The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-07
NEVER TOO LATE.
How the Old Folks Proved the
Adage q True Ono.

1t was decided at last. The home
place would have to be sold, for none Of
the boys were willing to lift the mort
gage-wouldn't pay, they said-and the
father and mother would have to end
their days apart.
because" said Matilda, the young
est, lit 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 jangle 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 il
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
lisped her voice had settled family mat
! tiers, and so father was to go with jane
to the city and mother to move over to
the great red-brick farmhouse which
was Matilda's home.
'Mother will be right handy about
the work." Matilda said to her husband,
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
well, much as mere acquaintance
would have done.
Father, dressed In his best clothes,
muttered "Good-by" in a 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.
'Good-by, mother. hope you will
be happy with Mat. Won't you como
to the door and see father Off"
"Oh-I dunno rs it's with 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 tcndcd-no engraved stones
marked their places and the grass was
cut away only enough to outline the
mounds Two were small, those of in
fants; one was that of mans size, and
they were all her children, two daugh-
tiers and one son. The son was her old
est child and he would have been
forty-eight or forty 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 it
was first made thirty years ago.
To-day she sat down in the sun-dried
grass and cried for some time.
"He might a-said something more"
she sobbcd 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
Their was tolerably contented, but missed
his Ioafing place ut 1.-The Corners"
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.
1t was one warm day in March that
the little old lady's cup seemed full to
overlooking. Matilda had gone to town.
and the children were unusually quar-
relsomc and boistrous. The grand
mother had reproved them mildly, and
at last she spoke n little sharply.
brothers and sisters shouldn't
wrangle the hull time! You ort to say
q decent word to one nuther onct in
awhile, anywaysp she said
Lucy. the chief culprit tossed her
head disdainfully.
81 guess you needn't to talk, grand
ma! Mamma says You and grandpa al
ways lived like cats and dogs"
"And you're Twin off papa, now,
too" added George, emboldcned by his
sisters example, and not particular as
to whether his remarks were called for
or not
Mrs. 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. Row 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 sweetcn q
woman's temper. The father was i'm
patient and easily rebutfed-th that was
how it commenced.
Then the Earring 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 but the mother xvoc onI,;