The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-06-26

good wife to me for twenty-seven years.
You hain't got many idols, Mirandy, not
half as many as have. But this always
thinkin' your way is best"
''See here, Joseph Busby,' there was an
undertone of ferceness in her voice. 81
think such twisting of the Scriptures is
sinful. If have idols | can tend to them,
that's all, ," and Mr. Busby strobe into her
bedroom, and shut the door violently.
| When she returned to the kitchen she
| was in possession Of the field. Joseph had
gone TO his work.
"EIigh time" she shifted; "idols, in
deed -
She put her clothes to soak, and, carry
ing her dishes into the pantry, began wash
them. Her thoughts were not pleasant
ONES; the frown on her face told that. The
| window before which she stood was covered
with thick growth of morning-glory vines.
4 few of the daintily twisted buds, unheed-
ing the tbrcatenings of the storm, had
opened their pink, blue and white cups,
and pecred in ut the flushed face of the
worker. But Mrs. Busby was to busy, too
disturbed by her husbands words, to
notice their beauty.
81 don't see what possessed Joseph to
say that" she said, as she began rubbing
her clothes. 81 gave up the only idol |
ever had twenty years ago. !"
She stopped abruptly. ''Of course, it's
that letter." she went on, after brief
pusse. But he is wrong. 1t isn't idols
that keeps me from doing MY"
Again she stopped. She had almost said
duty" week before letter had come
from little town in Kansas to Mr.. Busy.
The letter contained news of the death of
the death of Mrs. Emma Hale, a distant
cousin of Joscph's. Mrs Iale was a widow
and left one child, a boy, two years old.
| The writer, /. neighbor of the dead woman,
went on to say she could care for the child
no longer, and if his relatives did not come
house. oseph pondered the matter day
and night. He then coolly proposed
sending for the child, and adopting it. His
wife fatty refused. What--a child, a two
yeaI-old baby, to make litter on her clean
floors and upset her orderly plan of life?
"You must be crazy, Joseph" she said,
enough to be put out from under foot, |
might think of it. But there hain't any
use talking about it."
Joseph Busby rarely opposed his wife,
even in so small matter as talking when
she babe him be silent. However, this
time he said:
1--WE air CROWN old, Mirandy. The
baby would be something to love u.s.
These words came back to Mrs Busby as
she bent over her washtub. Did she and
Joseph need some one to love them? She
thought Of the rumbling old house with its
many rooms, of the fertile acres surround
ing it. and of the comfortable hank account.
Then her mind wandered to the distant
cemetery where a white marble cross
marked her baby's grave.
81 couldn't give Leah's place to an.
other" she whispered. "And yet he might
make place for himself. Oh, my baby,
miss her still.''
Withdrawing her hands from the suds,
Mrs. Busby crossed the sitting-room and
entered the parlor. No one knew, not even
her husband, how many troublesome ques-
tions the mother settled before her child's
picture.
She opened the blinds and looked long
and earnestly at the laughing baby face.
"Do you want me to, dear ?" she asked
tearfully. "Do you want me to take q
noisy, troublesome boy into this home? II
it an idol, Leah, my wanting everything sc
quiet and orderly?"
Ten minutes later she was back at hel
washing. The parlor blinds were closed
and all things were as they had been, ex
cep,ipg Mrs. Busby's eyes there was new