The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-05
copyrighted, 1929. by S. S. Mcclure Co..
CHAPTER TX.

the life and character of Agatha Webb
Her history had not been a happy
one. She and Philemon had come from
Portchester some twenty or more years
before to escape the sorrows associated
with their native town. They had left
behind them six small graves in Port
chester churchyard; but though evil
dences of their ahiiction were always IL
be seen in the countenances of either
they had entered with so much purpose
into. the life of their adopted town that
they had become persons of note there
till Philemou's health began TO fail
when Agatha quit all outside work and
devoted herself exclusively 10 him. OF
her character and winsome personality
we can gather some idea from the var
ious conversations carried on that day
from Portchester Green TO the ship
yards in Sutherlandtown.
In Deacon Brainerd's cottage, the dis
cuSSion was concerning Agatha'S lack
of vanity; virtue not very common at
that time among the women of this
busy seaport.
FOR a woman so handsome" the
good deacon was saying-(' and j think
l can safely call her the finest featured
woman who ever trod these streets
she showed as little interest IL dress as
any one l ever knew. Calico at home
and calico at church. yet she looked as
much Of a lady in her dark-sorigged
gowns as Mrs. Webster in her silks or
Mrs. Parsons in her thousand dollar
sealslzin.'
AS this was the topic within the scope
OF his eldest daughters intelligence she
at once spoke up: u never thought
she needed to dress SO plainly. l don't
believe in such a show of poverty my
self. If one is too poor to so decent, all
right; but they say she had more mon
ey than most any one in town. / Won
der who is going to get the benefit OF
it,"
why. Philemon, of course; that is
as long as he lives He doubtless had
the making of it
is it true that he's gone clean out of
his head since her death?" interposed
a neighbor who had happened in.
SO they say. / believe widow Jones
has taken him into her house.
DO you Think asked q second
daughter with becoming hesitation,
that he had anything to do with her
death2 Some of the neighbors say he
struck her while in one of his crazy
fits. while others declare she was killed
by some stranger, equally old and al
most as infirm."
I'VE won't discuss the subject OBJ
jected the deacon. Time will show
who robbed US of the greatest-hearted
and most capable woman in these
parts
And VIII time show who killed Bat
sy?" It was u norsel of a girl who
spoke; the least one of the family, but
the brightest. I'm sorry for Batsy;
she always gave me cookies when !
went to see Mrs. Webb
Batsy was a good girl for Swede,"
allowed the deacon's wife, who had
not spoken till now. When she first
came into town on the sDars of that
wrecked ship we all remember there
was some struggle between Agatha
and me as to which of us should ..2ve
her. But l didn't like the task of
teaching her the name of every pot
and pan she had to use in the Kitchen
so / gave her up to Agatha; and it was
fortunate l did, for I've never been able
to understand her talk 10 this day."
Il could talk with her right WE'LL.
lisDed the little one. she never called
things by their Swedish names unlesa
she was worried; and 1 never worried
her.
Il wonder if she would have wor-
SHIPPED the ground under your feet, as
she did that under Agatha?" asked
the deacon, eyeirg his wife with just
the suspicion of malicious twinkle in
his eye.
Il am not The greatest-hearte and
most capable woman in town." retorted
his wife. clicking her needles as she
Went on knitting.
In Mr.. Sprague's house on the op-
posite side of the road. Squire Fisher
was relating some old tales of bygone
Portchester days. II knew Agatha
when she was a girl he avowed. She
had the grandest manners and the most
enchanting smile of any rich or poor
mans daughter between the coast and
Springfield She did not dress in cali
co then. She Wore the gayest clothes
her father could buy. and old Jacob
was not without means to make his
daughter the leading figure in town.
How we young fellows did adore her,
and what lengths we went to win one
of her glorious smiles. Two of US. John
and Jacob label. have lived bachelors
for her sake to this very day; but 1
hadn't courage enough for that; l mar
ried and Something between a sigh
and a chuckle filed out the sentence.
What made Philemon carry off the
PRICE His good looks ?"
Yes, or his good luck. It wasn't his
snap: OF that you may be sure. James
label had the snap, and he was her |
first choice, too, but he got into some |
diGlculty-I never knew just what it |
was. but il was regarded as serious at |
the tire-and that match was broken |
off. Afterward she married Philemon.
You see. l was out Of ii altogether; had !
never been in 1t, perhaps; but there |
were three good years Of my life in /
which l thought of little else than |
Agatha l admired her spirit, you see. |
There was something more taking in |
her ways than in her beauty. wonder |
full as that was. She ruled us with a |
rod OF iron. and yet we worshiped her.
have wondered to see her so meek of |
late. never thought she would be sat
listed with a brick-f1oored cottage and |
a husband of falling wits. But no one,
TO my knowledge, has ever heard a
complaint from her lips; and the dig
nifty of her afflicted wifehood has far
transcribed the haughtiness of those
days when she had but to smile to
have all the youth of Portchester at
her feet"
Il suppose it was the loss of so many
children that reconciled her to a quiet |
life. A woman cannot close the eyes
Of six children, one after the other,
without some modification taking place
IN her character
Yes, she and Philemon have been
unfortunate: but she was a splendid
looking girl. boys. / never see such
grand-looking women now"
In a little one-storied cottage on the
hillside woman was nursing a baby
and talking at the same time Of Agatha
Webb.
Il shall never forget the night my
first baby fell sick" she faitered. II
was just out of bed myself. and hav-
ing no nearer neighbors then than
now. I was all alone on the hillside,