Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-10-31

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$50 they say. l 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
death? Some Of the neigkbors say he
struck her while in one of Ills crazy
fits, while others declare she was killed
ty some stranger equally old and Il
most as infirm."
eve 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 will time show who killed Bat
sy" 1t was morsel of 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 good girl for q Swede,"
allowed the deacon's wife, who had not
spoken till now. when she first came
into town on the spars of that wrecked
ship we all remember, there was some
struggle between Agatha and me as to
which Of us should have her But I
didn't like the task of teaching her the
name of every pot and pan she had to
use in the kitchen. 30 gave her up to
Agatha. And it was fortunate did,
for I've never been able to understand
her talk to this day."
Il could talk with her right WE'LL"
lisped the little one. "She never called
things by their Swedish names unless
she was worried, and 1 never worried
her"
II wonder II she would lave wor-
shipped the ground under your feet, as
she did that under Agatha? asked
the deacon, eying his wife with just
the suspicion of malicious twinkle in
his eye.
II am not the greatest hearted and
most capable woman in town." retort-
ed his wife. clicking her needles as she
went on knitting.
In Mr.. Sprague's house on the oppo-
site side of the road Squire Fisher
was relating some old tales Of bygone
Dorchester days. II knew Agatha
when she was 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
calico then. She wore the gayest
clothes her father could buy her, 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 hadn't courage enough for that.
married and"- Something between
sigh and chuckle filed out the SEN
tence.
what made Philemon carry of the
prize? His good looksT'
Eyes, or his good luck. 1t 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 difficulty. never knew Just
what 1t was, but 1t was regarded as se-
rious ut the time, and that match was
broken off. Afterward she married
Philemon. You see, was out of it
altogether, had never been in 1t per-
haps, but there were three good years
of my life in which thought of little
else than Agatha. admired her spirit,
you see. There was something more
taking in her ways than in her beauty,
wonderful as that was. She ruled us
with q rod of iron, and yet we wor-
SHIPPED her. have wondered to see
her SO meek of late. never thought
she would be satisfied with brick
foored cottage and husband of fall
Ing wits. But no one, to my knowl-
edge, has ever henrd a complaint from
her lips. and the dignity of her afflict-
ed wifehood has far transcribed the
haughtiness of those days when she
had but to smile to have all the youth
Of Dorchester at her feet"
II suppose 1t was the loss of SO many
children that reconciled Eer to quiet
life. A woman cannot close the eyes of
six children, one after the other, with
out some modification taking place in
her character"
eyes, she and Philemon have been
unfortunate, but she was splendid
looking girl, boys. l never see such
grand looking women now"
In little one storied cottage on the
hillside woman was nursing baby
and talking at the same time Of Agatha
Webb.
II shall never forget the night my
first baby fell sick" she faltered. II
was just out Of bed myself, dQi, hav-
ing no nearer neighbors then than
now, was all alone on the hillside,
Alec being at sea. was too young to
know much about sickness, but some
thing told me that must have help be-
fore morning or my baby would die.
Though could just walk across the
floor, | threw shawl around me, took
my baby In my arms and opened the
door. A binding gust Of rain blew
in. A terrible storm was raging, and
had not noticed II, was SO taken
up with the child.
II could not face that gale. Indeed,
was so weak 1 fell on my knees as 1t
struck me and became dripping wet
before I could drag myself inside. The
baby began to moan, and everything
was turning dark before me when /
heard strong, sweet voice cry out in
the roadway:
Is there room In this house for me
till the storm has blown by? cannot
see my way down the hillside
with bursting heart looked up
A woman was standing in the door.
way, with the look of an angel in her
ewes. did NOT know har hrt ha, foco