Democratic messenger., 1881-10-29

tumulUuOuS manifestation. she lay
back in her chair with closed eyes, her
patient face a little more patient, and
slow tears falling one by one.
"When Diantha comes for me, I'll
go back" was all she would say, and
Miss Althea, worn out with her own
vehemence, went unwillingly away.
The winter went by, Miss Althea
waiting upon Lucinda "by inches" as
the neighbors said, as if in this way to
atone for past lack toward Chloe. The
reluctant New England spring came
by the mill, faint green showed here
and there between the lingering drifts.
The road to the town farm, seldom
used, had been almost impossible, but
Hiram at intervals had brought word
that "Miss Chloe was about the same,
fur's he could see, but maybe her own
folks could tell better" The hint
passed without notice till one evening
in early April, when q messenger rode
swiftly up Breakneck, and burst into
the house where the three sat by the
dim lamp, Lucinda keeping up her
monotonous flow of words, the two sis
ters silent.
"She's dyin'," he said. "The doc
tors said she might live till you got
there
"IVho ?"
Miss Althea had risen, and stood now,
fierce and rigid, clutching the fright
ened boy as she spoke.
"Miss Templeton," he said, strug-
Cling away, "Hiram told me to get you
a team"
"Run, then," Miss AIthea screamed.
"The fastest Wallis got. Tell him to
be quick"
Lucinda burst into loud crying.
"Be still, you fool !" rang out Miss
Diantha's voice, with its old sharp COM
mand. ''Pm going on the hoss," and
snatchIng her hood, she ian to the gate,
climbed from the long disused horse
block to the horses back, and with dan
Cling stirrups and Tapping rein she held
her place by sheer will, as the fright
ened animal tore down the hill and
through the village street, still, as speed
slackened, urging him on over the four
miles between her and the chance of
speech. Up hill and down, through
thick wood and between low meadows,
the rush of the swollen river drowned
in the clatter of hoofs, and at last the
faint twinkling lights of the farm. The
horse stood with dropping head and
streaming fanks as she slid from his
back, and pushing aside the startled and
curious group about the door, went up
the stars, and toward the room to
which Hiram pointed. She passed
swiftly in, the doctor and attendants
were motioned ont by hand SO impera-
tive that none could gainsay it, and
Diantha, boiling the door. turned to
the bed, and after one look at the mo-
tionless form upon it, fell on her knees
and buried her face in the coverlet.
81 thought you'd feel bad, Dianthy," +"
Miss Chloe said, the words coming
family, and as if from some remote dis
tance. ST thought you'd come, an 1
held out an waited. There isn't any
time now, but, Dianthy, you must
promise me one thing. You must go
home and let by-gones be by-gones. I
want you to be good to Althea."
Miss Diantha raised her face, white
and set, as if death had touched her too.
She lifted her hand as she knelt.
''Dop't, Dianthy- don'tw Chloe cried,
trying to rise.
"Before you that I've killed, I swear
it" said Miss Diantha, solemnly. GIVE
held my tongue for spite, an I'll hold
it now for punishment. The last word
I say to ivin' soul I say to you now,
Chloe Templeton."
"Oh, Dianthy, don't" walled Miss
Chloe, falling back on her pillow, end
ing with this last appeal the long en-
treaty of her life. When Miss Althea
entered with the doctor, the elder sister
sat motionless and silent by the bed.
In silence she pointed to Miss Althea
as the one to make the arrangements,
and waited till nothing further remained
to be done. In silence she rode home,
and shut herself into her own room, and
there she remained till the hour for the
funeral services, held in the old church
ON the common.
From every quarter the people flocked
in. No such opportunity had come for
years of seeing all the actors in this vii
lage tragedy, and Miss Diantha faced
them all with composure that made
the more sensitive shiver, and moved
many to fierce anger. The old minister
broke down as he tried to tell the gen.
tleness of the soul that had passed beyond
need of human words, and for an in
slant there was an ominous rustic, as
if then and there Judgment must be had
on those who had laid on it burden
too heavy to be borne.
Miss Diantha stood by the grave until
the last shovelful of earth had been lain
on, then turned and walked home, stop
ping for moment at the village store.
When Miss Althea and Lucinda returned,
her door was shut, and no sound was
heard frora the room until uext morn
ing. But as they made preparations
for tea, Miss Althea saw that the three
teapots and caddies had been removed,
and that an earthen one and tin cad
dy filled with Orange Pekoe stood on the
lower shelf, and knew that by this sign
Miss Diantha had spoken, and re-
nounced her will once for all.
Years followed. Lucinda fingered,
unchanged in look, and clinging more
and more to Miss Althea, who had aged
suddenly when Chloe died, and who
made continued efforts to break Miss
Diantha's silence. But though GER
tain wistfulness seemed ut times to show
itself, she only, when appealed to,
shook her head solemnly, and retreated
to her own room. What secrets the old
walls knew, who can tell E? What sorrow
and late repentance But none knew
till morning came when, alarmed by
the long silence, Miss Althea went in tc
find her with wide-open ewes but power.