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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1893)
THE HESPERIAN me about r'ligion," she said to herself, after a few moments of chopping. Soon she added, llI s'poso I ortor bo bettor. " When Lish camo in at half past nine, he found his wife sitting on the soap box look ing at the children as they lay asleep, hud dled together, undressed, in a corner of the room upon a pile of ragged quilts. She neither looked up nor spoke as he entered. "Them boys's is right smart to talk,1' began Lish, as ho walked over to whore an old thin feather bod was piled by the sleep ing children, and stretched himself out upon it. His wife made no reply. Aftor a momont's silence, during which Lish noticed the freshly cut wood lying by the stove, he said: "Mag, 1 plum forgot all about cuttin' the wood. I'm sorry y'u had to cut it Mag." "Guess it did'nt hurt mo; its time to go to bed now," was the response. The feather bod was spread out upon the floor, and they both lay down in silence. "It's jest as I told him," said Lish to himself, "there's no use o' me tryin' to be a Christian, and there's no use o' spoakin' to Mag about it neither. She'd say: "Go ahead and bo a Christian if yer want 'o; I sha'nt hinder y'u" jest as sho did two yoars ago when 1 told her we ortor be bet tor, and that God 'ud hold us responsible for the bringin' up of the children. Mag is a good wife; but somehow she's kind o' cross, and 'pears like she's sot again r'ligion. No sir, mister, it ain't no use; I can't be no Christian, and live with my wife. I'm sorry T promised him I'd speak to Mag about it. Any way I'll wait till mornin'." Which one went to sloop first neither knew. Mrs. Beadle was the first to wake. "Lish'll be hungry enough for broakfast," was her first waking thought. "If I hadn't been so spunky, I'd a thought to get him a bite to oat. Now I s'poso he'll think I didn't give him any supper on purpose." The bustle of fire building and of break fast getting woke Lish. He sat up on the feather bod a moment; then said: "Good mornin', Mag. " "Good mornin' Lish," was tho rojoindor. "I guess I'll speak to her about that now," thought LiBh, and ho got up and sat down upon tho soap box. Aftor taking out his jack knife and returning it to his trousers pockets a timo or two, he ven tured to say: "Ono of them preachers said he'd like to havo us to come up to his room at tho hotel this mornin', Mag." "What does he want to see us for?" asked his wife, "ite's got no use fer such as us." Lish paid no attontion to his wife's petu lant words but continued: "Ho said ho'd like to come to the house; but I told him we wasn't jest exactly-fixed fer sich as him." "I should think not," his wife broke in. "Ho said ho wouldn't mind if wo was a lit. tie topsy-turvy; but if you'd rather he'd like to have us come to soe him." "I s'poso ho wants to talk to me about r'ligion," said Mrs. Beadle to herself, and thon addod, addressing herself to her hus band: "Lish, did you tell him about mo?" "Why he asked mo if you was a Christian, Mag; and I told him you was a good wife, Mag, but but you know Mag, neither of us is Christians," was tho reply, and Lish put his knife in his pocket and thon pulled it out again and began to whittle. His wife made no rotort, but continued tho prepara tion for broakfast. With the remark, "them migs is whinnin' fer some hay, I guess I'll foed 'em a bite," Lish stopped out doors. In ten minutes Mrs. Beadle stopped to the door and called, "Lish, breakfast's ready." They sat down to tho table and finished eating without a word. As Lish rose to leave, his wife said: "Lish, if that minister is bound to see us ho might as well come down here, if y'u think ho wouldn't mind. Your clothes ain't very good, and y'u know Lish, my shoos and dress is full of holes 'ceptin whore they's patches, and my hat is the same one I married y'u in." In a very few minutes Lish was sitting on tho sidewalk in front of the hotel, but on tho opposite side of the street. Ho had thought to go to tho preacher's room, but when ho looked at his clothes he concluded to sit
