Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1875-04-15

my mother.
ITO see Lilly" | said.
She looked at me oddly | thought.
Paul she said, "you will be 200
boy and mind mamma, | know. Yo
will not go to-tO Lilly's house to-day ?'
"Why not, mammal asked.
"BecauSo there is no reason why yo,
should not, she said. Il will tell yo,
tomorrow"
but Lily will want me-" | said sane
she will cry. And l want to show he,
my blue top and my red soldiers, anC
the village and the Noah's ark" and
'began to cry myself.
My mother knelt beside me, and put
her arms aoout my waist.
"Iou loved little Lilly very much, my
boy" she said.
I'VE love each other very much
mamma" | said. "And when | am big,
Lilly is to be my wife and I'm to be her
husband"
My mother kissed me.
Poor little fellow" she said. Some.
times | think it is pity there 81 ould be
such thing as affection in world like
this"
"Why, mammal | asked.
Sac did not answer, After awhile she
made me promise that | wou d not 90 to
LiIly'S house, aud bade me run and play
somewhere.
She knew | would not break my word
and | did not but she had not told me not
not to 60 the graveyard, and had faint
hope that Lilly would come there and
meet me, if | went to our accustomed
place. So making circuit, | gained it
by another road, and climbing fence
hurried to the great willow and sat wai>
ting for my little sweetheart. 1t seemed
to ne she was sure to come hut an hourpass-
ed, and still | did not hear her little feet
tripping over the gravel path land walked
towards the gate to look down the road.
On the way passed little pit that had
been evidently newly dug, for spade lay
beside it. Aud as | paused, with child>
ish curiosity, to peep in, the church. bell
began to ring slowly and heavjly-not as
they rang for service. What could it
mean? And there came the clergyman
in lis surplice, and the old clerk. |
knew him, and | had begun a sh,ill ques>
ton when he put his hand upon my head
and said:
Don't talk now, my lad. Just sit
down and listen with reverence. It's no
time for that"
And obeyel, perching myself on
stone and staring at the people coming
through the gato-women all in black
who seemed to be crying, and who, as
they stepped aside, gave me glimpse of
four men who carried something covered
with back-rringed cloth.
1t was 50 solemn that ] began to feel
though | did not know why.
| had heard of death, but in so vague a
way that | had no fixed ideas concerning
it, aud had never seen funeral; but
suddenly it occurred to me that had
been told that people were buried in the
cburch-yard.
They were going to bury some cnp. |
it was the lady in the black vail
who sobbod so. A greet terror seized
me. shut my eyes and sat shaking as
with an ague on the tombstone, and then
| heard the clergyman began to pray
Surely good DR.. Wolvcrton was too kind
to bury any one. | grew more courageous
and dared to look at the group again.
Aud now saw they had laid aside the
black cloth, and there was little box set
on a sort of table-a very pretty box,
with silver nails in it, and with satin
peeping over the edge at one end where
the lid was lifted.
This was nothing dreadful, but why
did those ladies cry? And nom the pray.
er was over, and every one was walking
up to the box and looking in.
One of the ladies whom had never
seen before turned to me. "Poor little
fellowp' she whispered. "You would
like to look at her too, | know" and she
led me on with her. stood beside the
box and peeped in. What was it saw
there? A great, yellow>white wax doll,
with white lips and shut eyes, and with
waxen hands holding white flowers against
its bosom, but with beautiful, long, pale
gold hair, Ike : like-Ths tears began
to pour down M cheeks, partly because
those who we're about me wept, and be,
cause l was vaguely terrified.