The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-12-03

and pray over. A 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 Onuer smiled little sadly.
They'll be growing up to take care
Of me, too; for I'm aging can't deny
it, I'm growing old, or will be too
SOON" she whispered, softly.
She knew what she was going for
now. A neigh Dor had stopped at her
cato 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
1 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 LETT without father
or mother
Haven't they anybody?"
"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 deacon, and
Roxys folks had a minister among
them somewhere. All the same,
they're left now. But l must go. The
dinner never'll 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 -four barrel and just cried out: 80
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 stray leaf
from the yellow-painted floor, aud
looked about.
~ 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 if they're croopy at night, and it'll
be so handy when they have the
whoopiug-cough and the measles I'll
go out and pick a lot more sage, too;
all of them will want sight for their
colds, and then the turkey, too,
at Thanksgiving. I'm glad l saved lot
of pennyroyal in the time of it. I'll
get piece of bright calico and cheerg
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-
membranes of former experiences
there, began to prick up his ears and
quite affect coltish ways.
"Guess I'll stop at Uncle Silas' and
see if iU's about car-time," said Miss
Onner, and turned mp short lane to a
tiny house where uncle Silas," a
broken-down lay-preacher, lived with
his good wife. Once there it was easy
70 e., L.
couple were both in tears and only too
glad to unburden themselves,
"You see," said Auntie Silas, 'the
town isn't willing to give us outside
help any more, and we can't get along
without; so they say we must come
into that noisy Mill Falls, and they'll
give us places in the Home"
"Well, it looks pleasant there" said
Miss Onner.
"oh, it's all nice enough, too nice, in
fact. You see / used to take butter
there, and know all about it, but
'tisn't home-like, the rooms are dread
full high, and they're white as ice; and
tAe beds, no patchwork there; every
things so dreadfully smooth and shiny.
But could stand all that if they'd only
let Silas and me stay together"
"Why, can't you?"
''No, noe bit. He's got to sit on a
bench one sIla of the wall and the
other; and in VIE house, Sundays in
church, we can looS nj one another, and
Wednesday afternoeNi we can visit, just
like other folks-anG after I've cared
for and nursed him l-~ty-five years,
Just as well as | know how It's dread
ful--dreadfull" and the quS't. hopeless
tears OF the aged saint courses down
the worn cheeks again.
"It's the Lords ordering, onner aud
ma and / mustn't say word agafnsS
it, the old man intercepted, with quay
ering voice, ''and ma, she doesn't mean
anything againyt Him. Only after
forty-hye yeas of getting along to-
gether through ups and downs, it seems
a little surange to think of high
bricL wall being between u.s. But il
osn't get between our hearts, ear it,
ma? not bit, not bit"
"Well, haven't heard the Lord or