The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-07-06
TOM RYDERs CHILD.

Mr.. Marsh, when he was sitting in the
village store with the heels of hiswell
Haziowed boots carefully poised on the
edge of the corrugated cylinder stove,
\ ,wxs far larger man than when he was
ut home. Perhaps it was for that reason
that he spent SO much time in the store.
a man likes to feel large and to hawk
AnA expectorate in an Independent man
ner.
When under the protection of his own
Eoof this gentleman was very much in
tho shadow of his wife. He never
hawked and he never expectorated there.
He shrank up into the smallest possible
compass and seemed to deprecate the
fact that he was alive at all. If he could
have come in and gone out at the key
hole he would have felt an unutterable
relief.
As it was; he was in constant fear lest
he should forget to wipe his feet, or lest
he should leave door unlatched. He
often told himself '.he'd ruther be ,darned
any day than to forgit to wipe his feet
twice" first on the husk mat in the sink
room and next on the braided mat at
the kitchen door. When Mr.. Marsh said
.she'd ruther be darned," ;" he meant that
he preferred being consigned to hades.
He often thought it would be kind of
relief to be in that place land done with
it, But he always was very meek in
deed when he had indulged in such
khoughts.
Mrs Marsh was large, dark, mus
Hached woman. who was believed by
ssme to be good nurse. She certainly
had the merit of subduing her charges
into absolute quiescence. She boasted
that folks that ''she took care on knew
their places mighty quick; n their
places was to jest lay still n let the Lord
do as he pleased"
She was fond of mentioning the Lord
NJ the most unexpected and irritating
times. She had referred to him on so
many occasions in regard to, her hus-
bands bringing in ''medder mud" and
other kinds of soil on the soles of his
boots that Mr.. Marsh was continually
harassed by "a fear lest he might become
prejudiced and acquire a habit of think
ing disrespectfully of the Lord. If he
did acquire such habit, he hoped fer
vently and in plain terms that it might
be laid to D'rindy's charge rather than
to his Dorinda was his wife's name;
and it was the name given to each of
Eve consecutive daughters who had been
born to Mr.. and Mrs. Marsh and who
had all died when children.
There were residents in the village
i0vho always took friends who came from
q distance to the graveyard to. see the
-"row of D'rindies, as this series OF
mounds was usually termed.
These continual bereavements were
very hard to tbear during their occur
renee, but after some years had passed
and the wounds were SCARED Mrs
Marsh was conscious of certain dis
tinction coming from the fact that she
was. in certain sense, owner of tina;
row in the cemetery. She had pride
In keeping the small graves and theil
heaalstones in the very best condition
or rather she made Mr.. Marsh keep them
BoI
When have seen that woman strid
ing toward the hill slope where the
graveyard was, have wondered if she
did not feel a satisfaction that there
were five mounds instead of four; five
made a much more impressive row. II
one of those babies had grown it would
doubtless have brought in a great dea.
of mud in the spring, snow in the win
ter, and road dust in the summer. Il
would have Uttered things up jest aw
ful, to use favorite expression of Mrs
Marsh Was it possible that there
were compensations? 1t is distinc ton
TOO, to have had q ''dretful sight ot
sickness in your family" to have ''notes
put up for the sufferer and the suffer
srs friends.
Do you know what it means to have a
note put up? 1t is to arrange that the
minister shall find, apparently in the
hymn book, a scrap of paper asking the
prayers of the congregation for family
in affliction. The name of the person i.
often given, and then there is q rustlins
and turning and looking at the near
est relative who happens to be present
When things by land and by sea have
been prayed for, when people scattered
up and down this sinful earth" have beer
mentioned, then the minister changes bi
tone to one of more feeling. and petition.
that this dear sis n whose child is on
bed of sickness may be strengthened t.
endure, and that. if it be so decided tha
she be called upon to give up that be
loved one, she may be enabled to bow
her head to his great and glorious will
and to bless him, even though he slay.
There is great sameness about th'
words used in response to this asking fo
prayers, but who shall say that thos'
phrases do not sometimes touch healing
ly a sore heart?
Reuben Marsh never missed going t.
meeting single Sunday during all tn,
times when his children were pining ant
dying.
Sometimes he would far rather hav,
stopped at home, being possessed by tina
piteous and natural feeling that he, witt
all his strength and -vigor, might il
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