Middletown transcript., 1906-10-20
Depths OF Mercy, can flis + re
Mercy eiilI reserved iof me !

Deacon Given dropped q nail
into the grass aud stepped sing
ing while he looked for II.
Good morning. Deacon; how
your hands do cling 20 work.
Why. good morning, Elder Pin
gree; / didn't hear you drive up.
The palm 5 were AL hanging loose
On this fence, SO / thought Id
nail them on; can't see the old
place going to rack and ruin with.
ent putting forth hand to save
II.
A place goes down bill pretty
fast after it's rented
Yes; I wish I'D stayed on it.
After a mans lived on . place
more'n forty year his roots get
clinched pretty solid. The chill
dren thought | couldn't stay
here after ma died, so they pull
ed. me up and planted me over to
Williams, but it isn't home, and
Ifeel, as the Psalmist says, like
a sparrer alone upon the house
top. I don't mean to say that
William and bis wife are not good
to me, but Oh, Elder Pin
gree. did you ever see a man
seventy year old homesick?
Are you really homesick? The
elders voice was so full Of sym
pathy that it moved the deacon
to open his heart.
Yes, Elder Pingree, 4 am; and
it's going hard with me; my flesh
withereth as the grass; by day.
and by night / mourn my home.
/ realize that the Lord made this
land, and He covered it with
trees, and made that little brook
to flow through it, but with the
strongly He gave me, and the
help gf my Salome, I made the
farg1and home. Everybody else
thinks this is just a hundred and
sixty acres OF land and a set of
buildings, but its my whole life,
from early manhood to old age.
Well, Deacon, you must get
married again and come back
here to live. The laugh died on.
the elders lips, as the deacon
looked around canti1rsly. then
stepped close to the side of the
carriage, and leaning over the
wheel, said earnestly:
That's what I've been thinking
i too, Elder, but | cant think of
anybody that'd just suit Yon
hain't got any one ia mind, have
your
There's the Widow Mason,
suggested the minister.
She's Methodist, Elder, and
dreadful set on sanctifcatiun.
Now, ] amt got a word to say
against the Methodisis as indi-
viduals, but at my time of life I
wouldn't like to run the risk of
having to arger p'ints with one
of 'em.
Well. there's Miss Simpson;
she's a good Baptistand has been
for over forty years.
She wouldn't like to hear you
say so. Tile deacon's eyes twin
kled. You know she's kinder
young for her years. Not that
I'd say one word against her;
she's good woman, only
I understand, said the minister
laughing.
You know there's some folks
that just take holt Of old Times
hand and jog along with him as
happy and contented and friend
ly, and he touches them SO gently
that they just grow prettier and
prettier every day. My Salome
was that kind; then there's others
that's always hanging back and
fighting him, and he seems to |
take revenge on them BY mark
ing their faces all up with puck.
ers and frowns and wrinkles.
Well, il you want woman who
has has lived lived f1er whole Il life onfriend-
" terms with Time, neighbors
and everybody else, there is the
Widow Dove, over to Hy1er.
Ever see her?
] saw her q number of years
ago, at quarterly meeting, bnt
not to speak to her, d little brown |
haired, apple checked woman;
made me think Of q robin, she
was 80 bright and chanrv
She is still brisk and CHEEKY, |
though her hair is white She
has been d widow for ten years;
makes her home with her daugh-
ter, but / don't believe she
would object to having one of |
her own You'd better 80 over
and see her.
Seems as II II would be more
ii keeping for you 70 interduce
II