Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-12-26

muCQ at nome as IL Su6< udU lItCu enSN
all her life. When it was understood
that she meant to live there altogether,
it became quite scandal among the
responsibilities Of the neighDornood,
and the farmer was Sternly taken TO
task by the vicar for aiding and aDet-
ting Marget in her refusal to go de-
Gently to the workhouse. But lngle-
ton carried very tender heart be-
meath a rough exterior and his sympa-
tnies were altogether on the side of
the old woman.
eve no fancy for the workhouse
myself" he said to his wife; "and they
would not let her stop here. They'd
send her too Worcestershire, and we
don't KNOW what sort of place they
have thAEe. So long as Marget keeps
the place 6lean, and lights no fire in
side the slG, she's welcome to STOP"
So he refua6d to cooperate with the
vicar, and patchsd up the old shed to
make it weather pf0Qf. With a littla
straw and a bundle o. sweet hay as
bedding, and an cid parking case or
two in lieu Of furniture, Crazy Marget
was as pro ID of her dwelling as if it
had been = palace; and on fine days
she might be seen, with fire lighted
close to the roadside brook, hanging
her washing out on the hedge in Sc
rene defiance of all the laws of village
etiquette.
1t was in these circumstances that
made her acquaintance. | came upon
the little encampment one day, and
thought it SO picturesque that I sat
down to make a sketch. In time Mar
get and became quite intimate, and
discovered that her Greatness" was
nothing worse than mania for Clean
Illness. She would walk miles on the
promise of bit Of soap, and it was the
one thing she had ever been known to
beg for. By degrees l drew from ~her
all her story, but in speaking of her
son she showed a certain amount of
reserve. She was very proud of him.
He was a son any mother might be
proud of, she told me. He had never
given her any trouble; a good xcholar,
and could read and write like a gen
tleman-he was always fond of his
books, was James. He was tailor by
trade. Yes; she had thought it out
careful, and a tailor's was good
trade, where you always had a roof
over your head. James had seen
enough of living in the fields when he
was baby-it was all very well for
an old women, but man had right
to look for something better.
you'd never think he was my son."
she said, with a sudden glow of pride,
Sin his black coat, an h@ hat all
a-shining."
well, Marget, why don't you go to
live with James, instead of stopping
in this tumble-down shed?" I said.
"Eh! Live with James! Eli? My
dear, that would never do. Why, he
have a grand little house, and a wife
and all, James have; and think what,
the neighkors and them would say.
An I could never live in town-sakeS
no, they puts their washing QUIT"
'IIe ought to do something for you,
Marget," I said.
do something's" she said eagerly.
"Why, sir, the very last time he was
here he give me a shilling. There's not
many sons is like my James,"
'"Then he does come to see you
sometimes?'
She nodded at me with a sudden air
of mystery.
81 don't tell the folk" she said,
pointing toward the village. 1T would
never do for the likes of them to
know. Eth, no; James is not the one
IS. f0aget his OLD mother. He comes O
nights, so he shan't be seen. It's a
bit ndw since he came, three month
well, tery near four; maybe he'll come
to-night, maybe next week. I'm no
great sleeper, and when l lies down
nights. I leaves the door slanting open.
so [ }can hear better, an / keeps lis
tenint for footsteps on the road from
Fazetly. There's bit O. paving by the
church, and there they sounds quite
loud, and then they dies off in the lane
till they gets quite near the farm.
And when they gets as close as that |
can tell my sons step from all the
village. It's a quick, light step, like
as if he was hurrying. 1t passes the
time, listenin' out. an when there's no
more footsteps it's very near daylight,
and lime to get up. En- yes; he's a
oOOd con tn mo lanes is"