Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1883-12-15
He MADE IT CUT.

cut"
81 wish We hadn't writ so hard, John,
said his wife piteously. Twas all the
worse for bein' SO short. You're BROTH
ers and don't never mean 10 believe that
Samuel meant to cheat ye out O that SOU.
"What did he mean, them" snapped
her husband, fiereely, his square, dogged
chin in the air as he combed his whiskers
inward, a favorite action of his when he
felt particularly pugnacious.
Mrs. Macklefresh turned one of the long
stockings she was darning from heel TO
toe and back again before she answered: :
"Didn't mean nothin', husband, she
said softly. "We're all feller morties.
Some Of us is human sometimes. lie
thought he'd pay ye, | expect, when he
borrowed it, Then he couldn't, that 5
ALL"
81 dunno anything about 'couldn'ts'; L
know about didn't" said John Mackle-
fresh doggedly, still combing that per-
verse chin into the air. "ThlS l know,
. he's got the two hundred, and hain't'
and I'll never"
"Don't John, dear" interposcd his
meek little wife.
"well, bein' a deacon and a"
"Christian." suggested his wife, seeing
he skipped that hard word.
81 s'pose 1 can't say won't forgive
him. But they amt no commands be-
tween the leds Of that air book about"
"Twenty- cents TO pay, " said Il small,
business like voice at the door. Mrs.
Macklefresh turned the rough, brown On
yelope oyer fearfully in her hands, trem-
bling az people DO at kilograms. l won
der if the telegraph boys ever get used to
1t.
Don't be bothering, Alice" said her
husband, pushing her aside, 10: urgently,
though his words were rough as usual.
This is what he read when he had torn
a thin outlet at the end Of the envelope;
"Your brother Samuel died this morn
ing. Come at once"
The Western Union Telegraph Com
pany has great deal to answer for-Dut
then so have great many other people.
John Macklefresh did not swoon away on
the doorstep, or throw up his hands with
piercing cry, or any OF these things. lie
mechanically took out quarter from his
loose change pocket, careful even in this
moment to count the pennies given in
change, shut the door, handed the dis
patch to his wife, and walked away to the
window. 1t WAS only his heart tainted.
This, then, had come to the man lie had
said, but moment before, he would never
no, not that; he didn't say that-Alioe
stopped him, you know. Besides, he was
deacon and a-Christisn. Alice had
said so.
But then he couldn't forget. That was
what he was going to say when the door
opened. The Bible don't ask that. Or,
does it when it speaks about God casting
out sins into the depths Of the sea-behind
, ills back-remembering them no more
against US? Forget? What was there to
forget? He had lent his own brother 5000.
Might have given it to him and never
missed it. Under his remOrscless eye his
great folds stretched away, white rs the
soul God had forgiven, but yellow enough
he knew as summer came on, yellow as
the gold they would bring TO his pocket.
These few poor, Pitiful hillsdes of Sam
uel's. Why hadn't he given it to him
right out and saved hard feelings? There
was Johnny (named for him wanting to
20 to college ever since he was out OF pet
ticoats. Suppose lie had given it to him.
Misery-misery Of remembering un-
! kindness when IL is too late Had ii
reached him before he died, or WAS it only
his poor stricken brothers. family that
would read the brief, harsh words?
! He turned TO his wife, who sat holding
the dreadful envelope, sad, but doubling
if she would be wise to speak to him yet.
"Get your things on, will ye:" he said,
i'm a voice that sounded dry and harsh
even to himself. "I'll be round with old
Billy to the front door. Wrap up warm
and take soap-stone. III have the buff
! faloes. It's mortal cold"
She was ready and waiting when he
! brought Billy around. The house could
| take care Of itself She locked it.
They had some sixty miles to ride. In
the course Of it his tongue became some
what loosened, and he told in broken and
I jerky sentences into her sympathetic ear
what little Of the chaotic grief and re-
/ morse he was able to put into words.
"My brother, after all. Used to play
together when We were little. Hum,
! hum"
/ A man grows very tender when lie goes
back to the days when lie was "little."
Bought me q pair OF skates once. when
/ wanted some. Older than me-Samuel
was always a-making me kites and whis-
ties and all sich rattle traps. Never could
seem to get along. Big family? Yes. |
ought to have helped him. Amt a man
livin' could scratch anything but moss oil
them rocks he calls farm. I'll help the
boys-see'fI don't"
| It was long, cold ride. Mrs. Maekle-
fresh wrapped the buffaloes higher till at
last she was quite extinguished in their
folds, and her husband thought on drear-
lily alone.
Almost there. The house is in sight.