The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-08

moo the Laird has ta'en ava the
poo'er. o Mr.. Maclesie! pray! pray
VII a yer micht! maun hear her
speyk till me onct an say, Joan, good
night!' The voice of the speaker had
risen almost to a scream, and sudden
ly it pierced the dull ears of the form
that lay gibbering and laughing on the
other bed.
Joan, puir Joan!' it said. 81
maun send the ithers a AVA an COM
fort Joan, for she has name but me
noo."
Then the voice died away in sigh.
MIR. Maclesie wnet over to the other
bed, and half lifting, half dragging,
brought it across that 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, helplesf
hand and laid it on her sisters. 81
forgive thee, Grizzle. as | hope to be
forgiven" he said solemnly, and Joan
repeated the words after him. Then
he knelt and prayed.
Oh, what scene was that ! With
out, q lea6ess 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 so long, and on the beds those
stricken forms lay motionless as death.
One "babbling O. green fields and
one, with face of agony, and wild, be-
seechine eyes, lifted to tho old min
ister's face as he lifted it to heaven
and prayed.
Father, forgive them, for they knew
not what they did - he said, and Joan
sobbed "Amen !"
They've been stumblin' along owre
the reuch stanes side by side, but far
apart, hurtin' one another sair ilka
day an day lang. Oh, tax them
hame to Thee and hap them up in one
another's arms till they hae learned
Thy name is love. An Thine be the
poo'er an the glory. Amen. "
AS he rose from his knees aud
looked down at Joan, the tears were
running down her face, but it had lost
its look of hopeless helpless agony,
He laid one hand on the head OF either
sister as he said:
1.-The Laird maxi His face to 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 knock
and a cry at the manse door. 'Come
to the Gray Cottage, sir, sune's ye
canr'
The minister dressed himself hur-
riedly and went down. There was
knot of neighbors at the door, but
they made way for him to pass. And
there with the moonlight streaming
through the open door upon them,
and the freight on the old divided
hearth flashing and dancing and
throwing its kindly flames high as
though it would fain see them more
clearly, and the flickering of the dy-
ing candle that the old woman who
had been watching held above her
head. casting the faces now in light
and now in shadow. lay the two SIS
ters dead in one another's arms.
81 had ga'en asleep, sir, said the
old woman, sin the chimney neuk,
when of sudden there cam screen
fit 10 wax the deid. / jumped up an
luiked an there were Joan an Grizzle
Mapped in one anither's Arms, sittin'
up straight in bed. But before l cud
get there they had fa'en back as they
are now, an bath were game.
Two days afterward the sisters were
buried in the old kirk yard. And
over the grave the old minister put
simple stone with the words:
''In their death they were not divided"
-Ena L. ogden, IN Chicago Current.