New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-01
TOM RIDERS CHILD.
AND MR.. MARSH'S REBELLION

store with the heels OF his welltallowed boots
carefully poised on the edge of the corrugated
cylinder stove, was far larger man than when he
was at home. Perhaps it was for that reason that
be spent so much time in the store man likes
TO feel large, and to hawk and expectorate in an
independent manner.
When under the protection of his own roof this
gentleman was very much in the shadow of his
wife. He never hawked and he never eXpectorated
there. lie shrank up into the smallest possible
compass and seemed TO deprccate the fact that he
was alive at all If he could have come i'm and
gone out at the key-hole he would have felt an
uputterable relief As ii was, he was in constant
fear lest he should forget to wipe his feet or lest
he should leave door unattached. 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 he'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 indeed when he had INDUCED in such
thoughts.
Mrs. Marsh was large. dark, mustached
woman. who was believed by some TO be good
nurse. She certainly had the merit of subduing
her charges into absolute quiescence. She boosted
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 pleased
She was fond of mentioning the Lord at the most
unexpected and irritating times. She had re-
ferrcd to him on many occasions in regard to
her husbands bringing in meddcr mud and other
kinds of soil on the sOes of his boots that MI
Marsh was continually harassed by fear lest he
might become prejudced and acquire a hal0 OF
thinking dsrespectfully of the Lord If he did
ooo,,;,o euch hob ha honad fprVpntlV and in
plain terms that it might be laid TO D'rindys
charge rather than to his. Dorinda was his wiics
name; and it was the name given TO each OF hvc
consecutive daughters who had been born TO MI
and Mrs. Marsh and who had all died when chill
dreR.
There were residents in the village who always
took friends who came from distance 10 the
graveyard to see the row of D'rindies, as this
series of mounds was usually termed.
These continual bercavemcnts were very hard
TO bear during their occurrence, but after some
wears had passed and the wounds were Scared,
Mrs Marsh was conscious of certain distinction
coming from the fact that she was, in q certain
sense owner of that row in the cemetery. She had
a pride in keeping the small graves and their
headsones in the very best condition; or rather
she made Mr.. Marsh keep them so.
When have seen that woman strding toward
the hill slope where the graveyard was, l have
wondered if she did not feel a satisfaction that
there were five mounds instead of four; five made
a much more impressive row. If one OF those
babies had grown it would doubtless have brought
in great deal of mud in the spring, snow IN the
winter, and road dust in the summer. 1t would
have Uttered things up jest awful" to use
favorite expression of Mrs. Marsh'S. Was it pos
sible that there were cOmpensations? II is a DIS
tinction too, to have had "dretful sight OF sick
ness in your family; TO have notes put up for
the sufferer and the sufferers friends. Do you
know what it means to have note put up? III
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 allie
ton The name of the person is often given, and
then there is rustling, and a turning, and a
looking at the nearest 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 been mentioned
then the minister changes his tone to one of more
feeling, and petitions that this dear sister whose
child is on a bed of sickness may be strengthened
TO endure, and that, if it be so decided that she
be called upon to give up that beloved one, she
may be enabled to bow her head to His great and
glorious will, and to bless Him, even though He
Aayeth.
There is great sameness about the words used
in response to this asking for prayers, but who
shall say that those phrases do not sometimes
touch healngly sore heart?
Reuben Marsh never missed going to meeting
single Sunday during all the times when his
children were pining and dying.
Sometimes he would far rather have stopped at
home, being possessed by that piteOuS and natural
feeling that he with all his strength and vigor
might in some way give of that strength TO the
poor little thing moaning on the bed But his
IoJ do
as usual to iasten his collar and button on the
rusty black nccktie
And he had always heard those prayers in
answer TO the note he had put up. He held him
self rigidy upright. His heavy, bearded face was
impressive TO look upon. People who looked at
him curousy saw nothing but the calm, rough
face His hands were thrust into the big pockets
of his loose sack coat: the great knucky fingers
writhed and twisted as the prayer proceeded.
Mr. Marsh heard the words going on and on
over his head. lie felt as if he were cropping in
horrible darkness. All the time he was saying to
himself
90 God let her live o God. let her livel
can't live if you take this one too.'
lie thought he could not live. But that one,
too was taken, and still the sun continued TO rise
and set on Reuben Marsh. And still Mrs. Marsh
hectOTed him from morning TO night, and OCCASION
ally reminded him Of what mother suffered in the
loss of a child. She said she sposcd father had
some feelings, but how could father know a
mothers heart?
Evidently there no answer to this question.
Certainly Mr.. Marsh attempted to give none
Mrs Marsh talked a great deal TO
her husband and to the ncighbors gen
orally about the fact that all her
children had been born without any con-
situtons She didn't know why il was, for all
lnr folks were made of iron. She often inquired
how a child without constitution at all could
be expected 10 live. She told Reuben it was
too much 10 ask. She gave every one to under
stand that Reuben seemed to believe their children