The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-03-03

Z
fell around her. and the lon.incss and
homesickncss that she felt SO kcenly
amid all this care were forgotten. Her
happiness had always been in minis
tcring To others.
With the first light of morning she
woke again. Some " here q rooster
was Growing. with as vigorous and
hearty cheer as ever barn-yard
fowl broke into the dawn.
She listened, but there was no an
swering call; just that one repeated
over and over again.
We'll, never heard the like. Seems
as II he was just put there TO wake me
up TO think what want to get away
from don't see how he has any
hcrrt to crow into all this hollowncss. +"
The deep grassy yard around her old
home, heavy with dew. and the early
morning music Of the farm. came so
clear to her. Thoughts OF the forty
years OF her married life and the joys
and sorrowsshe had lived through with
Thomas crowded again into her mind
After long hours, when she heard the
servants stirring about the house, she
got up and dressed, and went out into
the hall and down the stairs The
great rooms below seemed more
empty and dcsolate than her own
She felt no part or place anywhere in
them. Her stopped little figure, re-
Elected in the long mirrors. looked
dwarfed and unnatural to her. She
Strengthened the lavender bows on
her cap before one of them, and went
and sat down at window in the back
of the room.
The early morning hours until now
had always been so full of duties
There had been the breakfast to get
for Thomas; and before her two daugh-
tiers bad married and gone away she
had had her thought and care for them m;
and there had been the chickens to
feed and the milk to skim
She folded her hands and looked ont
of the window. There was a small
yard. high walled, with two trees. and
worn grass growing around the edges.
box with stats nailed across the
front stood under one of the trees, and
thrusting his head between the Stats
was the rooster who had disturbed her
rest.
III could get down to you Id let
You out, you poor creature" she said,
aloud.
"Well. you'd have Billie Moore after
You if you did, grandma" One of her
grandsons had come into the room.
What's the sense in his shutting
that rooster up that way? He couldn't
get away il he wanted to, over those
brick walls"
II don't know. Billie only got him
yesterday. The old thing woke me up
at daylight"
''IIe woke me up, too" she said. with
a weary sigh.
breakfasts ready; they're all at
the table. Mamma sent me to look for
YOU"
II didn't suppose it was so late"
They went out to the table in the
large dining-room, where the others
were waiting. A servant was bringing
in the breakfast This was always a
happy meal in this happy family.
Matte and her husban talked OF their
own interests and the three boys kept
up steady little stream of convcrsa-
tion.
They were all very kind and thought
ful OF her, and she condemned herself
for her feelings Of separation and lone
Illness She tried to believe that she
was beginning to find her place in this
home which was not her own.
After breakfast she wandered rest
lessly about the house for some time,
and at last put on her bonnet and
shawl, and said she was going out for
. little walk.
Matte offered to go with her. or send
one of the boys.
mo, ! want to go alone. don't
want to be dependent for every step
take. There don't seem to be anything
for me to do in the house. I've got to
get out and breathe or Ill chafe.'
81 wish you'd let me send Mary with
you. anyway, mother. I'll worry all
the time about you"
Mrs. Allen turned toward her daugh-
ter. the tears springing to her eyes
''Wcll. Matte, l amt so helpless need
a nurse TO trundle me around yet"
"Why, mother, l didn't mean you
were, but you know, il isn't like going
out into the country alone"
mo, it amt" Mrs. Allen said. turn
ing away.
She went on out of the front door.
and down into the noisy street. There
was freedom IN its strangencss that
% had not found in the big house.
She walked straight on for some dis
tance, until she came out into one Of
the main business streets Of the city
1t was only one Of our small western
cities, but it lost none CT its importance
to her in not being London.
The crowd jostling past had the
bright activity and untried interest of
the morning. A stream of shoppers
was already beginning to pour into the
stores. The street was full of cars and
carts and farm wagons.
She had driven In from the farm with
Thomas and reached the city at just
this hour many times. 1t was all famil-
lar to her in that way. They had
brought in butter and eggs or load Of
grain, and done their shopping, or
spent the day with Matte, and driven
home i'm the cool Of the evening. Al
ways when she was on the street she