The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-05-29

home, SAID Mrs FrOsS. HE ought tI
come home. ] think myself he will before
long.
Mrs. Fross was busy puttingea curtain
up against the parlor window She spoke
with her mouth full of tacks Rachel
listened to her eagerly, but her voice was
drawn through her teeth and whistled
ever the tacks. It meant nothing. Ra-
chel made nothing of IL, and went away
Net week therefrom in the middle nf
9 slow, lifeless morning, as Rachel stood
in the kitchen, dreanily coaxing a 81 w
and ifeless brcad-cake into being, her
mo- her came anc called her into the par
Tor in q sudden way bidding hen sit down
and get cool for little while.
I'm not very warm" SAID wondering
Rachel. I'D rather rest NY and-by when
the cake is done" - 4.rar ..~5
"But you'd better rest now" said Mr..
Fross, nervously walking around the room
You'd better rest. The fact is, Mr.. Ora
ven came home last night
Rachel rose I'm petuousIy from the chair,
where she sat by the window, with her
sleeves rolled up, and this sluggish breeze
striking family against her fushed cheeks
and We l-molded arms and disordered.
beautiful hair. She rose impetuously .bnl
sat slowly down again gsJ-I1Egd
He came home with bleeding at the
lung; and you might as we'll know i,
first as last. And I've got to tell your
sObbed Mrs Fross, sitting suddenly down
herself, with her hack to her daughter.
And, Rachei"--still with her back tn
Rache!-"if were you, I'd ratEer know
this minute that the doctor says it may be
quick consume tlon, and it may be thai
there's nothing in this world 10 do; ana
I'd rather my own mother would tell me-"
Rachel, in the sluggish brsze, her barred
arms crossed upon her calico cooking
apron and her falling hair blown about
her face, sat Tor some moments perfectly
still. Her mother did not look at her.
The wind rose little restlessly, and the
bees in the front garden, feasting on the
hearts of the great peoniep, hummed SO
loudly that it seemed as if all the world
could hear them. 1877 e " %A~ s@'
II suppose said Rachel's voice at
length, breaking duly against the rnys-
tering, lawiess sound, "that he is not
ablr-tn come and see me?"
"Oh! any dear, said her mother, che
casnot leave his budi" .,.errr ~
Then l will go to him." answered r.
chel. simply. af@2 Gay ~ h|.tfH IS" "3#'
She rose aud pulled her sleeves down
and took her apron off. asa. 8W
Mrs. Fross put her black hair-cloth chair
against the wall She shut the door; she
shook her grave, gray head. 3-t 3t
my daughter, you are troubled and
not quite yourself, or you would think
1t Is not suitahle; it is not maidenly; you
cannot offer Mr.. Craven your services as
nurse, Rachel"
''He Is to be my hui band!" Rachel cried.
She felt her brain whlrI; al! the world
grew dark; in her m theirs panied uneven,
but unrelentipg voice, all the world-her
world. the grave. good, calm, virtuous
w'rld-spoke out to her. Clear through
the cumming of the crazy, blessed bees
among the peonies, the good people whom
she Knew, Mr.. Graven's stately friends,
tao blurred vision OF the seminary az
Princeton, its awful self and worse, all!
worse than that, Azraels weak, fine voice,
cutting the two words out and WELDING
them around her: mot maidenly." l.
seemed To Rachel Fross. that chains could
not have held her from her lover: but
those two words fettered her fast to the
great brown rose in the parlor carpet
which sprSwled beneath her feet. She
looked down at it with sud len hate for
the I'll false thing. Roses could not
grow that color. They never had; they
never wouId
Her thought followed this fancy in con.
fused way She could not think about
Azrael tor moment; she could not un-
derstAnd; the idea slipped away from her.
WHAT did it mean?
She wondered how long her mother
had been talking, when at last these
words attracted her attention:
And since he is not your husband,
Rachel, ahd since it is not becoming
young lady to think of that, do not see
nay Gear, what can be done. II the Lord
should will"
Rachel started and recoiled. She could
not talk alb ut the Lords will just then.
OF cOuse, it was right, md great, and good:
but she could not talk about 1t then.
She walked drearily and dizzily away;
and. not knowing what else to do. went
btck and finished her bread. cake bv her
self. She noticed that she could not hear
the bees among the peonies at the kitchen
window. 0.. .t.g a s.#
Her mother had spoken the truth. Ra.
chel realized this keenly enough as weeks
dragged on. 1t would not have been
''maldenly" No one In Sout hampton
would have thought it 80. NJ. ,Grayen
would not think so.
\ At times a querulous hatred of the
worm sprang up in Rachel's heart IF
one were unmaidenly, would the earth
spin on her axis still? What would it be
like? Would it make so much difference
after Azrael was deadg
For Azrael must die. Rachel never
Questioned that. The jets Of hope that
flashed about her when people brought