Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-11-02

preston that she never had q
chance-an impression which ma
irons are apt to entertain concern
ing their single friends. Miss
Becky had been spending some
weeks wit b Mrs. DR.. Dwigh, who
had moved from Plymouth after
her husbands death. She was
there chiefly to put some stitches
into the widows wardrobe, which
nobody else would do "reasonably,"
that lady's grief having incapacita'
ted her from holding a needle or
giving her mind to material details
of "seam and gusset and band"
But during the visit, Miss Becky
had been seized with her sharpest
attacks of rheumatism, which had
kept her in bed for weeks, till her
wages we're exhausted by drugs
and DOCTORS fees. 1t was ut this
time that she made up her lind
to 90 into the Home on her retur-
to Plymouth.
Mrs. Dwight saw her off at the
station. 81 hope you will find the
Home cozy," she said, outside the
car window. "Its lucky ParsOn
Amory left you that 500, after all.
He might have doubled it,"
eyes, l suppose So" Miss Becky
answered meekly. Perhaps she
was thinking that, if she were Mrs
Dwight, no old friend of hers should
60 begging for a refuge at an aims
house. Perhaps she was thinking
OF the pretty, comfortable home
waiting for her friend, and wonder
ing why their fortunes were so IN
like.
"Write when yon reach Plymouth,
and let me know how you're suit
ed" SAID Mrs. Dwight, and just
then the cars gave lurch and left
her behind, and Miss Becky turned
her glance inward. Somebody had
taken a seat beside her.
"Your friend was speaking of
P arson Amory and Plymouth" he
said. 81 couldn't help hearing. |
was born in Plymouth myself, but
| haven't met a soul from there
these twenty years. | am on my
way to look up my old friends"
"Twenty years is long time,'
answered Becky. 81 am afraid
you won't find many ofyour friends
left. You'll hardly know Plymouth"
81 suppose mott suppose not.
Have you lived there long,"
"I7 l have lived there all my
days.
"Goodl I'm hungry for news OF
the people. Tell me everything
You can think of. Did Parson
Amory leave fortune? He was
called close. Where's Miss Nell,
married or deadi l can see the
old place in my minds eye, and the
parsonage under the elms, and the
orchard behind it where Lucy
,Amory planted young tree on her
wedding day, and the gown little
Becky Thorne wore. BY the way,
is she allve2 Do you know her =
Miss Becky hesitated an instant.
eyes," she replied. 81 know
her-more or less. She's alive"
"And married? She must be
sixty odd; she was a pretty crea-
ture, such II suppose they are
wrinkles now! Where have the
years gone 7 Is her home IN the
old place still 7"
"Her home," said Miss Becky,
flushing little. "She has none B;
she is on her way to the Old
Ladies' Home"
"To the Old Ladies' Home. Becky
Tborne ~ be gasped. "And I"
"You seem to have known her
pretty WE'LL" said Becky, who was
beginning to enjoy the incognlto.
81 should think so. PVe known
Becky Thorne from the cradle; we
had silly quarrel which parted
us such triAe, when | look back.
DO you overlook hack, madam 2
The twilight was falling about
them Becky's face had grown a
shade or two paler all at once; she
turned her dark, velyety eyes full
upon him with a startled air.
"You;n said, "you mnst be
Larry Rogers !" Then the color
swept to her cheeks in crimson
wave. "Do you know, l never
thought you had grown old like
myself! Don't you know mel l
am Becky Thorne."
Just then the train thundered
through the tunnel and they forgot
they were slxty.odd.
ION the way to the Old Ladies'
Home,r she wrote to Mrs. Dwight,
81 was pc rsuaded TO 90 to an old
gentieman's instead"
Suicide of a Young Lady on Her
Bridal Morn.
A correspondent writes to the