The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-10-25

words, of tender looks; they were not 70,
such a. her.
"It's early, yet, SAM" smothering 9
sigh.
NNo, think not Will You look at the
clock, Mattyi My watch is stopped"
She went into the back chamber to look
at the clock behind the door, taking can
die with her.
at is FIVE minutes to eight. Father set
ours by the town clock fKis evening".
She did not knowstha life and death be-
fore long should hang on that trivial an
swer.
Goodbye them" he said; "I'm late.
The IN Getting begins at eight. I'll go through
Iord's Lane, though, and make a near cut.
Good-bye.n
He held her hand moment, then went
out, touching his cap again at the door.
Sam had some old fashioned courtesies that
made Martha smile. He never had kissed
her but twice, and then turned pale, and
looked grave as a woman might. She Won
dered if it was because he cared SO little, or
SO much.
81. Going 80 the windoy, Martha looked out
-again idly The nigb had clouded ever
wintry gusts ratified the1windows, and waved
the bare poplar across the street like gigan-
tic black plumes. The street was deserted |;
the political meeting at the othar side of the
town had drawn in all struggling passen-
gers only Sans heavy clog-nailed shoes
rang on the pavement, as he passed down
under the Pickering street lamps, and turn
ed at last into an oblique alley.
He said he would take that short cut"
she murmured to herself, watching him out
of sight for want of something better to do.
= She stood there just five minutes, for the
clock struck eight, and timed her, when
another lighter step went down the street.
It is Robert Fullmer;" peering out.
I" He is>going to speak to- night )" watching
him, too, turn down Ford's Lane. He'll
be late. I wonder what it is Sam has
against him." she said, as she turned from
the window, and poking up the fire into
cheerful blaze, took out her sewing.
The girl was nervous--bOdy and mind
were strained and irritable long after her
usual bed hour had passed, therefore, she
remained In the family room, pacing rest
lessly up and down, her sewing strewed ON
the floor. 1t was some muslin she was
making up for her wedding it tired her
it was part of the dull outlook into the
future. Had this new year, laden with life
and death to myriads, nothing for her but
the old stagnation Z
The night had grown colder and more
stormy with every hour; blasts OF hail
struck sharply against the windows, and
silence more fiercely, she faneied, than ever
before. 1t might have been the tension of
her own Drain, but there was a strange
wailing in its sound-meaning in its alb
rupt pause-as though the whole night
waited for some untold sorrow. Even the
dull thud of some belated passengers step
On the frozen snow without had an ominous
sound, as though he were the messenger of
evil tidings.
81 am as hysteric as any fine lady," she
said, arresting herself as she turned toward
the window and lighted night lamp "It
would be more to the purpose to consider
what is for breakfast tomorrow, than to
abandon myself to these silly fancies."
She stopped, however, before leaving the |
room, hearing sudden u0ise without |
They were bringing in prisoner through /
the hall outside, the same front door being |
used as an entrance to the Jail and dwelling |
house. AS much as possible, Martha avoid
ed all contact with prisoners, however. 1t
was the only means she had of preserving |
any refinement, she thought. This was. u |
woman they were bringing in now she |
heard Phil Hoy, the Constable, say SO when |
Ier father went to unbolt the door and the |
woman had been arrested for nothing more |
han vagrancy,she knew, for they were put
ing her into one of the more decent cells |
used formerly as the debtor prison. Almost |
Ill the women brought in made some out
Try, but this one was perfectly silent the
Inly noises heard were the shutting of the
mems feet on the hempen carpet, and their
voices in an anxious whisper.
What is it 7" she said to herself, hold
ng the doOr-la latch in her hand, impatiently.
Sheis tipsy, perhaps, and heavy to lift"