Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-10-13

forgivin' than myself.
When Sam Gross arrived at Mrs. Mar
TINS house he went in and asked for a
drink of water. She gave it to him.
then asked him to stop awhile to rest.
''rd be glad enough tcS' Sam replied,
mopping the perspiration from his
brow, "but I'm in TOO much OF hur-
~. Comm by Burton's just now, Ike
he comes out an says Lindy is bad tuck,
an that he's afeared she's goin' off, an
he asks me to send the doctor up, SO
I'll have to git long as peart as 1 kin.
Poor Lindyr Sam went on. after
short pause, II low that doctors an
medicine an sich likes amt agoin' to
do her much good '1ess'n she has proper
nussin'. Ike can't tend on her wuth
shuc1s, no matter how hard he tries,
an if he goes bout in sight of 'er with
that forlorn, sad look he wears, she'll
die shore, jest o. that alone. She needs
a good, cheerful woman nuss, Mis- Mar
tin, sech as you'd be, now"
Sam stopped and waited, as if for
reply from Mrs. Martin, but she did not
speak, and he went on:
"In cases like that" he said, Its
great pity folks amt got no neighbors,
fer good neighbors is power O. COM
fort to the sick an them as is related to
the sick. There's no KNOWN what
good nussin' would do fer Mis- Burton,
ner how consolin' word o sympathy
would be to poor old Ike in his loneli-
ness. feel fer them poor critters, Mis-
Martin, an / do wish somebody would
be neighborly with 'em."
Again Sam paused, but Mrs. Martin
said nothing, and he saw that he must
speak palmer in order to make the inn
preston he desired.
''Mis' Martin" he continued, 'life is
powerful short, an if people expect to
prepare fer eternity they amt got no
time to waste in useless bickerin's.
Them as expects to be happy in the
next world can't afford to spend their
time here in contentious. Fer my part,
Mis- Martin, I'd hate to let a cross
fence atween two farms stand betwixt
me an my neighbors, much less betwixt
me an Heaven. Now fer thirty years
that cross fence up there has kept you
uns an the Burtons apart, maxim you
enemies when you ought to "a been
friends an neighbors, an it was all on
account of contentiousness. Either
family would "a made up in n minute
if the other would "a tuck the fust
step, but neither would bulge an inch,
an so it's gone on an on, all of You
bein' as miserable as sin. Mis- Martin,
'tain't right. People as hopes to be for
give in the next world must forgive in
this. put it to you, now, Mis- Martin,
if amt right?"
"Sam, you are right" Mrs Martin re-
piled. "That cross-fence trouble has
caused me many sorrowful days, and
there never has been time when 1
wouldn't gladly have buried the strife
and made friends with the Burtons.
But 1 thought the first advances to-
ward a reconciliation ought to come
from Isaac. He was most to blame"
MIS- Martin" said Sam, 4 don't know
who was most to blame | amt no
call to speak of that. But this I know:
If a person is a true Christian an
wants to so act, that person mustn't
stick at no fine p'ints; an in a effort to
fetch about a reconciliation he must be
willin' to go more'n halfway to meet
t'other party. Scripture says, Mis-
Mari n. to do good to them that de-
spiteIully use you,' an as Christians
we're bound to do it."
Sam spoke with deep solemnity, and
it was plain that his words had great
effect on his auditor. Mrs. Martin was
a Christian woman and she meant well,
but, like many other good people, she
r =. L. IL L
was long silence, during which con-
flict between duty and pride waged
within Mrs. Martins bosom.
"Sam," she said, at last, do you
think Isaac would not resent my COM
ing into his house?"
ST know he wouldn't Sam replied,
promptly. More than that, Mis-
Martin, know he'd welcome you"
Then I'll go, Sam, an let the out
come of it be what it may, l know /
shall feel the better for goin'."
Sam started on his way, happy in the
thought of what he had accomplished,
and hoping that his efforts might lead
to the burial of the differences that
had so long kept the two families at
enmity.
Mrs. Martin went Immediately to
Burtons, and when old Isaac from his
seat on the doorstep saw her coming up
the yard-path he was more surprised
than he ever had been in all his life.
However, he composed himself suffi-
GENTLY to give her n fitting reception
and remove from her mind all fear of
her visit being considered an intrusion.
At first there was an air of restraint
about the actions and conversation OF
both, but that gradually died out, and
in time they became easy and natural
in their department.
The doctor came, but he could not
give Isaac any encouragement, for he
found that Lindy was in a dangerous
provement.
"She is very low," he said, "and we
can hope for no change for the better
Pm afraid she cannot last long"
And the doctor was right, for day by
day the sick woman sank, and after the
lapse of week she closed her eyes on
earth forever All through the week
Mrs. Martin stayed by the bedside, de-
voting herself to the invalid as faith
fully as ever nurse did, receiving the
blessings of her charge and the heart
felt gratitude of Isaac. Then, when
all was over, she returned to her home
happier than she had been for thirty
long years.
A year passed, and the people of
Possum Ridge began to wonder if the
cross-fence trouble was to be revived in
court again. The time for which a stay
of proceedings had been granted had
nearly expired, and at the next sitting
of the court the case would be called up
for further action. Isaac and Mrs. Mar
tin had become neighborly, but neither
of them had ever mentioned the cross
fence, and the matter stood just as it
had before Lindy's death. People had
talked a great deal about it, some con-
jecturing that old Isaac would dismiss
the case after Mrs. Martins kindness
to his wife, some maintaining that he
would not, and some going SO far as
to predict that Mrs. Martin, in the for
giving disposition of her heart, would
dismiss the case herself. Sam Gross
heard all that was said, watched pro-
ceedings quietly, and even ventured to
speak to each of the parties separately,
in the hope of having the affair settled
amicably. But still everything re-
mained in doubt, and but a week must
elapse before the coming on of court
Sam shook his head sadly, feeling that,
after all, his efforts had fallen far short
of his cherished desired.
Late one afternoon old Isaac donned