The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-04-17
THE TWO SISTERS.
EVA L. Ogden In The Current.I

EVA l. Ogden In The CurrentI
@Joan,p said Grizzle, ahave 20 seen aughi
omy black cat the NORM
@0u, ay. saw the beast an gave him q
kick for his thievin'. He had bit o. my
trips IN his mouth, an was chokin' an
Rlowerin' as though he wad gang clean out
o. his head. Gin catch him at his tricks
again thsre'n no be eneuch O. him left to
max dinner for Aud Sandy's dog
sHoot, boot, Joani Ken 20 no the words
o. Holy Writ: The merciful mon Is mercful
unto his breast, an With what measure ye
mete II sail bc measured to you again'r
"Weel. Grizze, the beast is name o. mine,
an gin any mon catches mo stealin' his
dinner frae him no may serve ms as he
chooses"
There, now. Joan, ye're clean wrang.
The puir beast hae no the sense to ken like q
human. An his nature bein' TO steal, it Is
clear that he maun hae been predestinsd TO
live In that way for the glory o. God Hoo,
then, can ye reconcile IL wi yer ain con-
science TO abuse the puir beastief'
"An' hoo cud hae kicked him for II, gin
had ma been predestined 10 do til Answer
me that, moo Grizzle."
"Hech. sadly fear We were so predestined,
an that II shows ye TO be yet In the gall o
bitterness an the bond O. iniquity, bein'
even as Pharaoh whose heart was hardened
by the Laird
@Gin Pharoh were like ye Grizzle, an
cared mair for a beast than for q human,
twas noa hard matter TO harden his heart"
"The Laird kens weel that puir beastie
Is better nor human, whites. Deed, mis-
doubt me sair that He'll haze some o. them
in glory, for though the Guide Book says
Without are dogs IL says nae word o. cats"
-Hoot, loot, what blasphemy are ye sayin',
Grizzlei fear ye are ane o those unwary
souls 'wrestin' the Scripture 10 their ain de-
struction,' rs Paul says Min ye not the
words o. John; IL any mon shall add any
thing TO this book, God shall add unto him the
plaques In this bookr Haud yer tongue,
Grizzle, an be mair careful hoo 70 speyk o.
the Laird's DEGREES"
ats no blasphemy. Let no mon think o
himself mair highly than he ought to think,
saith the Guide Book; and I hss thought
lang syne, Joan, ye were talkin' too much
upo' yerser. The Laird did M ask you
ABBOTT His DEGREES, an whan gas 20 private
information o. themf
"Gin ye speyk that gait TO me, Grizzle,
I'll never speyk to ye again"
"Sma' loss will 1t be then, Joan, gin ye
spend yer time tellin' me the Laird has pre-
destined me to the Ill place. haze nea wish
TO hear ye talk till 20 can say something
pleasanter to hear nor that"
The fury OF the sisters was now at white
heat. They sat, each with killed skirt, on
her own side Of the fireplace without speak
ing for an hour. Then Joan suddenly rose
and, going 10 her huge work basket that
stood on the east window-ledge, took out
piece Of chalk and string. Coming back,
she measured accurately from the middle Of
the one door the little cottage possessed to
tho middle OF the Fireplace, and drew
chalk line connecting the two. Some articles
Of Grizzlies that were on her side she put
across this line and then sat down and TAX
ing up the big old Bible. began to read
Grizzle watched her a minute, and then,
muttering 10 herself, @Gin she gaes to heaven
she'll fin me there too" took up an old Bible
that lay on her side Of the room and began
TO pore over IL
The cottage had but a single room It !
faced the south, and opposite tho old-fash-
toned divided door was the narrow fireplace.
On each side of the chalk line that now lay
across the red brick floor was bed, chair,
and n little stand The upper half Of the
door was open, and the summer sunshine
and the sweet summer air came In like q
benediction, while the two gray old women
for they were passed so years old-sat like |
inchrnaIons Vi naeo hnd Wratn anu reao
their Bibles.
When the sun began to set, Joan
rose, and bringing out the simple stores |
that were in the cottage, divided them
and the dishes without a word. Then |
she gave Grizzle half the ready money. and
then closing the door, began TO prepare her |
evening meal Grizzle did the same
This was the beginning Of a terrible life. |
And the rest of it was according to this be- /
ginning. For twenty years they lived, |
those two sisters one on each side OF that /
hideous chalk line. Every tender thought /
and loving action In the past that should |
have drawn them together once more was
recalled to add bitterness to that estrange- /
ment IL was sight TO make angels weep /
when the two knelt down. each at her own /
bedside at night, and prayed the Lord
to have mercy on the heather, and
those In foreign lands, to prepare His true
servants for their entrance into glory, end
ing with the awful cry, aCome, Laird Jesus,
come quickly, an taxi Thine ain hame, an
lot Thine enemies who will M repent perish
In the iii place forever. An Thine shall be
the glory. Amenin-or, ut morning, when |
the rosy flush OF the dawn came through |
Joan's window and tinged the gray faded
forms with lovely hue, Ms they knelt by
their separate little stands and said aOur
Fatherp--or to watch them walking on the |
Sabbath day to kirk, and sitting decorously
side by side in the narrow pew, while they
Joined in the psalm-singing or said Amen
with solemn JUNCTION to the prayers, or list
ened 10 the gospel Of peace and forgiveness. A
strange and horrible sight and one never seen
before or since. Yet, holdi Are there no
husbands and wives, no brothers and sisters
and friends who have knelt down with hot
hatred In their hearts and said the 4Our
Father" togetherf Let him that is without
sin among us cast the first stone.
The neighbors everywhere around came
In, OF course, to demonstrate with the
wretched pair, and TO 90 home and gossip
about them, but tho sisters turned deaf
ear TO all remonstrance, and even, when
occasion demanded, scnt stone into the
enemys camp that nightly discounted
them. For 10 more than one Joan made
answer: @Look ut hame an min yer
children that quarrel like cats on simmer
night As for me ! pray daily that Grizzle
may be converted g,n II DO the Laird's win
for wad nm dictate TO Him what be sail do"
And Grixzle. In answer to all entrsates to
leave, said, ana, ma There's room eneuch.
an / maun be here. Gin Joan repents I
maun be at hand to forgie her, though sair
misdoubt her heart has grown as hard as the
without natural affection"
The summers went and came and went |
and came again with late sweet flowers, and
tender breaths Of wind across the hills, and
the sisters watched them, Joan from the
east window, Grizzie from the west. The
winter storms howled around the cottage,
and the snow driftsd high around the win
dows, and the sisters listened a they sat
each on her own side OF the fire, In dreary,
uncompanionable companionship.
And twenty years went by.
II was a wild, wet morning In March.
Mr.. Maclesie the minister, was coming
down the road that lead from the manss into
the village when . woman came running up
10 him
1oh, sir, come quick TO the Gray cottage
The sisters hae had stroke. an they're
bath lynn helpless in their beda Hech, siri
lt's an awsome sight"
4Oh. when did this happeni when did this
happenr
II dinna ken, sir. gasd In the morn, for
there WINS nas rcek fro tho chimney, an
thought It strange, m I found them thsrN
bath stricken In q single night Hech, siri
Puir Grizxle has lost her mind, an liss
talkin' o the cornhelds fifty years syne, an
singin' aud sangs as gin she were Q lass |
again. But Joan does ma speyk"
They hurried 20 the cottage and found Il |
even as Elsie had said. The moment they
entered Joan called the minister. He came
TO her.
xlCs- m. - Il