The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-11-07
Keziah's Lesson.


q thud, then folded her arms and looked
over at John.
"Aud that's the last thing / ever do in
this housed" she said determinedly,
bright spot coming into either cheek, that
lighted with dangerous fash the keen
black eyes. 81 might slave and drudge
myself to death, and all the thanks I'd
get for it would be, that it's all my fault
that the moneys gone, that y
al never said so, Kzzy," said the big
man sitting by the little well-worn table,
looking over book of accounts. And
there was a distressed look around the
lines of his mouth, under the heavy
beard. You know l hate to see you
working So"
"And if I haven't borne with your
mother and Sarah's hatefnl ways as long
as any one in all conscience could" cried
the little woman, sharply, who, tired out
with long, unsatisfactory days work,
seemed wholly unable to keep still, "why,
all I've got to say is, that any man who'd
sit by and see me do it, day after day,
isn't half a man." She brought out the
last words with defiant snap, and then,
although the color in her cheek changed
to an ashy paleness as she realized what
she had said, turned away with little
contemptuous fling to the bright brown
head.
"Keziah ~ the mans tones struck upon
her ear with such terrible significance
that it seemed for a moment to bring
warning of danger. But, too exasperated
to heed, and goaded by the fact that she
had complained, she plunged recklessly
on, and said, with great distinctiveness
and bitter little laugh, the very worst
thing that could possibly have entered
her head.
"Aud if I'd only known what was to
suffer -
"Do you mean before you became my
wife asked her husband, quietly.
eyes, do" she answered quickly, and
then, seeing him so very cool and self.
possessed, she added, thinking to punish
him: "Then l was happy, and didn't
know it."
"That will do, Keziah." John rose up
from the table and came over to her side.
His tall figure looked taller than ever, as
he looked down into her face, her big
husband whom she had always looked up
to with so much veneration and love, her
John-oh, what was going to happen
Half wild with fear and remorse, for her
life Keziah couldn't have spoken had
there been a chance for word.
This has gone on long enough, Ke-
ziah," he was saying. The lines around
the mouth had changed now, tense and
firmly folded under the beard. His wife
gazing in utter establishment to see an
expression that in all their married ex.
perience she had never witnessed before,
met the blue eyes that were looking stead.
lily into her. Her head dropped, as, un.
able to bear the terrible pang that some
how struck her heart at the sight, she
involuntarily gave little cry.
"And the time has come" the voice
above her was saying-that cold, infex-
ible voice that seemed as if it would &c
right on though death itself stood in the
way You shall never be troubled more
Keziah. 1t shall be as you wish"
refused to do her bidding; and her limbs
smote together, so that she almost fell tc
the ground, but she clasped her hands
tight, determined not to faint. The first
thing she knew, she was put into the big
rocking.chair and the voice, as if from
some far-away region, was still sounding
in her ears.
Mother and Sarah shall go to the church
home, and p
"John - With all the strength sht
could summon to her aid Keziah sprane
to her feet and lifted her white face i'm
ploringly to her husbands. sit would xii
them. Oil don't speak of it |"
"But it is killing you !" he said quietly
"Yes, they must CO."
"Oh what have l said How coult
II How could | p she cried, wringins
her hands helplessly, while the look o.
terror deepened in his eyes. "Yor
never'n look anybody in the face again
If they go on the church. Oh, dom
drive them away from home," she i'm
plored. She lopged to throw herself into
his arms, to even touch his hand, but tn,
fixed, terrible look in his face made hin
seem as if removed from her by an i'm
measurable distance.
He gave little vince at that. But h,
still said, and this time in tone tina
showed an unslterable purpose The,
must 60, Keziah and you Ibis voic'
trembled little, but he went ON immedi
ately-"you are free; for l shall 60 TO
Harrison on that two years job"
hfLldu balm dOWn Ill VIC DiS Shoii, au'
covered her face with her hands. Pv
brought it all on myself she moaned lik
stricken animal, over and over again
the voiceless words formed themselves il
her mind. The rain beat upon the win
dows without, with each pattering fal
seeming to keep time with the heavy LOAF
OF misery at her heart, as she sat there
unconscious of time or of anything els
than that black and forbidding clout
had settled forever over her life. Her hus
band opened his lips to speak once thel
like man who thought better of it, h
shut them decidedly again, and looked a
her. II she had glanced, up, then, al
would have been well for there could b.
no mistaking the fl ash of yearning ten
derness that spread with lightning-lik
rapidity over the mans whole face; bu
with powerful effort at control, the lool
as speedily disappeared, and he turne'
away and went quietly out of the door.
"If the baby had only lived" though
poor Keziah, rocking herself back an,
forth in fearless agony@the little bah
who had lain upon her breast those feS
short weeks, and then gone to leave tn
home childless-" this would never hsv
happened. John must have loved me-.
The rain battered on and on, with ever
drop seeming TO say "No hope, no hope.
At last, unable to bear it longer. alb