Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-07-28

| 49, III thursday evening meeting
Ane was over. Some one had OPP
| NIA ened the outer chapel door,
Ng4gg and . stream of cold air flow
SgP ed in up to the corner where
a group of women were gathering
about the stove.
NANCY Bell amt out tonight, is
she?" asked one of them, a stout,
| goodnatured woman in mourning.
Her neighbor had a sallow, much
wrinkled, complaining face. She
shook her head significantly, holding
her warmed wooden glove against
her cheek.
''1've heard she was failing con-
siderably lately" continued the other.
"S-s-h! don't speak so loud. She
hasn't ever got up from the grip last
winter. shouldn't be surprised if
she didn't last long. He don't real.
ize it, it amt likely-men amt apt
to-"
An old man in faded brown over
coat, on the other side of the stove,
stole silently away to the door. 1t
seemed to Daniel Bell that it had
grown colder in the last hour.
What had those women meant by
speaking of Nancy like that-as if it
had been anybody? If they'd lived
with her more'n 40 years, as he had
they wouldn't have talked that way.
Nancy had been pretty sick he
knew that well enough-hadn't he
taken care of her? Anybody else
might have got discouraged and
given up; but she had weathered ii
as she had weathered everything
that had come alongside was smart,
Nancy was.
The horse turned into the yard OF
his own accord. Daniel embarrassed
him with stiff fingers. The barn was
warm, and had a clean, dry smell
Daniel was careful of his horses.
81 thought it was about time fol
you, DAM" said his wife, as he OPP.
ened the sitting-room door. She
was looking up at him with her usual
smile, but through the dazzling
lamplight which made tho room swim
before his eyes, it was not her face
that he saw, it was Nancy, the wife
of his youth.
Mrs. Bell was a pretty little old
woman whose cheeks still wore a lit
tie of their old-time color. The soft.
ened look in her black eyes had not
been there in earlier days. She was
knitting a stocking. Daniel drew
his chair to the other side of the ia
BILE and opened his weekly paper
But he was not reading. He was
using the paper as a cover behind
which to watch his wife the feeble
back, still held upright in her chair
the cough choked back now and
then; the busy hands. Something
in those rheumatic hands as they
piled the yarn presently made hin
say, hesitatingly:
81 wouldn't do any more tc-aight
Nancy"
"What say, Danl?"
81 wouldn't knit any longer to
night if l was YOU"
"Why, | want to get these stock
iugs done. 'Twon't be long fore
you need 'em." Her voice was still
brisk and decided.
II guess I could make out to buy
some at the store, if worst comes tt
worst" suggested Daniel, with {
faint-hearted attempt at pleasantly.
"Well, / don't intend you shall
have to wear out any slazy boughter
stockings while I live!" she answer
ed.
| The newspaper rustled in Daniel
trembling hand. The letters on thu
printed page stared at him in theil
blackness. "While I livep p Every
thing struck the same chord to might
He breathed hard. Even 10 himsel
he could not think in words. 1t wa
all summed up in one articulate feel
ing-to move Heaven and earth t.
keep Nancy with him a few year
longer.
1t was Daniels regular custom t
build the fire and set the kettle boil
ing before Nancy got up. Whe
she entered the kitchen next morn
ing she found not only a full WOO
box, but pile of freshly-split kind
lings and trimming pail of waite
standing in the sink.
"Why, what under Election 2" sh
exclaimed to herself; "brushed u
the stove hearth, too-an' if he ain
; gone an ground up coffee enough fc
three or four days! 1t amt SO goo
when it's KEEP. Well, I sba'n't te
him'-and after the old couple ha