The Penn's Grove record., 1883-12-01
PARKWAY MELODY.

The c~iethes-line was wound secured!
around tie trunks of four gnarled
crooked Old apple-tTess which STOOD
promiscUDusly about the yard back o
the cC1age. 1t was tres-Dlossominl
time, but these were too aged and sap
less to blossom freely, and there wa!
only a white bough here and there shak
ing itself triumphantly from amongsr
the rest (which had only their new greer
leaves. There was a branch occasion
ally which had not even these, buf
pierced the tender green and the tiossy
white in hard gray ~nakedness. All owe
the yard the grass was young and greer
and short, and had not yet gotten any
feathery heads. Once in a while there
was a dandelion set closely down
amongst it.
The cottage was low, of a dark rec
color, with white facings around the
windows, which had no blinds, only
green paper curtains.
The back door was in the center OF
the house, and opened directly int
the green yard, with hardly a pre-
tense of a step, only a fiat oval stone
before it.
Through this door, stepping cautions
ly OH the stone, came presently two tall
lank women in ch0cOlate-colored calico
gowns, with a basket of clothes be-
tween them. They set the basket UNI
derneath the line on the grass, with a
little clothes-pln bag beside it,and then
proceeded methodically to hang out the
clothes. Everything of a kind went to-
gether, and the best things OF the out
side line, which could be seen from the
street in front of the cottage.
The two women we're curi0usly alike.
They were about the same height. and
moved in the same way. Even theiI
faces were so similar in feature and eX-
preston that it might have been a diff
ticult matter to distinguish between
them. All the difference, and that
would have been scarcely apparent to
all ordinary observer, was a difference
eff degree, if it might be SO expressed.
In one face the features were both bold.
er and sharper in outline, the eyes were
a trifle larger and brighter, and the
whole expression more animated and
decided than in the other.
One wOman'S scanty drab hair was a
shade darker than the others, and the
negative fairness of complexion, which
generally accompanies drab haIr, was
i'll one relieved by a slight tinge of warm
red on the cheeks. sI&8
This slightly intensified woman had
been commonly considered the more at
tractIye OF the two, although iii reality
there was very little to choose between
the personal appearance of these twin
sisters, Priscilla and Mary Brown. They
moved about the clothes-line, pinnine
the sweet white linen on securely, theiI
thick white st%ockinged ankles showing
beneath their limp calicoes as they
stepped, and their large feet in cloth
. slippers hattening down the short green
grass. Their sleeves were rolled up,
displaying their long, thin muscular
arms, which were sharply pointed at
tie elbows.
They were homely women; they were
fifty and over now, but they never
could have been pretty in their teens,
their features were too irredeemably
irregular for that. No youthful fresh.
ness Of complexion of expression could
ever have possibly dcne away with the
impression that they gave, 1heh
plalnness had probably only been en-
HANGED by the contrast, and these wo-
men to people generally seemed better
looking tiIan when they were young,
There was an honesty and patience IL
both faces that showed all the palmer
for their homeliness. 20
One, the sister with the darker hair,
moved a little quicker than the other,
aud lifted the wet clothes from the
baskets to the line more frequently
She wa the first to speak, too, aftel
they had been hanging out the clothes
for some little time in silence. She
stopped as she did SO, with wet pillow.
case III her hand, and looked up reflect.
lively at the towering apple boughs over.
head, and the blue sky showing be-
tween, While the sweet spring wind
ruffied her Scanty hair "a little.
Il wonder, Mary" said she, elf il
would seem so very queer to die a
mornin' like this, say. Don't you be.
Geye there's apple branches a-hangin'
over them walls made out of precious
stones, like these, only there amt any
dead limbs among 'em, an they're all
covered thick with tloWersp An ]
wonder ii it would seem such an awful
change to go from this air into the all
OF the New Jerusalem" just then a
Robin hidden somewhere in the trees
began to sing. II s'pose,n she went
o., THAT there's angels instead OF
robins, though, and they don't roosr uI
III trees TO sing, but stand on the
ground, with lilies growin' round theil
feet, may be, up to their knees, or OH
the gold stones In the street, am play
on their harps to go with the singin'.'
The other sister gave a scared, awed
look at her. "LOr, don't talk thai
way, sister," said she. "What has
got into you lately? You make mt
crawl all over, talkin' so much about
dyin'. You feel well, don't your
"Lor, yes replied tie other, laugh.
ing, and picking up a clothes-pln tol
her pillow case; Il feel well enough.
an / don't know what has got me t.
talkin' 50 much about dyin' lately, OF
thinkin' about it. l guess it. the spring
weather. P'r'aps flowers grown
make anybody think OF wings sproutin
kinder materially. / won't talk so much
about it If it bothers you, am | don't
know but it's sorter material it should
Did you get the potatoes before
We came out, sister?"-with an awK.
ward and kindly enort to change the
subject.
No" replied the other, STOPPING
over the clothes-basket There was
such a film OF tears in her duh blu,
eyes that she could not distinguish one
article from another.
We'll, | guess you had better go il
an get 'em, then; they amt worth any
thing, this time of year, unless they
soak awhile, an I'll finish hangin' ouI
the clothes while you do it,"
well, p'r'aps I'd better the Other
woman replied, Strengthening herself VI
from the clothes-basket. Then sht
went into the house without another
word; but down in the deep cellar, 1
minute later, she sobbed over the pota
10 barrel as if her heart would break
Her sisters remarks had filed her Will
vague apprehension and grief which
he. could not throw oil. And there
MO- gApaathf.,v N 1tfNla .-,1,n.t. .- =.