The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-11-19
THE OLD FOLKS BENT OVER THE LETTER.

culinary affairs. "Ef Maria hain't got
to be as shiftless as the rest
He pushed on into the sitting-room,
charged with connubial reprimand.
But as he opened the door, he STUN bled
against something soft and yielding,
yet which sent an unaccountable SILVER
from his feet to the very crown of his
head. lie looked down. 1t was wom-
ans recumbent form. With a great
fear at his heart he bent down, turned
the pale, white face to the light, then
staggered back, trembling in every
limb, while cold drops stood out upon
his forehead. -
"You-Maria?' he gasped, as with a
sudden wild hope he shook the still
form violently. wake up, Maria
The idea of you agoin' to sleep and let
ting the turkey get cold in the oven"
No response The figure that had
worn itself out working for him lay as
nerveless in his arms as a block of
stone. The closed eyes, the purple
lips, the drawn, white features, told
their terrible story. His wife was dead
-dead-and he had parted from her
not two hours before, with selfish
grumblings upon his lips. E
Silas Ware rose to his full height, and
uttering hoarse, inarticulate cry, fell
back upon the lounge from which he
had recently risen. Thanksgiving day!
At breakfast he thought himself an i'll
used and an unfortunate man.
''Oh, God! Oh, Godv' he moaned.
What would not give to have it all
| back?"
All what? What but Maria - his
wife, the faithful companion of the
tolls, the joys and the sorrows of
thirty years! What did he care
now for all other troubles and
losses? They were invisible beneath
the overwhelming cloud of this one
great loss. Without her nothing would
be good With her, all other trials
were trivial. He knew it now; he re-
allied it in every agonizing culver, as
his heart recognized and felt it's utter
and hopeless loneliness.
And even this was not the worst. If
he had parted from her with a smile
! instead of a frown-in kindness rather
than with reproach, the agony of sepa-
ration might be blunted little. But in
the coming years he must 90 down to
meet old age alone, the memory Of his
harshness would ever be stinging
IF l had only known" he cried,
dragging himself upon his knees to her
side once more; eff had only known"
Known-what? If he had only known
how great his blessings were, in the
possession of his true, tender patient,
faithful wife! But he selfshly declined
to know; and now the curse of his eter-
nal deprivation must wither him for
ever.
Il cannot stand itr he faltered
brokenly. ''Merciful God! How can I
stand it? No, no! l will not! Take
anything else, Lord. Take cattle, land
take money and home-take children!
Thou hast them all but one, and he
don't seem to care-no, Sam hain't
a-carin' for us, no more-b ut spare me
my wife-my wife-my wife,
why, Silas! What on earth-wake
up, father! You've about frightened
me to death with your moanin's and
takin's on!''
Some one was shaking him vigorous
ly as Silas opened his eyes. A CLEAN
of young sunlight shot into them
through the window, and blinded him
for an instant Then he recognized
the wel-worn dress, the dear, bent,
toil-worn figure. IA T. y -
"Mariapshe fairly, shouted Then
you're not dead after alI?'
mo, father. Who said was? The
doughnuts surely must have disagreed
with ye, for heard We when I was
basting the turkey"
Then the kitchen fire hain't gone
out?" interrupted Silas in dazed sort
of way, YET beginning to tremble
anew.
why no. what made you think