The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-03-24


Christmas, like all other days, has an
end, and after supper the company as.
sembled in the little parlor, where the
events of The day were recounted.
Tom, poor fellow, had gone home with
sore nose, a troubled mind and his
handsome satin neclztie stained with
blood. Murtha had gone to the club,
leaving Bertha, Mrs. Murtha, her sister
and half dozen other relatives to
spend the evenings as best they could
One after the other of the happenings
we're gone over, when Mrs. Murtha
happened to think of the opal ring,
and gave full vent to her belief, to the
edifcation of the others.
Among those present was Miss Sallie
Archer, of Parkersburg. She had come
to spend the holidays in the city. She
was old enough to remember the
time when William Henry Harrison
was elected to the Presidency. When
she had heard of the opal ring she said
Mercy save us! No wonder you've had
such a time. Why, do you know, at.
tribute all the bad luck of my life to
beautiful opal breastpin that William
Wohinger, near and dear friend OF
mine, had given me on my twentieth
birthday. [ was then teaching dis,
trict school, and the very first day |
wore the breastpin to school, one OF
the larger boys, John Butler, who was
u regular scapegrace. coaxed an old
crazy man into the school, and the frs.
thing [ knew, the mau had taken
charge of the scholars. He even COM
PEELED me to take a seat among the
girls and made me answer every ques-
.ion in the days lessons. He took
down the large maps and number of
charts from the walls and smeared
them all over with red and black ink.
Then he took it into his head that I
would look better if / had black
face. He got several of the boys to
hold me while he took sponge and
rubbed the horrid ink all over my face
and neck, leaving my nose and ears,
which he afterwards painted with the
carmine ink.
How got home that day I never
knew, but after rushed from the room,
the children following me, the crazy
man kicked over the stove and set fire
to the building, which was completely
destroyed. l was so frightened that
took sick and was kept indoors all win
Ter. Mr.. Wolfinger visited me regu
larly, and one night, as he was going
home, he fell into hole while crossing
field and broke his left leg and righ,
arm, dlslocated his right hip and
sprained his left wrist.
He was taken home and doctored
for nearly year before he got well
enough to go outdoors. The very first
day he began attending to his farm
work he was seized by ferocious hog
while clearing out the pig pen, and so
badly injured that he never recovered
till he took the small. .pox and died from
it the next Autumn. Poor man! He
was patient sufferer, devoted lover
and as true man as ever walked
"On the day we buried him was So
overcome with grief that 1 stepped
right into his grave in the old cemetery
just as the sexton began filling in the
'clods of the valley and I fractured
my thigh. Misfortunes came thick an9
fast. Brother Wills four year-old col;
broke out of the pasture field one day
and kicked over six bee-hives. The
bees stung the colt so bad that it died.
and when Aunt Ann and l went out to
see what was the matter they attac ked
us, and we were both stung blind in
less than no time.
1.-TWO years later, after had recov-
sred from my grief over poor Williams
departure. gentleman from Ohio,
gidower with ten charming children,
came to live in our neighborhood. !
called at their home and [ became SO
interested with the eldest dau ghter tha;
could not stay away from the house,
Aaron Thorp was his ma me. Well, we
became in terested in each other an1
one night shall never forget it--hs
asked me to marry him.. L was SO
saEen by surprise that / asked for
week to consider the proposition.
uad my mind made up to consent,
out before the week was up the poo,
man was in his grave, having died sud.
denly from apoplexy.
The next year l fell into the well
and would have drowned had not my
Did friend, Jessie Thompson, heard my
cries and rescued me. Strange as ii
may seem, Jesse became Interested III
me, and we were engaged to be mar.
sied. still wore the opal brooch. One
bright Summer day, as he was driving
me to picnic in his buggy, the horse
tan away, upset the buggy, broke my
tight arm, and there laid poor Jessie III
the road with his neck broken. | was
two years in recovering from my broken
arm and lacerated heart.
Time. however, is great healer.
and before the third year had expired g
Scotchman. Archibald NIacGregor
came to our house selling paten,
churn. He boarded three doors from
us, and he and l were thrown into eac!;
others company, we both being mem.
oers of the church choir He cam,
frequently to the house and played th
melodeon while we sang together. Our
attachment ripened into love, and the
day was fixed for our wedding. Tive
days before it arrived strange woman
with three children came to the neigh.
borhood.
They proved to be MacGregor's wife
and children. He fled with them from
she neighborhood. leaving me and my
forn heart alone in the world. Since
'hen l have sealed my cart agains;
'he assailing powers of Cupid.
You have my experience. Bertha
4 n u Il I.