The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-08-07
IA Story Of WlfsIy Devotion and Reighhorly
Kindness Ia RumbiB Walks Of Life.
SHE ctuns TO HER INSANE HUSBAND
Trough Seemingly Life Held SO LIT.
tie That Was bright, She Thought
the world WINS a Beautiful Place
and that H Was mn Excellent
Thiug to he Living.

ed, CHSTe WAS HO SAdlloh anu WI q |
narrow bit of platform. Tidy women |
with little shawls about their shoulders.
little girls carrying babies, with string |
Of elder children at their heels, had |
conEregated for the send-off. For the
minute or two we stayed they loaded |
her with many injunctions.
Don't be later than s, Mrs. Magec,
and the gossoons'll mate you beyond J
Ealey's corner"
Don't be frettin', woman jewel. Keep
up your heart. Sure If there's not good
news to-day the Lord knows tits on It's
wayr' 49,. 49,, .,a,.,,.
ma'am, in that jingly ould train
And SO on.
The little old woman settled back in
her corner, holding the basket gingeriy
on her lap. As the train started and the
kind faces vanished she caught my
eye. She answered something she read
there with a smile which had something
timid and appealing about It.
They're not used to railway travel
lin'. the crathures. Sure, tits long
since 'this elegant continuance come in
slid o the long cars, weary on thin!
+ Twas days journey TO go anywh here
; by them, an II you were the wan pas
senger an empty mailbags t'other side
they ratified the life out OF your poor
+. bones"
You find this more comfortable?"
said, looking around the wretched horse
DON unat ulu Quty 1Or a carriage.
Sure I do. Rale elegant i call It,
do be tellin' thin how the fields passes
by no bigger than a handkerchief an the
houses are sllderin' by before you right
~ know where you are"
DO You often make the Journey"
EVERY month, regular IT'S now a
matter of twenty years since / began.
was a fine strong woman then an used
to thramp 1t both ways. But I'm get
ding rather a-past that, ma'am. an
the neighbors, God bless them! they do
put the few pennies together that paws
my fare one way. I'm fine an fresh
thrampin' home In the evenin' and the
weight of the empty basket light on
my arm"
Your basket seems full of good
things" said, noticing that fine grid
die cake pushed open the lid.
The old woman beamed with satisfac-
ton.
There's few eggs in 1t an there's
me griddiecake an a bit o. tay an sugar
an weeny drop o. goats milk. do be
thinkin' they don't get enough to ate in
them places an my heart does be often
heavy between whiles"
I'm what places?"
me 'sylums. na'am. Pathrick chats
my husDshu, a'am. went out o his
niha a matter o twenty years ago an
mes ever since in c. 'sylum. 'Tis him
do be goin' to see."
oh. indeed" said Iamely. 81 am sor-
. ~.
do you think, ma'am." snid the ,,tt,e
old woman, anxiously That they do he
places?" !" 'hihi
Il should think they are we'll fed
answered. Doesn't your husband seem
well cared for?" % III
AN extraordinary shadow oa,o $50
ane little old apple face. The CHEEKY
snlhe vanished and in its stead there
eane dropping of the mouth and a
sosihg OF the eyes which seemed to
SPEAK ,s intense suffering.
me shadow vanished almost as ,,,,,,
~ as 1t had come. 80
us a auare thing. ma'am. But Pat
n,aSn,. tnouEh he thought the sunshine
,st. Sh 10 be named in the same day
God vi, ne won't look at me now. Sure,
H nou neip US. they don't think it safe to
1a I've r US together. I don't ask for II now.
fo We seen at last twas only a thriai
III poLn or US. Isn't 1t a quare. conth-
ie. tnlng, Ina'an. that it's thin they
agSiin?" SCI
1t Is" / murmured, feeling the futiI.
lily Of Offering consolation. 3Of course
no doser't know you"
lnats 1T, ma'am. His soul Is behind
us " iso!t pars an 1t hasn't the stren'th to
look through an discover them 1t used
70 love 1 used to think I'd get a glimpse
OF IL sometimes fiuttern' behind his
eyes. as frightened as a bird in a cage"
IASO " turn the conversation, for the
little old woman had begun to trem Bile
and TO lift one corner of her coarse
apron to her eyes.
It's great comfort to have sympa-
thetic neighbors." said, hastily.
1t is that same. Why, there's not Il
night they're sayin their bades but they
90 be rememberin' me an Pathrick.
The Kindness of them is past tellin'.
Why. tbs them that fills the has for
Hne every month, though. God knows.
they've often more mouths than they
can fill. Did you notice the brown
eyed woman wild the red shawl an the
shiny-lookin' hair?"
Z had noticed her. 1t was she who
had given the injunction about the eggs.
We'll. then. ma'am. tbs she has the
rale trouble all out. The little childher
shes the mother of eight, maam-is
always dyin' on her of softness OF the
bones. They do grow bright an sharp
little chtldber till they reaches the age
or or 6. Then they seems to melt all
away: the little bones of them crumbles
like q. bit OF bread between your fingers.
Now. isn't is a hard lot. nt,am, to see
the little vans that ought by right to
be bright an hearty dyin' on your hands
like that?"
She spoke as if her own trouble was
only o light one by comparison. She
shook her little old white head and went
on:
Ths99 was little GIRL too, stood by
ana said nothin' at all at all. Maybe
you was afther takin' note OF her-lttle
Susy Connolly, q brown-haired little
girl wild a pale face and red lips. She's
alone In the world, an the william She