Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-09-27
Gales allo Sketfbfs.
WHERE SUE WAS.
Br ROSE TERRY COOKE.
CONTINUED from Yesterday

was beside 'Phrony's less delicate and
more blooming beauty.
So he stepped into The sleigh and drove
Oh, thinking how he would make friends
with Sally, and how that dImple would
come and go..and her lovely eyes brighten
when she saw the pink tie.
The road seemed very long. for he
knew he had left home IN a passion, and
now he was sorry. He got there at last.
Just before sun-down, and driving into the
barn, was received with a chorus from
COW and pig.
..Jerus lem" he exclaimed. II never
fed them critters this morning, did lose
my head, that's fact. Well. I've got TO
tend to 'em now. Wonder Sally didn't.
Mabbe, though, she didn't come over. or
II she did she fetched the eggs and didn't
look at nothing else"
Very speedily he fed the hungry beasts.
and put out his horse, resolving to go in
TO supper and finish his teamwork after
wards. for he was hungry.
There was no light in the house, which
looked rather cherries: but then Sally
was frugal, sat far into the twilight with
out a lamp. so he went on and opened the
kitchen door.
A cold chill struck him the place was
empty, still. fireless; rat ran across the
floor as he stepped in.
Nobody was there.
The low light of the setting sun struck
across the snow fields with wan glitter
into the bare room the fire was out the
stove cold Behind the door into the shed
hung Sally's hood and shawl. and her
mittens were on the shelf Sally must be
in the bedroom, sick. no doubt.
With an anxious heart VIII opened the
door into 1t. Nobody was there the room
was in its usual cherries order; the bed
white and smooth as the outer drifts the
white-curtained windows shutting out
even that wintry sunshine.
Probably Sally had put on her Sunday
cloak and bonnet, the same darkred vel
vet turban and jaunty, jet-trimmed sack
she had looked so well in when they were
married. Almost as if he were afraid of
seeing ghost, VIII opened the closet
door to see. There the things hung
against the wall. straight and smooth,
sack and shawl too, and the toque was on
the shelf above.
Then he opened the tiny parlOr, with
awful misgivings. The andirons shone in
the open fireplace; the wax iuit was I'M
der its glass shade, between the glass
candle-sticks on the shelf; and the big
Bible. the photograph album. the copy OF
..Tupper's Proverbial Philos, phy"-all
wedding presents-occupied the small
round table in the middle of the room,
and took a CHASTITY tint from the green pa
per shades and the wan light of dying
day.
Everything was as prim, as dull. and
rs musty as ever. Sally was not there.
There was but one room up stairs, and
either side of it q dark attic; he lit his
lantern and searched there, but found
nothing
Then he took Decline for the nearest
neighbours house, but though the family
were full of pity and astonishment and
suggestion. he did not find his wife,
"Hev ye SEARCHED the barn ?" querled
old Grand-sir Phelps from the chimney
corner.
Will had not though of that: so Royal
Phelps went back with him and peered
into every nook and corner of the bin,
NOW, harness-shed and cellar.
They found the eggs she had left in the
hay, but they did not find Sally. Then
the two men went over TO the house again
peered shudderingly down into the well.
and weighing the bucket with heavy
stones and lengthcning the rope, let it
down till they heard the wood
strike hard against the rocky bottom from
whence bubbled up that living spring
Nobody was there.
.Nou haint tramped around the lots any
hev you ?" inquired Royal Phelps.
Nowhere only tow'rds your house"
answered Will.
"Well. then, when mornin' comes we
kin track her; for It showed about an hour
here after breakfast. and there haint been
no passin' onto the road since. for I've
been n shoppin' long side ont the hull
day and took a bite along SOS not to
stop; ! was boun' TO finish up 10. day"
But would that morning ever come? II
seemed not to viii; he walked the house
while Royal snored in the rocker. and re-
called with despair and distress how he
and Sally had parted in the morning in
anger; parted now. it seemed, for the
last time.
He had not much Imagination. but he
had enough to conjecture dreadful things
about his wife's fate. All alone there in
the farmhouse what might have hap
pened3 Or more probably. had she not
fed from him forever. afraid of his tenn
per and his tongue He blessed the
shower of snow that had fallen in his alb
sence and must tell the story of her flight
and he made few but very earnest reso-
buttons rs to his future conduct tow ards
her-it. indeed. any future found them
once more together.
But morning came. and on no field or
road, not even on the railway track in
either direction. was there Footprint ex.
cept those of Wills old horse and the two
men.
Sally's light feet had not traversed that
yielding surface; nobody had been there.
Then Will broke down: without food
or sleep, oppressed by the awful mystery
of his loss, as well AS by the loss itself. he
grew hall crazy. sobbed, raved and tramp
ed the house, till Royal Phelps Mt last
went over to fetch his wife, with the sage
remark
"He's past my handlin guess women
folks d know better how 10 fetch him TO
now.
So Mrs. Phelps came over. made some
hot coffee and persuaded him to drink it.
set things to rights little, and prepared
to get dinner; but Will still lay on his
face IN the bedroom. as wreiched and
hopeless rs man could be.
Suddenly horses hoofs beat on the