Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-31

Of the rector in the character OF man
and guardian of the poor
When the two women entered. the
| old pair looked up at them by way OF
greeting, as dumb dog does when in
pain if human help is at hand The
woman who had turned resentfully
from the waste of wealth at the we'd
ding, carried little bundle in which
she had brought bottle of cold tea
The old people had tasted nothing that
day, and she tried to persuade them to
eat They did their best, out of pure
kindly courtesy; but it was easy to
see that the dry morsels choked them.
The old woman begged her friends
20 be seated on the brick window
place, but after that no one spoke for
little. Indeed, there was nothing to
be said, nothing to be done, only
sympathy to be shown, and that the
big occasional tear drop which fell
from an old eye on to a wrinkled hand
was more eloquent of sympathy than
any word could be; and it also showed
a hopeless resignation.
The old pair sat on hand in hand
or rather the old woman held the old
mans hand, and patted it every now
and then pathetically. She was the
older Of the two but much more ro-
bust; and it was evident that she was
bearing up bravely on his account,
and doing her best to sustain him.
But every now and again her lips
trembled, and her withered cheeks
were plUcked in a brave effort not to
give way.
Meanwhile the bells rang jubilantly
overhead, filling the tiny tenement
with long reverberations; and the
wint1y sun shone beyond the shadow
of the church, silvering the shining
frost on bare brown branches.
Il mind when we was married.
slipped from the woman unawares.
She stopped short, afraid of any
"Reminiscences that would make the mo-
ment worse for the more worn partner
of her life; but she need not have
hesitated. He sat with his chin on his
chest, and his eyes fixed on the rugged
red brick floor, sunk in a state of
apathy. When she looked and saw
him so, she broke down utterly, and
throwing her apron up over her face,
rocked herself to and fro.
ooh, my man, my man." she groaned.
"You was allus one to want a woman
about. You'd niver no notion O. tend
ing yourself. But God e knows you've
done yer best fur me-" She grasped
his hand tighter, and wrung it.
you've done your best. An now
you're worn out-an' it's-the 'ouse-''
Disgraced and imprisoned that is what
she felt it was; but she had no words
to express it.
to express it.
The two neighbors wiped their eyes.
Then the old man reused himself a
bit: Dye mind when l cam coortin'
We, Martha?' he said.
cay, an one day We 'ad a flower j.
yer and" she answered eagerly, over
joyed to hear him speak; "a daily, fur
it were autumn. An yed brought it
fur me, an 1 knowed We 'ah, an ye
didn't like to give it, but KEEP on
twistin' an twirlin' it till it's 'ead
dropped off in the dust, an I couldn't
'elp you. An we jest walked ON to-
gether, but adn't word to say, on'y
jest lOokin' at one another; an every
time you looked at me, 1 laughed
silly; and then you laughed. All!
mind mel mind me well.'
The cottage had had it's modest
comforts in the way Of furniture, once,
but all it contained that was worth a
penny had gone by degrees to avert
the evil day-au but two treasures, two
white china dogs with brown patches
ON their backs, which stood on the
chimney piece, and looked oddly out
of place, as being necessary luxuries
of ornament, in such surroundings.
The old mans eyes, wandering about
the bare abode, lighted upon these;
'WhatM We do wi the dogs, lass?" he
said.
Martha looked up: 81 told you I'd
keep 'em, Dick, SO longs I'd last an
1 we. 1 couldn't sell 'em. 1 mind me
when you got 'em-at the fair, the
year arter we was married" She
turned to her two friends in the win
dow place. 'Dick went off alone cos
l couldn't CO." she said, San sore
enough l was about lis goain'. l
thought e might "a stayed 'Ome vii
me near my time. An 1 was feared
ED get drunk as t'other men did
a-many of 'em, an not come 'ome all
night. But before the sun set I seed
i'm comm round the church, an he
looked at me kind O. proud, an ED
passed. in lis 'and. Fed saved the
money onbeknown to me, an bought
them dogs" She patted his hand
hard and covered her face again.
"An' e was allus like that" she
added, in a voice muffied with tears.
Then she got up and, reaching the
dogs down, gave them to the elder of
the two women, the one who had
spoken bitterly. you'll keep 'em for
my sake" she said.
II will, Martha" the woman an
swered, reviewing the humble treas
ures as a solemn git
The two old people were benumbed,
for the cold was penetrating there, un-
der the shadow of the church, in that
fireless abode. Martha sat down be-
side her husband and tried to chafe
the life back into his hands. The few
remaining minutes were flying now,
and each came crowded with remin-
iscences Of happy days.