THE WELL BEFORE THE DOOR

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 24, 18 June 1908, Page 37

THE WELL BEFORE THE DOOR

th PV «f C ,- s^ n - WC i^ the wdl ? ' the y asked as tv 7 £ a new home> one bl 'fe ht da y iong ago. They had come to spend their honeymoon, and the long years following, under their own rooftree After much discussion, they decided to dig it in front of the house, where it would be available both for their own use and for that of people passing by on the long road. Life was so. full of joy for them they wer-e eager to share it with others/ and the place was so isolated it proved a satisfaction to have carnages stop before the door and exchange a greeting as the horses drank. There were some disadvantages, for the home became semi-public; and there were times when the bride would have been glad to wash her dishes without fear of .intrusion. But the well and the always possible visit encouraged tidiness within, and, all in all, the visits were welcome. The years went by, and the home filled with children, and then grew nearly empty again as the youne people went forth into life. And at length the husband died, leaving the widow, with one of her married sons, in the old home. The son came back from some years of experience in the world, and saw the well through other eyes than those of his childhood. 'Mother,' said he, ' I want to change the line of the front fence and enclose the well. What's the use of all this bother? People just take it for granted and don t appreciate it, and the thing has grown to be a nuisance.' It was not wholly ill-humor on the part of the young man. Sawmills had come into the woods and heavy wagons bearing loads of logs and lumber cut not only the road and the little semi-circular drive, but the little crescent of green sod between the well and the road. Teamsters were careless in the use of the water, and left deep mud-puddles behind them. Flies gathered about the resting oxen, and sometimes left them and sought the porch and house. Drivers were not always careful of their language, and their rough talk, plainly audible within, was often most annoying. Few even of those who drove by in carriages asked permission or said Thank you.' The well had been there so lone the public had accepted it •as its own,, and ceased to malic acknowledgment. The son, and his wife as well looked upon these things as intolerable ; and so X one d,ay the posts were drawn and the fence was begun Then came a line of log-laden wagons, and halted in the road, and the drivers were -dismayed to find a post set in the middle of the driveway and other post holes digging. They drove on, the panting oxen wondering as they pulled their heavy loads up the lull without their accustomed refreshment. The son watched them out of sight, and then walked to the well for a drink. Behind the vines on the porch he heard a sob, and went to see the meaning of it. The hprne is yours, my boy,' said the mother, 'and ij mv „ not make y° u and Ella uncomfortable with my old-fashioned notions.. But your father and I had the well dug there because we wanted to -share our blessings with, others ; and. in these recent years it has been almost the only blessing I had to share. I could not go to church ; I had little money to give ; there -was no one I could help in -any other way. So I sat here among the vines and watched the people as they- drank

»X ■&?%£ oSSS w "'' ™ "» friends than she had known.-' Youth's Companfan.'