Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-06-11
TO TIE rooRnousE.
No ! But i'm One Brief Moment to the House
MOI MAde with Hands.

MOI But i'm One Brief Moment to the House
Not Made with Hands,
The county house wagon drew up at the
old farmhouse door in the early morning
light and the poor overseer got out and
knocked on the door with the butt end of
his whip
"Hey," quayered thin voice within,
who's thereP
We've come fer We, mother" said the
overseer.
"Who calls me mother asked the
tremulous voice. and then the door was
opened by a shaky hand and an old woman
dressedSin shawl and hood, stood in the
doorway.
81 member, she SAID slowly, nodding
towards the wagon, "its the selectmen an
spose they know best, but il Jim knew
--if-Jim knew-that his poor mother
was goin' to the poorhouse 1t I'D break
his heart.
"Ar' ye ready, mother?'' asked the man
gently.
yes, be. amt slept sence ] heerd
ye we're comm for me. It's all right, an
| don't blame ye, but it's hard to hev
worked all yer lite an raised family, an
then die in the poorhouse. lt'll a. most
kill Jim when he knows,
The man on the doorstep coughed and
turned away, pretending to examine the
wisteria vine that blossomed over the door.
Not for worlds would be have told her
that be was only carrying out Jims orders
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 leay-
ing: the trees she and Harvey-that was
her husband--had planted when they We're
young, Of the bed of cinnamon Pjnkg and
the lilac bushes at the gate. She stopped
and gathered some OF the fragrant south q
ern- wood-''old man., they called it
and then she looked up at the window Of
one rOOm-bridehood, wifeboOd, mother
hood, angelhood, that meant TO her Little
Carrie had died there, Harvey had looked
his last in the heaven of her eyes there.
That was nigh on TO forty years ago.
Why, where was God this fair summer
morning that he had forgotten her, and
let her 90 to the poorhouse2
Hurry up mother, said the man gent
ly; we're to call for another paup-pas-
senger a bit further down the road. Taint
much you re a-leayiG with a short
laugh. He was trying 10 make the best
Of it for her.
He helped her into the wagon, and in
the golden light Of another day they
moved on, jogging along the country road
sweet with the scented life Of nature, until
they reached the stile that led into tae Old
graveyard where the sentinel stones shone
among the trees in their strange, dumb
whiteness.
"Oh, ef you didn't mind-if jcst could
say a word to Harvey IL would help me
SO much, an | wouldn't be long-I would
not keep you waItin' ?"
IAN right, mother The overseer
jumped out and helped her 10 the ground.
Don I be long; there's a good soul, = and
be lit his pipe and talked to the driver,
apologizing for his weakness.
Tain I like as If she we're common
pauper, he said; there are folks bere az
remember when she vas the belle Of th'
county, and they do say it is this son jim
that has run through with the property
an is gettin her out Of the way 50 h
won have 10 pay for her Keep. ! would
not tell her that for a house and lot.
She wouldn't believe yer il yer did,
said the driver, sententiously, but she 4
takin her time in yonder.
No. II was not time she was taking
but eternity. When the overseer vent e