The Van Buren press., 1893-11-11
NEVER TOO LATE.

NEVEh lUU UA1Is
How the Old Folks Proved the
Adage q True One.
It was decided at last The home
place would have to be sold. for none Of
the boys were willing to lift the mort
1sge-wouldn't pay, they said-and the
father and mother would have to end
their days apart
'Because," said Matilda. the young
ct, ssit wouldn't do for any one Of us to
try to take care of them both together.
We've always had to live in the quarrel
and jsnRie ourselves, and to have the
example of 1t before our children would
be . downright SIM"
Jane, the older daughter, said moth
ing, but she thought to herself that II
her husband were worth as much as
Matilda's was she would take both par
ents to her home and risk the example
they might set for the third generation.
But ever since Matilda had first
1isped her voice had settled family mat
ters, and so father was to go with Jane
TO the city and mother TO move over to
tho great red-brick farmhouse which
was Matilda's home.
.sMother will be right handy about
the work." Matilda said to her hus band,
when he showed some inclination to
object. "And there isn't better hand
in the country with children. We won't
lose anything"
So the September morning came
when the couple who had never parted
In fifty years bade each other fare
we'll, much as mere acquaintances
would have done.
Father, dressed in his best clothes,
muttered "Good-by" in defiant sort
Of way and hobbled out to the spring
wagon, while Jane paused to kiss the
little old woman who sat looking out
Of the window in an Indifferent way.
'sGood-by, mother. hope you will
be happy with Mat. Won't you come
to the door and see father OFF,"
''Oh-I dunno as it's wuth while," re-
turned the old lady, and then Jane, too,
was gone
When she was sure the spring wagon
was out Of sight Mrs. Paine put on her
bingham bonnet and walked over to
the cemetery just up the hill.
The graves where she paused were
not we'll tended-no engraved stones
marked their places and the grass was
cut away only enough to outline the
mounds. Two we're small, those OF In
fsnts; one was that of mans size, and
they were all her children, two daugh-
ters and one son. The son was her old
est child and he would have been
forty-eight or forty mine years old now
He had died while studying for the
ministry. She had seven children liv-
ing, but in her times Of trouble and
sorest trial she had always wandered
over to this sacred spot ever since 1t
was flrst made thirty years ago.
To-day she sat down in the sun-dried
grass and cried for some time.
"He might a-snid something more y
she sobbed to herself And then she
heard Matilda calling and hurried back
to the house
The months passed slowly. At Christ
mas time there was some talk of re-
union, but the talk did not materialize.
Letters came from Jane saying ia
ther was tolerably contented, but missed
his loafng place at 1.-THE Corners. I"
He sent his regards to mother. Jane
always added that Of her own accord.
for father never sent any word to any
one. But when Matilda answered the
old mother always told her to inquire
after fathers health and to send her re-
spects.
II was one warm day in March that
the little old lady's cup seemed full to
overfiowing. Matilda had gone to town,
and the children were unusually quar-
relsome and boistrous The grand
mother had reproved them mildly, and
ct last she spoke little sharply.
"Brothers and sisters shouldn't
wrangle the hull time! You ort to say
q decent word to one nuther onct in
awhile, anyways!' she said. Aff
Lucy. the chief culprit, tossed her
head disdainfully.
II guess you needn't to talk, grand
ma! Mamma says you and grandpa al
ways lived like cats and dogs"
"And you're livin' off papa, now,
too," added George, emboldened by his
sisters example, and not particular as
to whether his remarks were called for
or not
Mira Paine sat very still for mo-
ment. Then bright red spot famed
on each cheek, and gathering up her
knitting she slowly went to her room
upstairs.
Yes, It was true. But what had
caused it? They had married young
and for love only, for neither had any
worldly wealth. How had the trouble
commenced? She could not remember
exactly, but the children were the
main causes The babies came fast and
the mother had to work hard. Sick
ness and hard work do not sweeten q
woman's temper. The father was i'm.
patient and easily rebuffed- that was
how It commenced.
Then the jarring eliminated in one
great quarrel, when Henry, the oldest,
was sent away to school. His father
wanted to hire him out when he was
seventeen, hut the mother was ambi-
tious and Henry had finished the course
st the village academy with high hon.