River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-02-06
SOME OF THANKFUL STRONG'S
EXPERIENCES.
BY SARAH w,oswoRTu aETcurII


said: 81 don't believe in gossip, no
not one bit, as every one knows, bu
| go about so much ana hear SC
many funny things that it does seen
10 be my right to repeat them.
think might tel. YOU about Mis-.
Kelleys. You know that there new.
e. was more disconnected woman
in this world, nothing is just right
never was and never will be to hel
mind. Last night the hired mar
came and asked if | would not &c
over. "The old lady is took bad
with a crick ii. her back" he said
OF course / went and of course
put a flannel cloth covered with
grease and turpentine right on. Oh
how she did fuss; she knew that she
should 'die inside of four months.
AT last she he,wed an awful sigh
and said: "Oh dear, l do wish | was
dead and in heaven" The old gen
tleman sot near the fire He looked
near about beat out, and he drawled
out: 81 wish / was down to the tav
ern." If you ,ould have seen the
look of unutterible disgust upon hel
face as she snapped: "Oh yes, you
always want to be in the best place.
1t does beat all what a queer mixed
up lot of people this world is filled
with I called upon Grandpa Glib
son the other day. You know he
has been bed rid for years. When
| went in | said: How do you do
this mornin', Grandpas' He spoke
up so CHEEKY: "Better, Miss Strong
better, thank you; slept handsome
last night; lots to be glad for, Miss
Strong; Gods good and SO is my
children. = They never seem to tire
of dom for me. Last night Pete
came over to lift me and while 1
| was in his arms | said: Peter, my
boy, don't you sometimes git tired
of luggin' your poor old PAP He
bent his head and kissed my old
cheek sayin' as he done it, NO,
no, father, don't say so. | don't pre-
sumo that I've lifted you as many
times as you have me, and you amt
much heavier than baby For all
they are so lovin' and kind, and my
stay here. is very pleasant, I'll be
glad when the gates swing back
ward and let me go to that 'glad new
rest that the children sing about"
How you do go right into peoples
lives, Mrs. Strong, right in at the
left side door, too. They are not so
easily opened to me.
swell" she returned in dreamy
way that comes over her at times, 81
suppose it is because I've lived so
much, or have lived through so
much and so can understand. don't
think it can hardly be called talent
as some says it is. think it is some
thing that has come to me in the
place OF much that I've lost. The
evening after my babies were laid
away, | thought | would go down
to the shore and lie there until the
tide might sweep me away if it
chose. | did not rebel because God
took my husband and babies, but /
did because he left me. / think that
| was more than half frenzied. |
whispered, Dear cruel sea, you will
take me, won't you? No one will
ever know where | went. You took
Richard and he did not want to go.
| want to go to Richard and my
babies. Oh! take mep The tide
was softly creeping up; it had COW
cred my ankles now and | knew it
would soon bear me away from all
of my pain. | heard no footsteps,
but softly oyer my waist stole an
arm. Opening my eyes, half in joy,
half in sorrow, l saw old Auntie
Brown who was every ones friend,
STOPPING over me, and in her soft
toothless voice she said: "Come
away, Thankful, understand.
Years ago | Sa7v my ship go down.
I laid my babies away. 4 stood up
on this very spot waiting for the
tide, just as you wait. A dear friend
came to me, led me to her home
and opened my eyes to see that mine
was only one of the sorrowing hearts
in the world. That everywhere
there were lives that held as deep
griefs as mine," and / made up my
mind that if she could be strong so
could /. That was how | began to
learn the lesson of giving of my
heart to as many as | can"
Here the talk drifted off upon
some newspaper article, etc., etc.
She said: 81 do wish that these
noted weeklies would leave out the
woman's page. 1t makes me mad to
read it; don't often, for l don't like
to be mad. One would think from
the tone that all woman cared for
was her complexion, hair and
stomach. Oh! yes, and gowns with
bunnits and shoes to match. Scarce
ly a thought to make the mind of
woman broader and better; nothing
to encourage her in her home life
and Itell you there hain't no greater
work. Now and then they talk
about the nature bein' narrowed BY
the home ties. Well, l always
think that they have never had 'em-
them as writes. Any woman who
can comprehend anything knows
that if she hes children to fetch up
that the work is away beyond human
comprehension.
ssBeats all how they do fritter
away space cussin' and discussin'
whether Harrison shall git married
again or not. Seems to me that he
has just as good right to as me and
Caleb had. / can't help but think
of one of our neighbors down East
who never believed in second
marriages. She was scolding once
about one of her neighbors marrying
again before his wife had been dead
year. She said, 81 do like to see
man live, single long enough to
appreciate his wife's death.n | guess
Mr.. Harrison has done that.
We had letter from Joe the
other day, and he is always teasing
us to come out to Denver and visit
him. You know that his wife is SO
stylish / feel afraid to go for fear
that will say or do something to
make them ashamed. | wrote as
much to Joe. Guess the letter he
wrote back is in my pocket now.