Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-06-09
for he could not be sure that he realI,

sild, with long breath that did MOI
sound like content. Then he tried tC
say, r.Willie, :" in her tones, and, as 4
look of impatient disgust marked hi;
consciousness of failure, he put ON hi:
cap and went out.
The haunting voice became a presence
all too soon. As VIII came home she
met him in the passage; little, swift
!gliding figure, with soft dark eyes set i'm
a pale, fair face. "Not bit like mother, y
he thought, with curious feeling OF
satisfaction; but as she passed, he saw
that her eyes were humid with fear and
grief. ~ i.ssi
"what is the matters'' he asked, in
voluntarily.
willie, cholera, the doctor.' she
answered, rushing by, into the street
that was wet with a stormy rain.
'.Stayi. can go faster, !" c.ied Will,
following her. "You 90 back to your
brother" Sae obeyed at once with the
quick docility of a gentle intelligence: (:
and be thought again Mother would
have talked for an hour Ii
The doctor came soon, but not soon
| enough. Willie was very ill.
! Bravely the little fellow struggled,
but the foe was too strong for him. z Z
''Strange," the doctor muttered nm
patiently: .'the last eases are so often
the worst. | thought it was over for
I this year.
\ week before another lod@er in the
same house, a gluttonous man, had made
himself i'll feasting on mussels, plums
and beer; he recovered, but the poison
thus brought into the house fastened on
the weakest there. The child died.
/ fil.ar.a st-..- ar IN ha
him. All at once, for the first time in
his little life, Willie Notwithstanding /;
not even his sister. She went ABOUT her
necessary work with an oppressive, be-
wildering sense of leisure upon her.
And Will-if the joyous voice alone had
distracted him So, how could he work
now-now that it recalled the meek.
lesolate face of the mouf.Ier; now, that
the cry had changed into such pitiful,
beseeching .Willie! Willier' -l
The day after Willie was buried, it
happened that VIII paid his rent, and
took that opportunity to inquire after
his fellow lodger.
''Poor young thing" said the mOtherly
/ landlady, sit makes my heart ache to
see her, up there in the little room,
where they were so happy, those two.
She says the very walls seem written
with his name, and the things he used
TO touch cry, ''Alice, Alice" just as he
called for her. at the last; il is enough
TO craze her; there isn't an empty room
in the house, or she should have it for a
bit"
'.Ask her to change with me- said
Will, eagerly; ''tell her L should be so
glad, if she would not mind; the light
there would suit me better"
Alice consented doubtfully. sit seems
! like deserting Willie" she SAID; ''and
vet one has no right TO let oneself get
/ ill; tell Mr.. Blake | accept his offer
/ gratefully"
She had grown little stately i'm her
solitary grief, and Will stamIlered over
I his premeditated speech. 'My name is
Willie, too; couldn't you take lie for
your brother:" IN -.
''Oh, no." she answered with direct
4 simplicity, she was so naughty, the
darling; never could hGve him out of
my thoughts for a moment."
Alice herself had this kind of naugh-
tiness for Will, and now living, in her
room, he seemed to be encompassed by
her presence; his tools and work felt
rough and coarse amidst the little dainty
arrangements that marked a woman's
hand.
''If it hadn't been for knowing
mother" he mused, one evening, II
might fall in love, do believe; rs it is,
| know better" ....-.....-.
I So, "knowing better" he shrunk
from an intercourse that might, in some
sharp answer, bring Alice down froIn
her pedestal, on which he still chose to
place he, justifying his bright dreams
to himself by saying, SIT is pleasant to
make believe as the children say"
Alice, meanwhile, had found a cheer.
ing employment in putting Wits room
straight. as she called it. ''Such pity,
poor man, for him TO live i'm such a
middle, and him so clever, too"
She had found some torn drawings in
the Uttered fireplace, and carefully
smOothed them out as treasures over
looked.
Will, coming for a book, found her
thus busy, and said, smiling
''They are of no use-l don't want
them
''They seem wonderful to me-" she
said, looking up frankly. .L .t
"Ah, just as women's work does to
Il put nll lulS
morning, and it is off already"
''Let me sew it; | have needle here"
Will murtered something about "trOu-
bling her" but she answered, Il ought
to do anything | can, you don't know
what good the change of rooms has done
me. suppose it is like rich ladies
going ont of town.
''You have made a grand improve
ment here" said Will, looking around;
the same room, the same furniture; but
what had been a dreary confusion was
now a fair peace.
Il wish you would stay here always"
he added.
Alice was brought to answer, 81 do
not mind, not understanding him: but
something i'm Wills eve made her own
droop, the little fingers trembled over
their work; suddenly, Wills hand
caught them. "Alice, will you stay
here? will you let me love you-be my
wife?''
She shrank away from him. 'I must
not-I must not"
s'why not? tell me darling.' I
"Mother said, when she died, Child,
never marry Father made her so
wretched."
"We are Kindred in trouble, then,
that is all,'' said Will; "mother, some
how, tormented my father so, that re-
solved to live and die alone-let us both
give up our hard purposes-will you,
Alice?" ...E. -r-r. r..s....
Wills tones pleaded better than his
words, they gained him the victory.
From the wreck of the past seemed to
spring bright future, like the flowers
from out of last years dead leaves.
BY and by there was wedding; the
motherly landlady gave Alice away, and
Will took her as the great gift of his
life. -
As they came home from church, he
said. brightly, .'We have both resigned
single blessedness, what shall we have
instead:" t.H Aa
She nestled close to him and answered,
Double blessedness."