"Who would think a man could change that way in ten years!" exclaimed Mrs. Purblind; "would you believe it possible?"
"Not unless he had known many disappointments, and borne loads and cares beyond his years."
"I have never thought of that," she murmured, "I believe poor Joe has been disappointed too."
"He certainly has."
"It's too bad, and there's no help for it now," she added with a sob.
"Don't say that," I urged, laying my hand on hers again; "you close the gate of heaven when you say 'no hope.' There is always hope as long as there is a spark of life--any physician will tell you that. If you can be patient--be strong to bear, and wait--if you can make home bright, and not care, or not seem to care if he slights it and you, for weeks--months, maybe years--it takes so much longer to undo, than to do--there is every hope. He couldn't do this, but a woman--a real woman, is strong enough, with God on her side."
The dullness left her face, and an unselfish light dawned in its place. As she rose to go, she leaned over the other figure, and he looked up at her, with something of the old-time love.
I replenished the fire after they had gone--they went out together--and as I sat there thinking of it all, I heard a sudden rushing sound in the street.
I ran to the door, just in time to see a farm wagon, drawn by two strong horses, go pell-mell past my house, and overturn, as the frightened animals dashed around the corner. The neighborhood was agog in a moment, and I joined the rest in trying to help the occupants of the broken vehicle. We brought them into the house--the man and woman and a little child.
As soon as they were in the light, I knew them; they were some of my people--a German family, by the name of Abraham, who lived on a little farm just outside our suburb. They had been to me typical representatives of a stupid class, who have all the hardships of life, and none of its soft lights and shades. They were the kind that plant their pig-sty on the lake side of their house--put the pig-sty betwixt them and every other beauty, it seemed to me. What can life hold for such people? They know nothing of love, or any other joy. Merely an animal existence is theirs.
We fetched a doctor as speedily as possible--the parents were merely bruised, but the little child was badly hurt. At first we feared she was dying, and it was a relief to be told that she would probably live.