Frontier and pioneer life -- Québec (Province) -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Short stories
“Do me good!” she re-echoed, “then it will be for the first time in my
life. That do me good that took away the bread for lack of which my
bairns, noo saints in glory, perished! That do me good that robbed my
husband of his usefulness and good name; that made him fit for only
orra jobs and to be despised as a drunkard! That do me good the love of
which supplanted his love for me, for it was the stronger o’ the twa or
wad he no hae left it alane for my sake? That do me good that filled
his bosom with remorse, which hurt his health, and, last of all, has
taen his life! Oh, that it hasna caused the loss of his soul; that,
in the moment of his passing breath, he found time to seek acceptance
with God for the Redeemer’s sake! Take it away,” she screamed with the
energy of one who shrinks at the sight of a snake, “take it away, and
may the curse of the widow and the orphan rest upon them that make and
sell it--wha tempt decent men to destruction in order that they may
have an easy living.”
Abashed at so unexpected a reception, the man continued to stand
stupidly before her, holding the cup and jar. Seeing his puzzled look,
Mrs Morison, who had recovered her composure, quietly said, “I ken
you mean it kindly, and sae far I thank you, but gin you think o’ it,
you will see that the bottle may be your own worst enemy and they are
safest and happiest who leave it alane. As a favor, freen, I ask you no
to offer it in this house.”
A few minutes afterwards the coffin was borne out of doors, when four
lumberers lifted it on their shoulders, and, leading the straggling
procession, walked to the grave, which had been dug on a knoll close to
the creek, the only spot that could be found convenient sufficiently
free of trees and their roots. When the coffin was lowered, each man
lifted his hat for a moment, there was a pause, and then the grave was
filled in.
With thoughtful kindness those who came had brought some gift of food
to replenish the widow’s larder, and now, while all the rest departed,
the lumbermen remained, until sunset, chopping firewood and putting
the house and its surroundings to rights, so that, before they lay down
to sleep that night, Mrs Morison and Jeanie included in their prayer
thanks to God for having so bountifully provided for them.
LOST IN THE WOODS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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