The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-10-31

could not fathonn.
Mnry Brown rose and went 10 the
door, and looked eagerly up and down
the street. "There amt no orgnn.man
in sight anywhere" said she, returning,
'an' / can't hear any music, an Miss
Moore cant, m we're both sharp enough
o hcarln'. You're jist imOginin' it,
sister"
81 never imagined anything in my
lifc," returned the other IAN it amt
likely I'm goin' to begin now. It's the
beautiulest music 1t comes from over
the orchard there. Can't you hear il
But II seems to me it's CROWN a little
fainter like now. 1guess it's movin of,
perhaps"
Mary Brown set her lips hard. The
grief and anxiety she had felt lately
turned Suddenly to unreasoning anger
against the catlse Of it; through her very
love she fired with quick wrath at the
beloved object. Still she did not say
much, only, 81 guess it must be moyin
Off" with n laugh which had IN unpleas
ant ring in it.
After the neighbor had gone, however,
she said more, standing before her sister
with her arms folded squarely across her
bosom. "Now, Priscilla Brown" she
exclaimed, 81 think it's about time to
put stop to this. I've heard about
enough of it. What do you s'pose Miss
Moore thought Of you? Next thing it
will be all over town that you're gettin'
spiritual notions. To-day it's music
that nobody else can hear, and ycster-
day you smelled roses, and there aint
one in blossom this time G. year, and all
the time you're talkin' about dyin'. For
my part, | don't see why you amt as
likely to live as ] am. You're uncom-
mon hearty on vittlcs. You ate pretty
good dinner to-day for dyin' person"
II didn't say | was goin' to die" re-
piled Priscilla, meekly; the two sisters
seemed suddenly to have changed ma
lures. can I'll try not to talk so, if it
plaques you. told you ] wouldn't this
mornin', but the music kinder took me
by surprise like, an ! thought maybe
you an Miss Moore could hear it. ! can
iist hear it little bit now, like the dyin'
away Of bell"
"There you go aGin !" cried the other,
sharply. "Do, for mercy's sake; stop,
Priscilla. There amt no music"
"Well, / won't talk any more about
it," she answered, patiently and she
rose and began setting the table for tea,
while Mary sat down and resumed her
sewing, drawing the thread through the
cloth with quick, uneven jerks.
That night the pretty girl ncighbor
was aroused from her sleep by dis
tresscd voice at her bedroom window,
crying, Miss Moore Miss Moore -
She spoke to her husband who opened
the window. whats wmtcd?" he
asked, peering out into the darkness.
Priscilla's SICK" moaned the dis.
trcssed voice; lawful sick. She's tainted,
an cant bring her to. Go for the
doctor-quick quick quick r The
voice ended in shrek on the last word,
and the speaker turned and ran back tc
the cottage, where, on the bed, lay n
pale, gaunt woman, who had not stirred
since she left it, Immovable through
all hcr sisters agony, she lay there, her
features shaping themselves out more
and more from the shadows, the bed,
clothes that covered her limbs taking oil
ali awful rigidity.
"She must have died in her sleep
the doctor said, when he came, "wi,hout
a struggle
When Mary Brown really understood
that her sister was dead, she left her TO
the kindly ministrations of the good
women who are always ready Mt such
times and places, and went and sat b,
the kitchen window in the chair which
her sister had occupied that afternoon
There the women found her when the
last offices had been done for the dead
'Come home with me tonight" one
said; "Miss Green will stay with her, "
with n turn of the head toward the op-
positc room, and mn emphasis on the
pronoun which distinguished it at once
from one applied to a living person.
"No," SAID Mary Brown; "Pm a-goin'
to set here an listen" She had the
window wide open, leaning her head
ont in the chilly night air.
"You see, went on Mary Brown, still
speaking with her head leaning out OF
the window, 81 was cross with her this
afternoon because she talked about
hearin' music. / was cross, an spoke
M sharp to her, because ovedEer, but
don't think she knew. / didn't want
to think she was goin' to die, but she
was. An she heard the music. 1T was
true. An now Tn a.Goin' to set here
an listen till ] hear it too, an then Ill
know she 'ain't laid mp what said agln
me, an that I'm a-goin' to die too"
They found it impossible to reason
with her: there she sat till morning
with n pitling woman beside her, listen
ing all in vain for unearthly melody.
Next day they sent for q widowed
! niece of the sisters, who came at once,
bringing her little boy with her. She
was kindly young woman, and took ~
Der abode in The little cottage, and die
the best she could for her poor aunt
who, it soon became evident, woul'
never be quite herself again. There
she would sit at the kitchen window
and listen day after day. She took
great fancy to her niece's little boy, an'
used often to hold him in her lap as sh
sat there. Once in n while she won''
ask him if he heard any music. "a
innocent little thing like him might hea
quicker than hard upbelievin old VIC
man like me-" she told his mothe
orce.
She lived 30 for nearly a year aite
her sister died. 1t was evident that sll
failed gradually and surely, thong
there was no apparent disease. 1t SCENE
to trouble her exceedingly that sh
never heard the music she had listene
for. She had an idea that she could NJ
die unless she did, and her whole so,
seemed filed with longing to Join he
beloved twin sister, and be assured {
her forgiveness. This sister-love We
all she had ever felt, besides her love {
God, in any strong degree; all the pas
sion of devotion Of which this homel,