The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-04-17

think o ME bein' inside the gate a-singfnr an
a-harpin' an a-danctng' for joy an my
puir Grizzle, that was sic q bonny lass wheI
she was young, skreelin' outside In the dark
an the cold. She was aye afear'd o. the
dark, Grixzle. an she was sic bonny young
thing, an guide to me Hech, siri it seem.
as IL IL were only last week whan Sandy Mo.
Pherson was drouned, an she cam to me an
sent AVA a. the aud women an tuik me In
her young arms an cried DER me, an said
she'd serve me a. her life. An she was guide
to me. Aye, guide for mony weary year
an lang. Mr.. Maclssie, think ye that she'll
no ken onything again before she gas awa'P
Il Gamma tell, Joan"
1Hech, sirI It's sair to bide here an she
mot ken. It's mony year MIGHT haze tailed
to her an did ma, an moo the Laird has ta'en
AVA the poo'er. o, Mr.. Maclesiel prayl
pray wi a. yer michti maun hear her
speyk I'll me onct an say. Joan. good
night"
The voice OF the speaker had risen almost
TO a scream, and suddenly it pierced the dull
ears Of the form that lay gibbering and
laughing on the other bed.
AJoan, puir Joanp 1t said II maun send
the ithers a. ava an comfort Joan, for shs
has name but me moo"
AhSh buS NOiSc uAoA away III u bfEu.
Mr.. Maclesie went over to the other bed,
and, half lifting, half dragging, brought 1t
across the little room, across that dividing
line. and set it close to Joan's As Grizzlies
bed touched hers, Joan burst into tears
The old man lifted the poor helpless hand,
and laid 1t on her sisters II forgive thee,
Grizzle, as hope to be forgivenf no said,
solemnly, and Joan repeated the words after
him. Then be knelt and prayed.
Oh, what a scene was thatl Without, q
leaiiess rose-bush was tapping against the
narrow little window in the wild March
wind. Within, those two poor beds stood
side by side and both inside the line that had
divided them 80 long, and on the beds those
stricken forms lay motionless as death. One, |
"babbling o green fields, and one, with fact |
OF agony and wild, beseeching eyes lifted tc |
the old minister's face as he lifted it to |
Heaven and prayed:
Father, forgive them, for they knew moi |
what they didi' he said, and Joan sobbed
aAmenl"
They've been stumbln alang owre the |
reuch stanes side by side, but far apart |
hurtin' one anether sair ilka day an a day /
lang. oh, TAX them hame to Thee an haI |
them up in one anither's Arms till they hat |
learned Thy name is love. An Thine be the
pooer an the glory. amen"
As he rose from his knees and looked dowr |
ut Joan, the tears were running down her face
but IL had lost its look Of hopeless, helpless. /
agony. He laid one hand on the head OF /
either sister as he said: Laird maxi His face
10 shine upo thee. The Laird lift up the
light o. His countenance upo' thee an gle
thee peace" Then he went away.
But at midnight there was a knock and Q
cry at the manse door. @Come to the Gray
Cottage sir, sune's ye camp
The minister dressed himself hurriedly,
and went down There was a knot of neigh.
bors ut the door, but they made way for him
10 pas. And there, with the moonlight
streaming through the o. en- door upon them
md the fire-light on the old divided hearth
flashing, and dancing, and throwing its
Kindly flame high as though IL would fain
zoe them more clearly, and the Pickering OF
he dying candle that the old woman who
lad been watching held above her head,
FASTING the faces now in light and now liz
hadow, lay the two sisters dead in one
mothers arms.
Il had gaen asleep, SIR" said the old
Woman, 1in the chimney neuk, when of
udden there cam screech fit to wax the
leid- ! jumped up an lui1ed an there were
loan an Grizzle Mapped in one anither's
firms, sittin' up straight In bed. But before
cue get there they had fa'en back as they
re now, an bath were game"
Two days afterwards the sisters were
,uried In the old krk.yard. And over the
rave the old minister put a simple stone
With the words
ain their death they were not divided.