South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-08-26
TO THE POOR HOUSE.

The county-house wagon drew mp
az the old farmhouse door ia tho
early morning light and the Poor
Overseer got out and knocked on
the door with the butt end Of hia
whip.
"Hey," quavered thin voioo
within, WHO'S there
"We've come for 20, mother, -
said the overseer.
"Who calls mo mother Pc sske&
the tremulous voice, and then tho
door was opened by shaky hard
and an old woman, dressed ia
shawl and hood, stood in the door
way.
Il member" she said slowly.
noddiug towards the wagon, ssits
the selectmen, an 1 s'pose they
know best, but IL Jim knew--if--
Jim knew--.hat his poor mother
IVES goin' to the poorhouse IL "a
break his heart"
CAR We ready, mother 20 asked
the man, gently.
Eyes, Ibe. 1 amt slept since
heard yc were ccmin' for me. TIA
oil right, an / don t blame We, but
it's hard to have worked all yer lifo
an raised a family. and then die in
the poorhousc. It'll Almost kill
Jim when he knows"
The man on the doorstep cough
cd and turned away, pretending to.
examine the wisteria yinethat blos-
somed over the door. Not for
worlds would We have told her that
he was only carrying out Jim's or
der against the time he should bring
his wife TO the old farmhouse.
She came out slowly looking
with vague, wondering eyes at all
she was leaving, the trees she and
Harvey-that was iler husband
had planted when they were young,
and the bed OF cinnamon pinks and
the little bushes at the gate. She
stopped and gathered some of the
fragrant southernwood-'old man.,
they called it-and then she looked.
up at the window of one room
bride hood wife hood mother hood,
angel-hood, that meant to her.
Little Carrie had died there, Har-
vey had looked his last In the heav-
en- of her eyes there. That was
nigh on to forty years ago.. Why,
where was God this fair surifmer
morning that he had forgotten her,
and let her 60 to the poor house
"Hurry up, mother" said the
man gently ''we'rc to call for an.
other paup-passenger bit furth-
er down the road. Tain,t much
you're leayin" with short laugfis
He was trying to make the best OF
it for her.
He helped her into the wagon,
and in the golden light of another
new day they moved on, jogging
along the country road, sweet with
the scented life of nature, until
they reached the stile that led into
the old graveyard where the senti-
mel stones shone among the trees in
their strange dumb witness
ooh, Of you didn't mind-if L
just could say word to Harvey
it would help me much, an I
wouldn't be long--I wouldn't keep
you waitin'."
.'All right, mother" The over
seer jumped out and helped her to
the ground. Don't DO long
there's good SOUL" and he LII hls
pipe and talked to the driver, apol-
ogizIng for his weakness.
"Taint like az if she was were q
common pauper," he said ssthere
are folks here "a remember when
che was the b.lle Of the country.
and they do say it is this son jim
that has run through with the prop
erty an is gettin her out of the
way so he won't have to pay for
her keep / wouldn't toll her for q
house and lot"
'fShe wouldn't believe yer if
yer did," said the driver, senten-
tiously "but shes taken her time
in yonder."
No. 1t was not time she vac
taking but eternity. When the over
seer went to look for her. che lay
with her withered cheek pressed to
the moss-grown stone that boro the
name Of her husband, and a smile
that seemed to be reflected glory
from Paradise lit up her peaceful
face. It had COR to her in one
brief moment, the assurance that
she would not go to the poor house.
and thof-aho had ssot,o 1.~..,.