The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-11-20

poor stroRg old soul, wearied out, had
fallen asleep.
The stage-driver in the morning
found her seated there, erect and pert
as ever, waiting for him. He eyed her
| curlously; she was a stranger to him;
but he had not a suspicion that she had
| stayed in the station all night. He
thought she had been brought early that
morning from one of the neighboring
farms to take the stage.
Marin Lawson got home about noon
She went into her own house defiantly
She almost felt as if she had no right
there. The neighbors, who saw her
come, came running in, wild with curios-
| ity. All she would say was that she had
made up her mind not to go any further
when she had got to Cold Brook. and
she posed she had a perfect right to-
She could not help owning that she had
| stayed all night there-they knew
when the stages ran. She met their
CONSERVATION on this point with the
same severe self-possessiOn, however.
| 1t was a strong proof of Marin Law
son S obstinate force of character that
| she went erectly through this without
the slightest abatement Of her dignity or
self-confidence.
She did not falter at all even when her
son Charles came few days later He
was more severe with her for her folly
and imprudence than he had ever been
in his life. If she cared more for that
damp, musty old place than she did for
Levina or himself, or her own life, she
had better say so, and done with it.
She eyed him with stern indignation
ffharla- - Oil ha Il L.
got all her faculties net, an she knows
what's best for her leetle better'n YOU
kin tell her. 'Tain't for you to die
tate, yet awhile -
Still, in spite of her defiance, she was
wretched after her son had gone away
Even the meadow of white violets and
the brakes could not console her. She
hungered pitifully after Levina. Still,
she could not make up her mind to
leave home to go to her. She COM
planned bitterly because they would not
let her granddaughter come back; she
''knOwed" it wouldn't hurt her, she
said. 1t wa any damper here than
anywhere else; she hadn't seen a speck
of mold on her bread all summer.
Without any doubt her constant strug-
gle with herself wore on her. Being
away from what she loved was the very
bitterness of death to this strong
affectiOned old woman; and when the
being away was voluntary, and some
thing she had to blame herself for, il
was bitterness on bitterness.
Toward the last of August she was
taken ill-quite alarmingly so - and
they sent for her son. He came, and
brought Levina, who would not be left
behind.
When the coach stopped, Marin Law
son, who was perfectly conscious all the
while, heard it. Then she heard Levina's
voice. ''Who's that?" she said, with
startled look, to Mrs. Cartwright. who
was taking care of her. "'Tain't
LevinyPn
In another minute Levina was in the
room.
''Oh, dear grandma
Her grandmother gave one hungry
look at her; then she turned her face on
the pillow. "Now, Levina Lawson, YOU
amt gOin' to stay in this damp house
one minute, an git to coughin' agin.
You kin go right over to Mis- Cart
wright's, on the hill, an stay tonight,
an tomorrow mOrnin' you take the
stage an go home. l won't hev you
here. You've jest got leetle better
Go right away! LeYina Lawson, why
don you 771ind?'
Her grandmother sat straight up in
bed with CHASTITY expression of anger.
The poor little girl ran out of the room
then, sObbing. She staid in the house,
but they had to hide her being there
from her grandmother. All that night |
and the next day she kept listening sus-
piciOusly.
Charles" she would say, ''you
wouldn't keep Leviny here when you
know it's as much as her life's worth, [ |
know; but keep thinkin hear her.
Toward night she grew worse; indeed, |
she died about one in the morning. A |
little before, she stretched out a with |
cred hand and beckoned her son up to |
her
Charles" whispered she, huskily, |
Il want-tO tell you-somethin'. I've |
made up my mind tO-seli the place, an |
go to live with you an Leviny-onIy |
I want you to go out in the mornin'
an dig up a root of white vi lets an
some brakes, So kin take 'em with
me. Mary E. Wilkins, IN Harper's
BGzar.