Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-03-26
ANewspaper File

1t was two days after Aunt PriscilIas s
funeral, and Sue and l were sitting to-
gether by the kitchen fire. with that hush
over our spirits still which. follows a
death aud burial. Ali the afternoon We
had been busy in getting the house to
rights, not meddling yet with the things
which had been hers, and were now ours,
but by dint of open windows, sunshine,
and furniture busted and rearranged,
trying to restore to the rooms that fa-
miliar lock which they had lost during
these weeks of anxiety and trouble. A
few days more and we must face fu.
ture which was full of terrors. Means
while. custom as well as inclination ac-
corded a briefsrespite in which TO think
of her who was gone, and of each
other, with the clinging fondness of
those whose lives. never before parted,
were about to separate.
Sue sat on low stool, her head against
the chimney jamb. 1t was the chimney
of Aunt Priscilla's youth; she never
would alter it-ons of the wide, CID
fashioned kind, with pot hooks and bla>
zing logs. and bake oven at one side.
The SCOT blackened By bricks and faint
red glow made a background for my sis
ter's head, with its great twist of hair
and lily-like slender throat. Sue is very
pretty, prettier than nybOdy ever saw.
recOllect picture as | looked at her
"a picture of Cinderella sitting in just
such au attitude by the chimney side.
She was equally picturesque at that mo-
ment; so far as looks go, equally worthy
of prince; but alas no fairy godmOth-
er was likely to emerge from the apples
room for her benefit. Aunt Pris. who in
a small way had enacted that part to-
ward US, was gone, and her big rscking
chair which we had no heart to sit in,
swung empty in its accustomed place,
type of like emptiness which we were
conscious of in other things, and would
feel for long timeto come.
Neither of us spoke for awhile. We
were tired and spiritless, and John Slade
was coming presently to talk over things,
so we saved our words.
DR.. Slade-John-was Sues lover.
Their poor little engagement had been
formed two years ago. How many years
it was likely to last nobody could guess,
but they held on to it brdvely. and were
content to wait. Pretty soon as we sat
waiting, his step sounded without on
the gravel, and with little tap-cour-
teous, but unnecessary, for the door was
never locked-he entered, gave Sue a
gentle kiss, me another, and sat down
between US in aunty's rocking chair. 1t
was comfort to have him do that. The
house seemed less forlorE at once.
We'll, children, how has the day gomez
he asked.
Pretty WE'LL replied Sue. We have
been busy and are tired tonight, think.
I'm glad you are come. John, dear. We
are getting lonely and dismal. Cree and L
Lucretia is my name, but Sue and
Aunt Priscilla always called me Cree.
John adjusted stick on the embsrs,
and with ore daring poke sent tongue
of bright flame upward before he am
swered. Then he took Sues hand in his
broad palm, and patting it gently, said;
Now let Us talk over matters. We
ought to decide what we are to do, We
three
That three was very comforting to
me. bat John always is a comfort. He
was made so Aunt Pris said. And he
carries out the purpose of his creation.
Did your aunt leave any will? he
went on.
Only this;' and l brought from be-
tween the leaves of the big Bible, where
we had found it, a half sheet of note pa
per, on which dear aunty had stated, in
her own simple form, that she left all
she had to be equally divided between
her nieces, Susan and Lucretia Pendsx-
tea, Squire Packard's name and Sarah
Brackets. were written below as wit
nesses.
Very well, said John; that's goud