The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-24
G ~ A 6Il SIV@I@sss BY @
uthor Of I" Kind Heart, ana corone is, /, Eto.
soh, but II shocked folks something

terrible!
John Bell was an old man after Il,
IL seemed TO- turn him inside out. Al
one time tllere'd not been d man In tie
parisl, so ready with a smile and /,
Joke as John, but now he went about.
his head down and shoulders bent.
parciy speaking to soul, and whore
ho Went, II seemed to us young ones,
ne always left u cloud behind.
RH Before his marriage with Kate he'd
never been what one might call n re.
gligio,is sort OF man, though he weht
to Church regular OF Sunday: after
her death lie were never there, sorI
said because lie couldn't blde the read
Ing 81 the eighth commandment. Ay.
an nc would say all manner OF things
AGAINST God and the Bible, even 10 the
pafson fisself. We, In the yillax.
thought he'd lost his SOU. seeinp ~
waa no common wickedness like
drinkin' an swearin', but kind OF
wrath and warning against God.
The week before the New Yeav,
Uncle Jonathan had gone away on a
prcachings Being Just single man
with naught to tie him. he was often
OFT like this, with never word to
anybody. an sometimes 'ud be away
weeks, and not even my mother
my father 'ud happen come in wi, word
he'd seen him busy at his bench
Che was cobbier by trade), and that
would be all We ever knew. Well, this
tiWe he was away nigh on to tho
first OF February. The day he came
home we were talking about John
Bell, and how he'd shewn the door 10
the parsons lady, who had been Il
rebuke him on his ways.
"If there's anyone will ever bring
back John Bell said my mother. It
'ull be no parsons wives, but my
brother Jonathan
And mother was right. We didn't
know how he managed II till after
wards. but John Bell turned to chapel
led prayer meetings. preached. and.
for all that lie maintained that he
was but miserable sinner. branh
my uncle had plucked from the burn
Ing, he was almost as much q power
among the MethodIsts as Uncle Jonn-
than himself.
And both OF them made sure that
poor Kate was lost.
But now I must tell you about
Rachel. not that we called her Rachel
then, but Mrs. Bold. for not being
but only come among us
from the town. and holding herself
as It were aloof from us besides. we
didn't know her Eood heart and her
Kindness as we got to know 1t later
"she had had sad history. Her
husband was Marsden man. born In
tho corner shop there. His mother
died. and his aunt brought him up;
but he was good for-nothing fellow.
would stick to no honest trade. and
was always rambling off somewhere
or other.
ITO end up he married this young
woman. whom he had met ut Bradford.
and his aunt heard no moro of him
for space OF two years. when she
got letter from his wife 10 say. Hoe
was off gold digging in Austraiey, an1
leaving her behind.
The old aunt never wrore back.
until one Christmas. more than four
years after. when. being bad with the
and no one she liked to
tend the shop, she go. the minister's
wife to write to what had i,ssn her
nephew.s wife's address at Bradford.
She was still there, and came to the
old woman straight. and was es good
as daughter to her az. bettar than
many. till the day OF her death.
strange to say. she lad heard
nought O. Joe since year after his
icuSAh aHd HeScI HeaIu d6aA'' etHouSd
she was tain TO give up hope. and
would be always comfortin' the old
woman with. oh. he'll come back
some day But when the aunt died
land she died about the same time as
kate). 1t seemed to kill the Others
hope as WELL and from that day Rachel
looked upon herself as widow. She
had that faith in him and love. that
think he'd forsaken her she wouldn't.
though there were plenty ready to con-
vince her.
- TTa D. 1sa,,,i-, ,.a ~ ,,,o-,.-,,,. -