The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-12-01

she longed for, and torn clothing to
mend. and sick turns to be nursed out
from. They should be younger than
herself so that she could do for them.
They should go away and be educated
while she would stay at home and
churn, and weave straw hats and pick
fruit, and save and do it all for them
the little children who never came to
the home, but who lived with Onner
day and night
She had done the work, surely Look
at the strong hand in its cotton glove
on the reins. and you will see. For
when Onner was only sixteen her
quiet, patient mother had faded out of
life, and left the girl with q sturdy, hard
working father a querulous, exacting
grandmother and Aunt Kitty, who was,
as the neighbors said, mot very eff
Gent" or slack and shiftless," accord
ing to the nearer.
For twelve years she had them all.
Then Aunt Kitty seemed to find even
living too great an effort and gave it
up. The father grew bent with
rheumatism, worried over the affairs
Of the farm, and expected Onner To be
both son and daughter to him.
"lf you'd only been boy, now" he
would say sometimes; and Onner
laughing would assure him she was
almost one" and she would go out
and rake hay or milk cows, or see how
the men were getting on ditchinR.
Seven years more and she was left
alone with the blind, feeble grand
| NATHAN xx.ha ~
SO very often: conner, are you there?"
Are you sure, Onner?"-until one
night, or rather early dawn Of the
summer mornAg, Onner, waking, as
one does who has missed something,
went softly to the other bedside, and
found lips that had been sealed into
their long quiet. and face of peace.
"rm SO glad I've been good to her."
she said, with softly falling tears,
and anyway she's most like little
child lately, SO how could help it?"
That was, as Jacob said, only few
weeks ago, and now, at forty, Onner
was alone in the old home and could
FIJI it as she would. That was the Sc
cret she was whispering over and over,
on her way down the hillside. The
children should be in the home at last
and they should be hers, her adopted
children, to care for, work for, love
and pray over. branch brushed her
head once. and swept off her hat and
let her hair loose. She had TO stop and
twist it up. 1t was abundant still, but
there were threads of gray among the
brown, and Onner smiled q little sadly
They'll be growing up to take care
Of me. too; for I'm aging. cant deny
it; I'm growing old, or will be too
soon." she whispered, softly.
She knew what she was going for
now. A neighbor had stopped at her
gate that very morning while she was
busy in the garden.
"Heard the news, Onner?"
mo; what is it?"
Powder mill blew up yesterday out
at the Hollow"
You don't say! Anybody hurt?"
Eyes, three men killed Two Of them
l don't know about The other one
was Tom Shannon"
"Tom shannon! What, Roxy's hus-
band?'
For sure. Isn't It dreadful? and
Roxy not dead three months yet; and
those three children left without father
or mother
Haven't they anybodyp"
''rhey say not. Roxy was an only
child, you know, and Toms sister died
out in California, and his brother, dear
knows what's become of him. Miss
Marsh was telling me they're real
pretty children, and good and quiet
too. They're good stock, you know.
Why, Toms father was a deacon, and
Roxy's folks had minister among
them somewhere. All the same,
they're left now. But must go. The
dinner neverll get itself into my
kettle, though it seems to in some
folks. Come and see me, Onner, do"
She was off; and Onner, who had had
hard work TO keep her smiles hidden by
her sunbonnet marched straight up to
her open kitchen door, and on into the
pantry, where she kneeled down by
the flour barrel and just cried out: 10
Lord, make me worthy. I'm not half
GOOD enough to take care of the poor
orphans; but just let me have them,
and make me worthy"
Then she went up the short stairs.
There was little room that the sit.
ting room pipe went through. That
must be the boys room, and she raised
the white curtain, picked q stray leaf
from the yellow-painted floor, aud
looked about
II hope he'll be good boy" she said
aloud.
Below, there were two small rooms
opening from that same living room
One was her own. the other must be
for her little girls. 81 can hear them
then il they're croopy at night, and it'll
be SO handy when they have the
whoopiug-cough and the measles I'll
60 out and pick lot more sage, too;
all of them will want sight for their
colds, and then the turkey, too,
Mt Thanksgiving. I'm glad saved lot
Of pennyroyal in the time of it. I'll
get piece OF bright calico and CHEEKY
up things here for them. Dear hearts!
seems If l couldn't wait"
You know now her errand, and the
secret Jacob was wondering over.
A half mile before it reached the lit
tie village, the road was crossed by a
railroad track, and Billy, having re-