Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-12-04


other" continued the old fellow, as be
set to work on the blaater, from which
she removed the bones, ''we've had bot
ter times than most, Henerietta." This
remark-the result OF his ruminatiohs
was repeated ct least once a week,
and had been for years.) We amt had
no luxuries nor no amusements, but
we've been thar to one another, and we
amt had children, but that's left as all
the more love for each other, and we
amt had no changes. You've been bet
ter for ne too look at than any country
fields, yet l sometimes has a pang that
you ain't never seen EN-; I've heard tell
they're uncommon green and pretty"
Il don't regret EN-, Thomas, I can
quite imagine 'em. Ike as II the pave
ment was chalked green and run into
the roads,"
"And the sea, too, where these ere
bloaters come out Of. They're uncoIn-
mon tasty, Henerletta. hope yours Is
q nice and plump one. "
''It's quite q Tichbone," said Mrs.
Casey, reassuringly, as she broke OF and
ate piece OF day bread.
"And the flowers all a-groWIn.' ard
the air all s-smellin' like periooms I've
heerd, as different from Whitechapel as
ehild's shoes is from a gaiter. Henerl-
eta, you amt eatin your supper"
Eyes, l am, Thomas" But she had
scarcely touched q morsel. She was TOO
tired for one thing, and her face
tWitched every now and then as II she
were In pain. Perhaps there was q lit
fNa a.
trayed to her old lover the fact that she
suffered.
%.Have you got your boots on, Heneri-
1 ettaS he inquired"
"Yes5TROmas."
Take 'eMs OF, then. Theirs Sln't no
I sense in wearin' boots In the house. /
expec' they pinch you, and this damp
weather cOrns always seem to swell.
Take 'em of my dear, and put on my
carpets"
Mrs. easy Immediately bent forward
and took of her boots. They were very
/ old and very shabby, and could scarcely
| have pressed the most sensitive foot.
Shortly after the supper had been I'M
/ ished and cleared away, they prepared
/ for bed. Mrs. easy undressed her hus-
band, who was slngularly helpless, even
for blind man; then she washed his
hands and his face and they knelt down,
| side by side, and said the Lords prayer
in their old quavering voices as they
had done every niRht and morning for
all the years Of their simple lives.
This room had bounded those lives.
They always had the same occupation
from their youth upward, and their
married life had been quite uneventful,
with no joys except what they had made
/ for each other, aud no sorrOws except
/ poverty. They had never known actual
want, and even when the old man lost
his sight it was possible for Mrs. easy
to support them both. OF course 1t In
vOlVed self-denisl on her part, and the
strain on her energies was greater than
she realized. She was happy In sacri-
fcing herself. The want OF children
had never been felt by the man, but in
her, though she said nothing, and even
realized that childishneSs might in their
circumstances be a blessing, the mother
instinct was strong, and so ii gave her
a certain pleasure that her husband
should lean upon her and need her, aud
be as dependent upon her as any baby.
Only at 6S il is not always easy to an
swer every call upon ones strength and
energies.
Long after she had fallen asleep easy
/ lay wakeful he was bordering how he
/ could help her In the morning he said:
( "Henerietta, I've been thinking that
/ you take too much exercise. You amt
/ 70 60 and fetch uppers to-day. I'll get
| little Bessie from next door to guide me,
/ and then I can bring 'em back for you. J"
Mrs. easy argued the point "She en-
/ loved the fresh air, " she said, "When
I she went to fetch work." but easy was
| firm. He declared that the only condi-
ton on which he would let her 40 would
] ha that she wore his boots, and as this
would necessltate his staying at home,
she yielded with bad grace.
easy was in some things as yielding as
a child, in others unressonaNy oostl-
nate. When he got the idea that to
wear her boots was bad for Mrs.
Casy's corn, no argument on her par
! prevailed. He believed 1t was merely
her unselfshneSs which made her I'M
willing to 90 for the work herself, and
that therefore he had q right not to let
her follow her own desires. Henceforth
Mrs. Casy only enjoyed such fresh air
as was admitted by her little window.
However, as she did not spend time 60
ing TO and from the warehouse, she got
through more work, aud was able TO
spare halfpenny a week for Bessie as
wages for looking after Thomas.
Sill, In spite Of these precautions,
Mrs. Casy's corn did not seem to I'M
prove; that Is to say, Casy's quick ear
sometimes caught half-stifed groan.
He had never known his wife TO suffer
before, and his sympathy might seem
too disproportiOnate TO the cause were
n not that love iustifies such eXaggera-
ZION and even makes il beautiful. With
few interests, and those all centred In
one being. and debarred as he was even
from the distraction Of labOr-fOr In do
inc everything for him, perhaps his
wife had encouraged his helplesSness-
II was not unnatural that he should
brood on this subject. At any rate, be
Aid apparently wonder what could be
done, for one evening he said suddenly;
Henrietta, I've made up my mind to
give I'D my pipe for q spell"
sWhatever should you do that for?"
incurred Mrs. Casey with surprise, Tor
be had never made any secret Of the en-
iovment he got out Of his small weekly
allowance Of shag.
GIVE been a-thinkln'," said be medi-
tativelv. las it I'd teach me selt-denial
a hin I don't think SIS we'd oughter be
bound to our comforts"
s.Tbere amt no call" said she, de-
cldedlv. "It amt as II yon was selfish,
dr- hound up In them things"