeare.
Ny mother, Mistress Betty Moody, could
scarce abide i'll cure house before my fathers
dreadful daye-so fearsone was she of red
skins. For allie tn world doth know that in
that yeare-'twas ten years before King
Charles died-the red men harried ale New
England. After the eygre she grew so pas
sonateie afeared that if hen did but cackle
on q stone step TIL cloud would grow upon
her features ike a sea turned upon tn land,
and she would catch up tn babe, CHANGING
fearfuilie at my brother cutting wood or hoe
ing the patch. and at me upon the dye tub
knitting And Of moonlit nights she would
stare from our lattice upon the deepe woods.
Child she has said TO my brother often,
as wee all peered together, ready dressed for
flight; ''does that bush move? Methinks
it's tn color of TIL pale ground"
The Indians forayed in white, to simmer
along in III friendlie silence Of the still, moon
like vapors lying next the ground.
''Deare my mother" my brother would
say, looking bigge as he could, but trembling,
too, though he sayd twas because the April
night was chill and the wood pile too small
for a brave heat. Hast thou not meet
And the Garrison house so near," Robert
alwaies added this last, though he was a
brave dark boy, like our father il IS face,
straight browed and looking with level eyes.
lie would cry when he foEdled tn babe such
nights-'twas a sweet girl babe and white
like our mother. And finally, when one
night came a man riding hard to tell that
Watohantowet-who had long disputed
boundaries-waS on the warpath with mamie
braves, mT brother was fain for ale his seri-
GUS talk TO lay hold of as, rany trenchers as
a could carry and order me TO bring tn bed,
our mother following with her babe.
There came no Indians, and wee went back
i the home next day. But the spring was
hard to bear. Robert did well; but one day
i the last o spring he came and did throw
''Rose,n saith he, ''there is but one hen With
whole suit of feathers, saith he. Indeed a
murrain had settled upon our poor fowls, Civ
ing them naked crops and backs which bis
tered i the sun. And all tie maize be yell
Iow,n saith he. There is no hill that is good
and greene; and thou knowest how have
watered it!'
Il was hot afternoon, with a shore wind.
Our mothers hair chung to her pretty temples
in littel damp rings, as she cewed at tn bed
valence, sweet with lavender-our mother was
ger dainty in bedding.
lie rest, my good lad saith she. "When
til suns down Rose and l viii help carry
water. ! know how TO dig about tn roots.
Thou shalt not lose thy maizei" And she
smiled such q tremulous smle-aS ones still
civil TO acquaintance on tn day of ones dis
tresS.
When that it was coole. our mother was as
good as a word, carrying full piggins from
ih' spring with haste for fear O. TIL babes
awakening A shoes were bad and they did
tear upon tn stony dirt, the skin reddening
i til sits; but SO she only flew the faster, her
arms straining with her loads. Then would
she fall TO and dig, while tn damp settled
and frogs i TIL pools ciamored And then
In, when we could see a blade no more, with
hand at her back, bedraggled and footsore,
but with kinde, white looks at Robert and
ms as we ralled tn ashes Off the stuck and
warmed TIA bread.
But our maize was ne'er to be harvested
Another fell story came TO Hampton OF moro
Indians coming from inland. Well, | wot
how my mother paled and screeched Robert |
Robert" when the naybur body told it,
smoothing her Primers by cure hearth Ny
brother rushed in from the patch; but he
saw, and did !, twas our father she was
calling.
sal me down to spin next day, my stint be-
ing marked for me. Twas n fayre morning.
and Robert, outside, went back and forth
like tn shuttle i the web i our field. And
mother she put on the Grape shawl-twaS
foreign and Powered most beautifully-and
taking tin babe in as arms, she starts for
tin beach for an airing. can see her yet
when l close my eyeS-slender. of q willowv
shape, hurrying across tn fields / tn salt
ayre-the little white bundle in as arms.
Now, she did so to hairy captain of a
great smack i the harbor, and saws she with
courteSy-our mother was aye mannerly:
Il am Robert Moody'S wife and have in
niind to live at the Shoals. Wit carry out
my gear.'
But he looked with weary, merry face at
my littel mother.
Best stay on L mainland, good wifel Thou
doSt not know what is life on the Shoals,
Thou canst not help pull IN n trawlr' said
the man.
No, but my son can said our mother
quicklie and lifting her tinid eyes. He is
fifteen and brawpy."
30, ii thy son can work for thee" said the
captain. And tn bargain was clinched by
tn Grape shawl for S dame.
Our mother did plan this fitting because
those seven islands, nine miles from land, had
been sure refuge from red men. Dreadful
foike OF the seas went there, but Indians
never.
In another weeke we were far from our
bol!yoaks and our deare ruStical porch. The
Toppans o the Garrison house helped Us of.
even running with fitch of bacon when
We were upon tn load, Mr.. Toppan seeming
IN a browne study over my mothers glitter
ing eyes; but he said nothing Our gear was
woefnlly broken i tn handing, Robers
breaking the green bealer as we crowded
upon tn snlack-s' having the glass in s
hands Tor safety. o, tn intolerable smells OF
our craft as we went rocking ard dipping