Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-06-25


idlers + the village, an ii s I'll being
laug he'd at when sorrows come t your
door"
Eyes, I'll walt a WHILE" Jacob said.
ii.
He left home after all before the sun
went down. 1t was walk Of some
three miles and half to the somewhat
secluded cottage in which Maggie Del's
mother had lived during her widow
hood. But the night was very pleasant.
The air was so buoyaRt that when ia
cob got to the eastern end Of the village
he could distinctly hear the cries OF the
wild fowl high up amid the misty soli
tudes Of the great Teignbury hills.
He rested several times on the way,
and 1t was nearing 9 o'clock when he
reached his destination-a diminutive
two room dwelling that only became
visible when he got close to il by reason
OF the grotesQue mass OF bushes and
fruit and other trees which for years
had kept up brave struggle for breath
ing space all round it. There were two
queer looking little windows In front
of Mrs. Dell's abode, with an even
Queerer door between them, and from
one OF these windows a faint light,
which Jacob knew TO be freight, was
shining. He went up to the window
There was only q narrow flower border
before it) and looked in. A woman was
sitting alone in the freight in the
room. The shine from the CRATE was so
feeble that jacob could barely distin-
guish the outline OF Mrs. Dell's face.
She looked back at him through
the window, but made him no sign
of welcome. He opened the door, with
out knocking, in his quiet, deliberate
way, and went down the stons-feored
passage between the two rooms. He
said "GoOd evening, Mrs. DELL" with
gentle courtesy, as he limped into the
room where Maggie's mother sat; but
his salutatiOn was not returned. Mrs. Dell
remained seated, her back 10 her Wis
itor, her face 10 the fire, her whole atti-
tude expressive OF protest against this
intrusion. It was indeed in her heart to
say, "'Good EVENING" Good night, l
should think, for decent folks!" but
she decided that the more digni6ed
course was to receive this ugly fellow
with severe silence.
She was softly rocking cradle.
Jacob had seen her so engaged on prev
ious occasions when he had mustered
up courage TO visit the home OF the
merry hearted, bright-eyed girl whose
being seemed, by some mysterious pro-
cess, to be infused In his own. The
mistress of the Teignbury mill was an
other daughter Of Mrs. Dell; she was
Morris by marriage, and had been en-
dowed by large and tempestusus fam
lily, one or mere Of whom the grand
msther usually took care OF as sort OF
company in her widowed loneliness.
The children she took were generally
the youngest, for tAe grown up BARNS
found that they could net get on at all
pleasantly with grandma.
Jacob seated himself behind her,
little 10 the left, near to the cradle, the
wooden canopy Of which he now and
then touched timidly aud apparently
uncOnsciOusly as he spoke
ave come to ask about Maggie, Mrs.
DELL" be began, IN the tone of rover
ent-minded man speaking Of sacred
things He waited for minute or so
TO see IL she would say anything that
might prevent his uttering the word OF
her shame, but Mrs. Dell did not speak,
did not give the slightest indication
that she was aware Of his presence.
I'm told" he went on, holding his
great hand above the head OF the era
die, as though TO protect or bless the
babe there, II was told this afternoon
in the garden for the first time-Pll tell
you who il was as said il, il it's false
that Maggie's had 8 child since she's
been In service AZ Corborough. No.
I'll not believe i'll - But
It's talked about in the village, Mrs.
Dell, and il there's anybody In Tegin-
bury as should know what's true and
what's lie about Maggie's character
it's her own mother. an il
you'll kindly tell me whether or no
= for there's pain and grief upon
me, Mrs. DELL"
She could scarcely hear his conclui-
ing words, but she quite understood his
meaning.
"Well, don't know as you've right
to ask sieh question, Jacob Laur! But
sim you hey' asksd-forgettin' what the
wise proVero says ao0ut Iolks mlnoln
their own businessi-well, it's true as
Maggie's become neither. I've not
seen the child; I've not seen her; so you
needn't worrit me- an yourself askin'
no more questions!"
Aud she turned her back upon him
again, as though resolved not to discuss
the painful subject. 1t did not, indeed,
seem as II jacob were going TO ask any
more questions. His eutstretchea hand
had fallen on ais knee; there was that
in his posture that seemed 70 tell Of an
guTsk too deep for words-and, to say
trutN Jacob was at no time able to sx-
press bis thoughts with much felicity.
He satles still and as silent as stone
for somk minutes, Mrs. Dell continued
to rock Ne cradle. But as the time