The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-04-06
CHAPTER Vl-ContInued.

1t plagued" the others, however, to
see that none of them could get ahead
OF Blossy in their noble endeavors to
make Abraham feel himself light and
welcome burden. She it was who dis
covered that Abe's contentment could
not be absolute without griddlecakes
for breakfast three hundred and sixty
five times year; she 1t was who first
baked him little saucer cakes and pies
because he was partial to edges; and
Blossy 1t was who made out list OF
"Don'ts" for the sisters to follow In
their treatment of this grown-up
young-old boy.
Don't scold him when he leaves
the doors open. Don't tell him to wipe
his feet. Don't ever mention gold
mines or shiftless husbands" etc., etc.
All these triumphs of Blossy's In
tuition served naturally to spur the
others on to do even more for Brother
Abe than they had already done, until
the old man began to worry for fear
that he should "git split" When he
lay down for his afternoon nap and
the house was dull and quiet without
his waking presence, the ladies would
gather in groups outside his door as If
in kings antechamber, waiting for
him to awaken, saying to one another
ever and again, "Sh, shi" He pro-
fessed TO scott at the attentions he
received, would grunt and growl
"Humbug!" yet nevertheless he
thriVed in this latter-day sunlight His
old bones took on flesh. His aged
kindly face, all scanned with care as
1t had been, filled out, the wrinkles
turning into wrinkles. Abraham had
grown young again. With the return
of his youth came the spirit of youth
to the Old Ladies' home. Verify, yer
lily, as Blossy had avowed from the
first, they had been in sore need of
the masculine presence The ancient
coat and hat, which had hung in the
hall SO long, had perhaps served Its
purpose In keeping the burglars away.
but this lifeless substitute had not
prevented the Grabbed gnomes Of lone
illness and discomfort from stealing in.
Spinster, wife and widow, they had
every one been warped by the testy
Now, instead of fretful discussions
of health and food, recriminations and
Wrangling, there came to be laughter
and good-humored chatter all the day
long, each sister striving with all her
strength to preserve the new-found
harmony of the home. There were
musical evenings, when Miss Abigail
Onnnp6 =
Hundred" and Abraham was encour-
aged to pick out with one stiff fore
finger My Grandfather's Clock"
Hymn tunes" were sung in chorus
and then, in answer to Abe's appeal
for something livelier, there came
time-tried ditties and old, old love
songs. And at last, one night, after
leaving the instrument silent, mute in
the corner or the parlor for many
years, Aunt Nancy Smith dragged out
her harp. and, seating herself, reached
out her knotted,s trembling hands and
brought forth what seemed the very
echo, SO faint and faltering 1t was. of
Douglas, Douglas, Tender and True. -
There was a long silence after she
had finished, her head bowed on her
chest, her hands dropped to her sides.
Abraham spoke first, clearing his
throat before he could make the words
come.
I wish I could git a husband fer
every one of yer" said he.
And no one was angry, and no one
laughed; for they all knew that he
was only seeking to express the mes
sage conveyed by Nancy's playing
the message Of love, love triumphant.
which cannot age, which over the
years and over death itself ALWAYS
hath the victory.