The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-11-03
NEVER TOO LATE.
How the Old Folks Proved the
Adage a True One.


gage-wouldnt pay. they said-and the
father and mother would have TO ena
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 /; before our children would
be downright sin"
Jane, the older daughter. said moth
ing. but she thought to herself that If
her husband We're 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
ters, and so father was TO go with Jane
10 the city and mother 10 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 usband,
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 acquaintance
would have done
Father, dressed in his best clothes
nuttered "Good-by" in a defiant sort
Of way and hobbled out TO the spring
,.-,-.., ,.-lsf, 1,,a ,a-sal g., lyiSs ,ha
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 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
gingham bonuet and walked over to
the cemetery Just mp the hill
The graves where she paused were
not well tended-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-
ters and one son. The son was her old
est child and he would have been
torty-e;ght or torty-nine years old now.
He had died while studying for the
ministry. She had seven children hv-
ing, bat in her times of trouble aud
sorest trial she had always wandered
over 20 this sacred spot ever since it
was arst made thirty years ago
To-day ehe So; down in the sun-d-ied
grass and cried for some time
"He might a-s&id something more"
she sobbed to herself And then she
heard Matilda calling and hurried back
20 the house
The months passed slowly. At Christ
mas time there was some talk Of re-
union. bzt the .alk did not mate-ialize.
Letters came from Jane saying IA
ther was tole-ab.y oontcnted. but missed
his loaanE place a; The Corners"
de sent his regards - mother. Jane
always added th2: o; her o-vn accord.
tor father never sen: any word 20 anv-
one But when Matilda answered the
old mother always told her 70 inquire
after fathers health and % serd her re-
spects.
Il was oze va-.a day in March thG:
the l:tle CID la6y's cup seemed full %
o~erl,owiur. Matilda had gone 10 town,
and me children were unusually quar-
relsoEe and boistroEs The grand
mother had reproved theE: I-;ldly, and
n last size spoke l;t:le SHARPLY.
u
vrangle the hull time. Tou ort to say
decent word - one nuthcr onct IN
awhile, Anyways she said.
Lucy, the chief culprit, tossed her
head disdaintully.
Il guess you needn't 10 talk, grand
ma, Mamma says you aud grandpa a.
ways lived like cats and dogs
"And you're Iv.n' OF papa, now,
too" added George, eubol6ened by his
sisters example, and no, particular as
TO whether his remarks were called for
OF not
Mrs Paine sat very still Tor mo-
ment Then bright 7e3 spo; famed
on each cheek, and gathering up her
knitting she slowly went 10 her room
upstairs.
Yes. il vas trne. But what had
caused it, They had married young
and fo- love only, for ncither had any
worldly wealth low lad the trouble
commenced? she cozl6 not remember
exactly, b1t the children were the
main causes. IAe babies came last and
the mother had 20 wc-.i hard. Sick
ncss 215 hard vorl, 10 nc, sweeten Z
wonan's temper. The father was i'm
patient ara easily ehuiTed-that was
how II commenced
Then the jarring eliminated in one
grea. quarrel. when Heary, tire oldest,
was sent away 70 school His father
wanted L hire him out when he was
seventeen. bat the mother was ambi-
tious and Henry had finished the course
1t the vill2vc academy with high hon.
orS
He was thirsiing for more study-a
bright, handsome lad. and his mother
was 50 proud OF him-and he went
away TO college. But never again was
there peace between the parents Al
:.