Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-07-31

ON III the old steady way until changes
began to come for her as we'll as for all
the rest of the world.
'tThe old ladies had been in failin
health for some time, an Ann Eliza
beth had tended them as gently an care
fully as anybody could have done. She
wasn't the sort to do it for the sake of
pay or reward. She was honestly fond
of them, an believe nobody was more
surprised than she when, after their
respective deaths-one outlived the 9TH
er for few weeks only-it was found
that she was the inheritor of all they
had to leave.
"What had been Strengthened means
to ladies who in their earlier days had
been used to somethin so much better
was affiuence to Ann Elizabeth. She
was sole mistress of the pretty house
where she had formerly been servant,
an she had enough to secure her COM
fort an independence for the remainder
Of her life.
fShe had got too much good sense to
put on any airs or to pretend to be
what she was not But she quietly al
tered her style of dress, kept servant
Of her own an was respected by all the
folks in the village.
''Now, just as things had gone we'll
with Ann Elizabeth SO had they gone
badly with Robert Jones' Ellen had
now a child Of her own, an, strangely
enough, her health began to fail in just
the same way as Mary's had done.
"Another serious trouble seemed like
ly to overtake them. Roberts eyesight
was beginnin to fail, so much so that
he was threatened with total blindness
cat last Ellen died. This time Rob
ert was left with two children-dei-
cate, both Of them-an an overwhelm-
ing disaster hangin over him. The
man seemed fairly broken down, an no
wonder.
"Things grew worse instead of bet
ter, for Robert was obliged to resign his
appointment as rural postman, OWN
to his bein no longer able to properly
distinguish the addresses Oh the letters.
The postal authorities allowed him
small pension, an this was all the poor
fellow had toreckon on with any degree
Of certainty. He did any kind of odd
job that came in his way, but it really
seemed as if luck was dead against him
an he would sink down under the
weight of his misfortunes.
"Well, miss, you II perhaps be hard
ly able to believe what I am now goin
to tell you, but it is nevertheless true,
that, although Robert an Ann Elizabeth
had for years lived not more than a mile
apart, they had never set eyes on one an
other since the eventful mornin which
should have been their weddin day. 1t
was certainly very strange, for if people
try to keep out of one another's way
accident usually brings them into con-
tact, but it had not done SO in this case.
Zone day-it was gettin on for 10
months after Ellen death, an, as said
before, things had been gettin worse
an worse with Robert ever since-Ann
Elizabeth left her own house to go out
for walk. She was never one to go
about much but the fine weather tempt
ed her.
''She hadn't gone very far when she
caught sight of a man an a child walkin
toward her in the distance As they got
nearer she couldn't help thinkin what
pitiful sight it was, for the man walk
ed slowly an uncertainty, an the poor
little thin child, coughin at every step,
seemed to be takin care of him an leadin
him. She'd got a motherly heart, had
Ann Elizabeth, in spite of her odd ways
an old maidenhood, an she began to
feel yearnin over the little lad who
was doin his brave, childish best to
help his father
"She stood an watched them, an it
was not till they got quite near that she
saw the man was Robert What she felt
in that minute I'm not goin to try to
tell you, but I've often fancied that the
old love must have come sweepin over
her like food, washin away every
harsh an bitter thought an leavin moth
in but love an sympathy almost divine.
'She stepped forward an met him.
Robert! !! said she 'RobertP
"He looked up His poor dim eyes
could hardly see her, but he knew the
once familiar loved voice, an he began
to tremble, while the little lad held his
hand tightly, wonderin what It all
meant.
"'Ann Elizabeth!' whispered Robert.
He could hardly speak, an the little lad
held him tighter an tighter an clung
closer to his side.
"'Yes; it's Ann Elizabeth, she said,
II l., al
more than that, Robert. 1t is your wife,
if you like to take her. There's home
for you an the children, an if you will
marry me will marry you
$50 Robert became Ann Elizabeth's
husband nearly 20 years from the time
they first began courtin Strange! Yes,
miss, so it was. Strange enough, but
I've known many woman whose truth
an tenderness never came so felly to the
surface as in the time of sorrow an mis-
fortune.
"After the weddin Robert went to
some big doctor, who was clever enough
to do good deal for him. His sight
never became really strong, but he can
see we'll enough to go about. Ann Eliza
beth reads the papers to him, an he is
the very picture of a contented man.
GAS for Ann Elizabeth, you've only
got to look at her to know she is
happy woman. The children outgrew
their delicacy an are now two as fine
young fellows as you would wish to
see They both call Ann Elizabeth
mother, an she is as fond an proud of
them as if they were indeed her own
sons.
$50 you see, miss, that in spite of all
those two came together at last. -
unnsahola N-v7z
Tho fy's mouth is really nothing
more nor less than a tongue which, at
the proper time, runs in and out OF
hole in the hy's head, like the tongue
of snake. Even this latter effect may
be proved to be delusion if you are
careful in examining a fly while in the
act of eating, for it is then that it may
be seen that the combination mouth and
tongue is simply a tiny black, thread
like proboscis which unfolds from be-
meath the head, where there is little
niche or socket prepared for it.
When this combination tongue and
mouth is unfolded ready for business, 1t
spreads out, dividing into two flat