Abilene weekly reflector., 1896-07-09
LYDIA wHEELOCK.
pY MARY q. WILKINS

and her high hips, always moved neaS.
ily among the light-trlpping maids OF
her own age. Seen from behind her
lroad, malronly back made her look
old enough to be the mother OF them
all. Bright and delicate girlish RID
hons and muslns, which set OIL their
happy, youthful, fower-llke faces maze
poor Iydia's dull, thick cheeks look
,,ullcr and thicker and heavier
Some women, as plain-visaged as
lydia, seeing themselves, as 1t were'
like dingy bamyarl fowls among
focks of splendid snowy doves and hum
ming birds, might have deliberately
tried to cultivate loving kindness ana
sweet oblgingness Of manner as an
ctrset. But Lydia was not brilliant
enough for that, neither had she such
p,rsonal ambition, 1t Is doubtful II
she had ever looked in the glass much
except to ascertain if her face was clean
and her hair smooth, and II her lack OF
comeliness ever cost her an anxious
hour.
As n child at school Lydia anever whis-
nered. was never tardy, seldom failed in
l.er lessons, and never teasrd away an
other rirl's candy. Besides, her mother
ALWAYS youched for the fact hat she wa'
as GOOD as young and tender infant
and consequently seemed to have oee'
actually born good
"Lyddy never cried, except when sn'
was real sick" her mother used TO say
(she lived to be very old woman' AM
uarped upon her good daughter as
she were the favorite string OF ne
whole life.) "Never knowed her to or
because she was mad, us the other chi
drn did. Lyddy alters took her ma
regular an slept all night withou
fussin'. An she never banged her hea
on the floor cause she couldn't have h'
own way. She alters give in real pleu
ant and smilin'."
What was true Of Lydia as baby hi
undoubtedly been true Of hereve SIN
! she has callers give in real pleasa
nm, smilin'," There may be some pc
rle who would urge thep plea that Lyd
had an easy temperament, and nov nj
IL urally such a firm clutch upon her {
sires that tits agony to relinquish the
$. rut II all the ways that Lydia has |
% tiently and smilingly accepted NJ
,r leen her own ways, she must even
" her temperament he'd beenever 50 D sto'
s. hnye had peculiar tastes and l'.ih
at Sometimes it would have been am
like a relish for the scalping-knlfe
de the branding-iron. II Lydia has
v: mctaphorically speaking, many VI
an during her life banged her heaa u
ne the floor, it has not been for lacN :.
on nroper temptation. She has had u
nny human standpoint hard NE
np fnther died when she was u young
ned She had to leave school and 60 al
ity Lelping the nelghbors with sewing
cleaning pnd extra household u
,ou when they had company TO earn u
my topce for the support OF herself
orc her mother Lydia's mother altho
,de abe lived to be so old, was alwa,,
feeble woman. crippled with r
re- matism.
mt, lydia lived patiently and laborlo'
ing earning Just enough to keep her mo
ers comfortably and herself uncom
rto ably alive, and that was all. one
onc rood meal a day when she
the working at neighbor's. oiteI
'ere know that was all she had attn
one she never said so and never compla'
icer Her mother never went without
the three meals n day and her warm
ter, nels, when the dread of Lydias lli'
irse that she might faint away some ii
md, a neighbor's from lack OF proper
t to ishment, and the state OF her aIe
midwintcr be discovered she
nck- fessed her great dread to some
cial- once. after she was MARRIED
his When Lydia was about 80 she
are denly got married, to the surprise
II to whole village. Nobody had Ore
she would ever marry She w
spite main and SO poor, and seemed
Ition alder than she wus-old enough
. try her own grandmother as Mrs. ha'
get white said. She married man
they had paid some attention 10 "'s' :,
than son White when she was a girl
d to she was popularly supposed 10
nd ] him. but her parents objected
port married Harrison White instead.
Elisha Wheelock, the man Lydli
ana ried. all the neighbors had can
'sheu moor tool" lie was good-lookln
'glng pood-hearted, but seemed to ha
/; but ,le ambition and little taste for
came try. Moreover, everybody sa
natu' drank Lurinda Smell said she
INC seen him when he could scarcely
itlon' and many others agreed with ne
'ok IN though the village was surpr's'
'qu"o village gave sort Of negative up
of the banns. Everybody agree
ouiid' a man like Wheelock couldn't mop
ony better. No pretty girl with
T. home would forsake it for him. i'm.
= ana for Lydia, It was probably her III
order only chance, and she could ney'
nouse' to do any better either, MO
to re- Elisha owned comfortable hou
father bad just died and LETT 1t
etter' et,' with quite a good-sized farm
nd , ior was said positively that Lydia's
jack was TO live there. "Lydia's got
ed' - home for herself and her mot
'Lisha don't drink it up. peop
d and Some thought he would. Eve
Allen watched TO see Vhe o'a 'po , i,