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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (May 13, 1898)
(3. TJW 4 MJE Me SfSMlK UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA Vol. XXV II. LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, MAY 13, 1898. No. 81 My gray-beard frloncl slmll bo no longer lanio; Ho inoro old wounds shall gull his soul of llamo; For yesterday it passed to whence- it came: Tho crutcli h was nt last compelled to wear Stands in tlio corner near his yellow chair. His brave old tales I can remember well Of some with cheers and some with rebel yell Who smiled and died mid screaming shot and sholh- Whon I was six, astride his willing kneo, I ofton rode u ith Sherman to the Sea. When I was twelve, ho grimly smiled and tried To stand erect; but could not fully hide Tho evergrowing stoop and limping stride: One noon the sun beat hot upon his head And his Aniietam lung-wound slowly bled When 1 was Iwentv one, his old eyes lent His all but conquered t-tiidoa feigned content; For still they laughed, biimful of merriment; Hut vhon ho bought tho crutch, he bowed Ills head '1 he eyes that would not smile went dim instead. When yesterday I hold his dying hand, A ray that flashed from out the shadow land Lit up his eyes: I could not undei stand; I only saw tho rapture in his smile And felt his hand thrill warm a little while. J. A. Sakoent. When I decided to teach in Elmore- for tho Summer term, I made up my mind that I would hoard with a minister if I could. Min isters have- seen hooks heforo in their lives and have conveniences and charity for one that wants to write. On tho wity to the little town that day, after J had looked over all tho passengers in tho car, I fell to wondering what kind of a minister I should find and what kind of a wife ho would have. If tho wife was sensible I could got along with any kind of a husband. Then I wondered what kind of a place Elmore was and looked out tho window. Cornfields. It must bo corn, but it was small, short, almost dried up. with now and then a patch a little taller and greener than tho rcstjWhero there was a little hollow in tho ground. Tho next field was corn-fodder, still' and brown, and then came moro corn and barbed-wire fences and brown pastures and more corn. Tho air was fairly brown with dust and a strong wind was blowing, I could tell by tho way tho corn bent. At last we came to Elmore, a little, dusty, dark red station with a broad platform, a few teams tied to a fence, some men leaning against t'.io side of tho station and two or three women with dust piled in tho folds of their skirts and on tho band boxes thoy carried. I was met by one of tho school committee. As wo waded through tho dust down tho road 'to his buggy, I asked if there was a minister in town and if I could board at his house. "Well, I'd sort 'o got a place for you at Mis' Simmon's, but I guess if you know tho minister you can go there. Thoy don't have much, and his wife's sick most of tho time, and can't got around spry with her work. Thoy don't keep boarders as a regular thing." Discouraging! "Will you show mo his house, it surely won't do any harm to enquire." Wo climbed into tho buggy and tho bony horses moved off. I had to hold my hand kerchief up to keep from choking. By tho time wo reached tho minister's house tho folds of my skirt were piled up with dust. Tho committee man loft mo at tho door of a low, porchless houso that needed a coat of paint. I shook oil' some of tho dust and then knocked at tho door. A pale, thin little girl of about ten opened the door and ushered mo into tho parlor. I looked around while- sho went to call her mother. In ono corner was a crayon portrait of a young man, in an elab orate frame. Over ono corner of this was draped a "throw" of cotton batting. A yel low and brown ingrain carpet on the floor, a small tablo with a biblo on it in tho middle of tho room, a hanging lamp without any shade, coarse lace curtains at tho windows Cam eras Dry Plates Films Cards- -Printing Paper at LINCOLN PHOTO SUPPLY CO. 181 So 11th street.
