Why, then I ventered to let her go and live with him agin. And I even made a party for ’em on the occasion. Some like a weddin’ party, for we all brung presents to ’em. And the children and a few sincere well-wishers that she had contoggled for and Josiah and me all jinin’ hearty in the prayer Elder Minkley put up after supper for the peace and prosperity of the new home.
And they’ve prospered first-rate.
Their sweet, cozy home is pleasant, as a home where Love is always must be. But it is a-settin’ down under a shadder, and always will set there. It can’t be helped.
The shadder stands up behind it, some like a mountain; but the peace and happiness of the present is gradually a-makin’ a meller, tender haze in front on’t; some as the blue, luminous sky of Injun Summer floats in and softens the truth of the year’s decay.
It is there, all the same, but time and that soft, tender mist wears off the sharp edges on’t, and sometimes the shadders fall some in the shape of a cross. The sun hits it in jest the right way.
Annie and Ellick jined the meetin’-house the year after they come together agin, and the Elder and several of us bretheren and sistern gathered round ’em, and held up their courage and helped ’em along all we could.
And though some are kinder mean and throw out hints, for human nater can’t be helped, and mean and small souls have got to act out what is inherient in ’em, and some, specially the B. I. L. and his family, made lots of talk about him and her, and poked fun at ’em, and acted. But Ellick is a-learnin’ to be patient and bear what he says he knows is “The Wages of Sin.”
But, as naterally follers, he is now in the employ of another Master, and his wages is a-comin’ in better and better every day.
And wuzn’t he happy when he held another little boy on his knee? Little Tom Josiah, named after my two best-beloved males.
And Annie wanted to add “Sam” to it for me, but I demurred, sayin’, “They didn’t seem to go together smooth. Tom Josiah Sam didn’t seem to have the flow and rythm to suit my melodious idees.