Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1876 — Little Abey-A Mother's Story. [ARTICLE]

Little Abey-A Mother's Story.

As We sarin the cheery Blow, talking of the cabin, its presentmobt ” said suddenly, Pa, jevnr think Httle Abey might a ben a painter?" Uncle Seth did not reply, and I, thinking that he hod faHen asleep in the genial warmth, said softly, “ Who was little Abey, Aunt Thusy ? “He was oufTust’ baoy, deary; an’die died when hewaa'short o’four year dle. But I can see him plain as print this mihit, with his yaljer hair curlin’ up tight, like dandylion-steffis wen ye split ’em an’ wet ’em, an’ Ids uyee bluer nor any bluin' bag cohid make ’em, an’ his mouth like a little ‘Cittnymun rose. ‘ I never see a baby like him; I said so from the* fust, when pa put him in my arms, so little an’ pink aa he was, an’ says a laughhi’w ■o“ He. warh’t very strong, neve’r; he' didn’t loyk sickly nor pindhrn’, but taa wrirn’t’ragged', he was quiet-like an’ diffunt from other chilun. He’d set moSt all day in his little chair a walchin* me do my work, an’ ev’ry time I turned roun’ to see if he was all right he’d smile up. to me an’ I coulden’ tell ye how all. over that smile o' his’n made me feel, kinder good, an’ yit as if it hurt somewheresj.ftn’ I’d.atop my work whatever I was adoin’ an’ hug him up to me; a minit,. An’ he’d Say such wish things, so o!d- -- Pa used to tell him stories—he beats all. at rtories, pa does, more particular storied 1 outer Scripters—an’ one time hp tells himj’bout Cain an’ Abil. Now the baby was named Abil, hisself, an* so he lisseried just as sharp, an’when pa cum to* Where Cain hit his brother an’ killed him debfl as a door-nail, his little mouth'puckereu, an’ the tedrs they came a rollin’ down his face, an’dte says, Poor Tain!’ * Why ik i|!s Abil that’s dead,’ ‘says pa, ’an’ Cain he was the bad ’un that killed him.’ But it (didn’f U)«ke no diffnnee, the little creeter kep’ a t sayin’,./ Poor Tain! Abey gone ter hebben, had good time Pinr Tain..’ Wecouldei’ make lij) out min’s what that boy, ’d be when he grew upi ■ Sometimes We’d make out he’d be a bookmaker, ’cahse he was so set on books. He’d take the Pilgrim’s Progress an’ turn ft over an” over jest as if he could make it all out,; ah’he’d pick orit Robinson Crusoe outer the hull pile o’ books, jest by the blue kiver. An’ ag'in ,we’d conceit he’d be a picter-pkihter, for he’d spen’ hours a drawin’with a piece o'chalk. An’he’d make .sech cutp little housens outer [blocks ah’ Spools, and then his pa would maveithe was goin l >‘to be builder; an’ when he’d sail ships jaoun’, in the washtub, then there was , no|hlp’ for ’t but he mus’be a sailor, Cap'n’or sech. looked scrawnv an' bleached Uke, an’ wouldn’t run aroun' An’ play, nor do anythin’but set stilj 1 . An’ he was alters a him op h* B trundle-bed, or set him in his stuffed Chair, it didn’t iyflke.no diffunce, he kep’ on sayin’, * I’m tired, ma; I’m tirpd, na.’ '< . u/ - V I’d a gin everythin’ in this livin’ world if I could atfoun’ ,ary way to rest that baby. Soinetiines I'd fix him so nice in iny arms, with his chrly hehd a layin’ on my shpl’er ap’. my face down on his’ri, an* I’d say, ‘Oh, Abey, ye ain’t tirtd now ? ’ Ye air eumfUtrible now a layin’] in mats arins U 4 Bmil h up ter me, an’ put up his han’ an’ stroke my but he’d bay, ‘ Lickle tired, mh; ' “Seemed’s if his pa coulden’ a bear it, he was that ofireconeiled 5 . ‘ God ahnighty rixight fin’ sum way o' restin’ sech A littlemite of a cosset as Abey,’ says he. ‘Yq mus* keep a askin’ Him; pit, 1 many’s the time I’ve heard him git up in the night an’ whop down on his knees an’ ( say,neryin’an’ crying ‘Oli, God, little Abey hain't got po rest yit; do jest stop nis bein’ tired somehow,’ , “ Brit he gbt tireder &i’ tireder, an’ kep’ a dwindlin’ aa’ pinin’, an’ at las’ there iCum a day when he gin up an’ was jest clear beat out. He got outer his trundlebed, an’ he.dried to walk; but her went scalin’ one side an’ tether, an’.most turn bled down, an’ I ketched him up an’ laid Mhn on the bed, an’ called his ph. An* ffierewe set aa’ to’ Leered Him say over an* agin: ’l’m so tired, pa;»tired, m»,’ till! ouf hearts was fmoit a buntin’., Jhe ; doctex he.eum an’ gin; him sfltliin, ana shook his head an’ went •way‘,i an’ Ote a iook®* st him, gn; tha Nis tor;Hd, an’ fannln’ him, an’ trym’ to .smile back again whetiffie looked tip sosweCf; jpam a shiny light alioVpr it,Ad says right out as clear an’ sweet qs, a bobbylink, says he: ‘Ah!’t’tiWcf;Pia; a irfntired, pa,’ au’;tli«J,he hid l;i« httie-yhito chhek down on his mite Of a han’, an’ he shut,. !WIS long eyeWifikert dowtt averAis blue •J^ :! not t/uit a why. I didn't inean for ye td rest him tWa wjw.’ Au’ I got rigpt down by him, Bir’ e nayva 4 sobbin’ an* cryin’, says I: ‘Jes, jiesdid/pa; ye didh*? know it, but ye meant it afl the ’Twaa the on’y way;'* says' I," ‘ an* God knew ’twas J Ats little AJtoy wate’t tiftat no more, an* Sjuji’’ it ertire tet<s the aged ‘’AlieH; wflife’ttaCte S'etii gave, a clu)king and etartihg Journal>,[)!/; ) vnld> ou> >