Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1892-12-22

Forbid that my powers, Thy gifts, misuse.
Rev. j. E. Hamilton, in Chicago Standard.
A HIGHWAY WAlF.
How It's Coming Comforted a Sor.
rowing Mother.
The great yard of the King George
inn at Cornchester was almost emptied
of men, horses and vehicles when Jere.
miah Mott. the Willowmere carrier,
entered it It was then eight o,cloch
of winter evening, and nearly every
body had gone home from market The
stables of the King George were almost
empty. In its accustomed corner stood
old Farmer Scrooby's gray mare; but
that was not unusual, seeing that
Scrooby never went home until he had
finished his 'smarket-day 'lowance. =
He was sitting in the bar parlor just
then, leisurely soaking his capacious
body with gin and-water, and the ostler
knew that the gray mare would have
to stand in its stall for good hour
yet. But it was something very un-
usual to see Jerry Motifs stout pony in
the stables at that time, and the. ostler
was curious to know the reason of the
carriers delay. AS usual thing, Jere.
miah was off and away before six.
"Yew be late tonight, Master Mott, .
said the Ostler, as Jerry approached
the stable door. ''You'm away home
afore this, in general
"Ah!" Jeremiah heaved long sigh.
"Ah! You be right, Willum; yes, you
be right. Outwards at twelve and in.
wards at six-them is my rule, rs
hewsual thing yes, oh, dear, yes
SWELL, yew be two hours late in go
ing hinwards tonight, then, Master
Mott, for it's eight now by parish
church Clock
"Ah, dear, yes!' said Jerry, helping
the ostler to yoke the stout pony into
the shafts of the carriers cart "But
was two hours late in startin' from
'Wilowmere! ye see, Willum. Oh, ah
yes, of course. Trouble, Willum,
trouble it was that did it. AL flesh is
grass amt it, now, Willum?"
''Ah, yew be right, Master Mott.
Yes, man as is born of woman'-very
powerful effectin' words them be.
somebody dead, Master Mott?''
YES" said Jerry, heaving another
prodigious sigh. "Oh, yes, Willum. My
little GRANDMOTHER.
NAY. What, Bob little gel? 1 be
sorry to hear ont, Master Mott. And
the only one they had, too! Dear, dear!'
''Ah!" sighed Jerry. '"Ten months
old this very day, and as fine child as
ever yew did see. The way it took
nourishment! Oh, but tits world O
trouble in this now, amt it, Willum?'
''Yew be right there,'' said William.
'There do be deal O. deaths. Old
Simon Brown died last week-matte1
O. ninety-fower he were. All, very sad
is this world-so it is.
aye" said Jerry, elm bling into his
cart, and swinging his lantern over its
contents to see that they were all safe;
AYE, Willum, we be all born to
trouble, accordin' to the Scripcher.
Take it very bad, do some on us, too,
when we be called to kiss the rod, too. 81
Human natur', Master Mott, human
natur'. Yes, reckon Bob and his
pore wife IL take it very hard. Dear,
dear, a deal they did think o that child,
surely! The way it were dressed like
a quality infant. All, sore trouble,
indeed
''Aye, Willum; and, ye see, all the
more SO cause Bob and his wife has no
more. Oh, a very desolate house, in
deed, assewer you, Willum, when l
come away. Bob, my lad, says, you
bear up; listen to parson. Bob, says.
Let him speak comfortable words,
says l."
ITO be sure" agreed the ostler.
'''Tis very seasonable is bit O. reli-
gion when mans in trouble.'
''Aye!" said Jerry, gathering up the
reins. ''Aye! Buried it to-day, they
did, Willum. Alongside my old woman
it is-God rest 'em both! Well, good
night, Willum-a very sad world is this
here"
Jerry went rumbling out of the yard
and through the archway into the glar-
ing lights of the market place. Usual-
ly he had stopped his pony at the
sweet-stuff shop and purchased ''mn1-
keting" for Bob's baby; tonight he
drove sadly past, for the baby was
dead, and beyond the reach of lollirops
He could see the little green grave *.
Willowmere churchyard in his mind 6
eye as he drove slowly out of Corr
chester and turned into the dark cour.-
<.ry1 no Id
tiny little mound it was-how strane !
that it covered so much of human love
and sorrow!
1t is six miles from Cornchester 4,
Wiilowmere, and between the markes
town and the sleepy village lie tws.
other places-one a rather large col.
liery village called Pitgouth, the othe.'
a tiny hamlet called Little Ashby. VI
was old Jerry's duty 20 call at botl-
these places. There were parcels tta
deliver and commissions to give an az.
count of. Presently, therefore. M
pulled up at the blue Pig'' in Pit
mouth, and after collecting hall :
dozen miscellaneous parcels from his
cart disappeared into the inn. Els
PoHy icMdlHcu quleblJ OUTSIDE; 1t vas
accustomed to stay in the same spot
every Saturday evening for at least half
an hour.
Everything was very quiet inside the
inn. The village lay hundred yards
farther along the road, and the blue
Pig was therefore comparatively lone-
y. Thus it happened that no one was
about when a woman, carrying a
square baslset-hamper, came cautiously
from the direction Of the village ard
Approached Jeremiah Motifs cart. She
looked round to see that no one watched
ner, and then laid the basket very
gently among the straw in the body of
the vehicle. For q moment she linz
gered, then she drew the shawl closely
about her face and hurried away.
At the end of half an hour Jerry
emerged from the inn, climbed to his
seat, bade the pony proceed and rolled
away again. He left the colliery vii
lage behind him and was soon in the
open country. Left to himself once
more the little green grave IN VV;llnrv.