Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-09

lying IN SOlUlGfS > grave Ii SChlc
sunny cemetery, where birds came to
sing and mate in the springtime, and
beside which mother often sat.
No one knew her story; that is,
nothing beyond these bare facts in
that sadly familiar tale Of the i'm
poverishment and scattering of fam
lies following in the footsteps of the
war. Every was kind to the
quiet, demure little dressmaker, and
although light hearted girls like Belle
and Helen RunkeI sometimes rallied
her for refusing the effers they were
sure her fair face and an1iable dIspo-
sition must have brought her. Agnes
knew there was no malice IN the
words, only thoughtlesspess, and soon
forgot the sting of them.
On the 3Oth Of May, then, the past
twenty years back was being revived
in her memory with more than usual
distinctness. Outside the unreason-
able wind moaned drearily around the
corner, now and then banging shut
ter and always whirling ahead of it
little clouds of dust. Bat the SUE
shone brightly and the sidewalks
were filed with holiday throngs on
their way to view the procession.
The servants had all been given leave
OF absence, so that Miss Myers was
alone in the house. But, tinid though
she was by nature, she was now
rather inclined to take comfort In the
feeling that there was nobody by to
break in upon her thoughts.
Up and down, up and down, went
her feet on the threadle, and the work
glide& steadily out from under the
needles, and all the while the worker
was silently recalling that last day
with him in the suany south, that
walk home from the neighbor's, that
promise to see him again On the NOR
row-a promise never kept, for Sum-
ter came between.
"Ah! What was that% Miss
Myers gave little scream as she
sprang up from the chair. She bad
quite forgotten the present, and
thought foran instant that she actual
| Iy heard the firing Of the guns that
had separated her from her love. But
it was only the ringing of the tele>
phone call over her head.
II suppose I ought to answer it.
She decided then, and taking down
the ear piece she put her mouth TO the
transmibter and called ''Rello!"
| In spite Il her recent solemn
thoughts, indeed, IN view Of them. Miss
Myers could not forbear smiling as
she spoke the hOnely word; with no
one present Or visible to whom it
could be addressed it seemed like
mockery Of herself. She had only
| used the new invention once Or twice
before, and when presently the sound
of martial music came to her family
but EneasUrably clear through the
| phone she stood listening as If en-
tranced.
''Solne window must be open where
the parade is passing" she reflected.
Perhaps it is at the Haines' and
they want to send message to me- .
At this moment 'Hello" was called
out at the other end of the line. It
was mans voice, aEd remembering
how she had heard the girls respond,
Miss Myers answered again, ''HelIo
who are you2"
Henry Dean. Is that you, Aunt
Jane? I'm down at the depot; start
for Baltimore in ten minutes, and
thought I'd say how do you do and
good by Have found another clue
Pray heaven it may lead to some~
thing. Have you any messages for
the Carrols?"
There was pause, while Miss My
ers stood there at the instrument,
clutching the ear piece as if it had
been a rope that was to save her from
drowning. By q supreme effort of
will she had recovered from the shock
the mention Of that name had given
her, and now her brain was reeling
with doubt, uncertainty and longing
| What ought she to do? Should she
reply and tell who she really was, or
not? 1t was evident that there was
so-nethiug wrong with the wires and
that Mr. Dean imagined himself to be
talking to his aunt. What claim
had the little Miss Myers upon aim
now, after all these years? Very
likely he was happily married and
therefore was 1t not Miss Myers plain
and simple duty to say that she was
not Aunt Jane" and then go back
to her work?
But one sentence respecting a clue
: AO WoS 1O11OWEGS Up hSAtt ACG 1cSt,
Could it De herself he was looking
for? Baltimore was in the South. so
why not open her lips and declare
that she was here IN New York wait
ing for him to come to her? Yet If
she should be wrong and the ''cIue"
should turn out to be something else,
a matter of business? At this instant
a peculiar clicking in the instrument
warned her that the wire might be
switched off any moment and her
opportunity be lost.
Harry" she called out softly.
It was the name he had asked her
10 give him twenty years ago, and it
now came to her lips and passed from
them into the instrument almost be-
fore she had realized it was spoken.
Agnes! is it you? Where are
you2 Street and number instantly
| before the connections"
She heard no more, but a gasp call
| e1 out the Runkeis' address. then