Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-10-13
AUNT PATIENCE'S MESSAGE.

derStand."
Understand, l only wish 1 didn't
understand quite so well how matters
has been again fur twenty-five year.
The Lords told me what to say, an I'm
goin' to say it,
1t was picture. Silas, sitting in his
ShirtSleeyeS, on the wooden bench near
the old fireplace, where a CHEEKY blaze
was burning. shank viSibly, and quite
forgot his pipe, letting it go out I'M
needed in his hand.
You alters was a masterful woman,
Patience" he said, uneasily. But you
don't know everything"
Know said his sister, with a fine
scorn that quite extinguiShed him. She
settled herself in the Old-fashiOned
chair, her knitting needles still in her
fingers, but forgotten. While the ball of
yarn rolled upon the floor mheeded.
Now, Silas Hutshins, it'll be worth
sOmethin' to you to see the picter OF
your life as it looks to other folks; an
I'm gOin' to tell the story. Not in
malice or anger" she continued, with
earnest sOlemnity, while her penetrat-
ing eyes made him feel as small as a
mean man can feel. Her kindly face
wore a strange SternneSS. which re
minder the shrinking man before her of
the day of judgment.
DO you remember the old home,
Silas, with the laylocks in front, and the
big maple by the well? Do you remem-
Der father? Hard on us sometimes,
mebbe, but alters just And mother.
dear, white-haired mother; so lovin' an
tender. even when we tried her the
WuSt?"
The man sat with bowed head, his
pipe still held in his hand, but he made
no response, and Aunt Patience went
on:
How sweet and pretty Hubby was.
Not a handsomer gal in all the settle
ment. An you was a likely loOl1in'
young man, SiIas, only even then
mighty fond of savin'. A dollar was
hard got out of your hans in them
airly days. Mother saw it, an it wOr-
ried her most to de'th. Don't you re-
member how she used to talk to you
about it, an beg you to break the habit
afOre it bound you with chains of iron?
But Hubby loved We, Silas, an when
they tot her We was close and stingy,
she would't believe a word ont"
The head before her bent still lower.
An your weddin' day, Silas. June
roses, sunshine, an singin' birds, all
on that day. An Hubby, in her white
dress, was the purtiest rose of all. You
was a handsome young man, Silas an
everybody said, What likely couple
An you looked at Hubby so proud an
lOvin' an kissed her afore 'em ALL an
she blushed, an looked purifier than
ever
Silas stirred uneasily, and looked
beSeechingly at his sister.
you remember it don't you? I can
see the little log house in the hOller.
on the land father Civ you when You
went to keepin' house. Hubby was 4
master hand to make the most Of every
thin, an the white curtains at the
winders, she made afore she was mar
ried, a purpose fur the little house
Wasn't she neat handy housekeeper?
How happy ye both was for a while.
an then the sarpent entered your
Eden.
''By'mby she began to need things,
an then she found out that a frOwn
| alters came when she asked for money.
She wasn't as strong, neither but yol
let her milk, rain or shine, snow or
| sleet, an carry in tho heavy buckets
too. Didn't ye, Silas?
How proud you were when little
Susie came! She was the livin' picter
of her mother, an you We're the hap
piest man alive. Hubby sot such store
by the baby, an the sorrowful shad-
| ders that he'd begun to creep into her
blue eyes went away for a little while.
But you didn't make her work any
T! lighter when she had the work an the
! care of the baby too. An every wear
We grew graspin' an hard, addin' acre
to acre, an wood lot to wood lot, an
tallin' it out of the flesh an blood Of
| your wife an family"
| Il didn't mean it, Patience. I didn't
mean it" grOaned the conscience
stricken man.
Perhaps We didn't, Silas At the
| Judgment day yell hev to face this
plcter, an mebbe it'll do We good re-
see it aforehand." Aunt Patience look
ed almost like an avenging angel.
'Then the poor, sickly babies died,
one arter another, an poor Huldy's
heart well-nigh broke to lay 'em away
out of her arms into the grave. But
she, took comfort thinkin' that they
wouldn't never hev to work an drudge
the very hearts out of 'em. She. Door
! thing, was just a Shaddef of that purity
gal that stood up among the June
roses, when you promised to love an
purtect her, an endow her with al
your worldly goods. She want as
stroAg as she used ter be, neither. and
you grumbleG and fretted because you
had a sickly wife. No help was ever
hired in the house when she was able
to be out of her bed. She worked hard
er than any black slave down south
afore the war. Early an late she toll
ed, az got only hard words when she
fearing asked for a dollar Do We won
der that Susie was the only joy Of her
poor heart? She was mostly too tired
to tell the child she loved her, but it
was plain enough to be seen. You
wanted to put Susie into the grind and
work too, but her mother managed that
We shouldn't hev your will in that, an
her young life had some brightness in
it, spite Of all you could do.
where is Susie now, Silas Hutchins?
Don't say you don't know, for God will
curse We for not knowing. She loved