Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-05-24

know she'd never have held him back.
The more he was to her the less she d
hold on to him Mother used to say
that was her pride. Mother fretted at
first because Adeline wouldn't use her
influence the other way"
Rachel thought this over in silence.
Presently she repeated: Il want to
go and see her."
She won't let you in. She won t
see any of us if she can help ii"
why not? How came she to shut
herself up sop
well. part of it was this: You see
there was the south pasture that has
that bit of old woodland. and the
brook in one corner of it. 1t seems
Richard and Adeline used to be fond
OF walking and sitting there Sunday
afternoons. Your great-uncle John
owned .he land then. and he'd always
said it shoul6 be Richards. So Rich
ard wrote him a letter just before the
battle in which he was killed.
He said if he died he'd nothing to
leave Adeline. OF course she would
her mother farm. But she said she
was fond of that woodland. and he
wanted if he died that Uncle John
should leave that lot to Adeline rs a
token of remembrance from him,
Richard. But Uncle John was man
of his own mind. He did not like
Adeline, over and above. more than
hca % l. L
come down in the family, and he
shouldn't will it out of the family.
He died only about a year after Rich
ard. He didn't think Richard had
said any thing to Adeline about
the land. but I'm pretty sure he
had, for she came up to Uncle
Johns funeral. and stayed to hear the
will read. She never said word. but
we all saw there was kind of expect
ant look in her face. She had it when
she turned and looked at me after the
will was read. Then she went away
and she's never been in this house
since"
The land came to you, father?"
Yes. I'd like to have carried out
Dicks wish. but didn't see my way
to going against Uncle Johns feeling.
and deciding the land out of the fami-
ly just when he'd left me all he had"
But she would have been in the
family if Uncle Richard lived"
Eyes; but you see he didn't; that
made the difference"
That made the difference. 1t seemed
very mournful to Rachel that it should
have made the difference. There were
two lost from the family instead of
one, it seemed. in Richards death.
After that" continued Mr.. Guild,
''she staid more at home than ever.
'Twasn't healthy thing for young
woman like her. She took to
doing pretty nearly all the farm work
herself. so that she need not be bothered
with help. or else to take up her
mind. We used togo over there
sometimes, but after her mother died
Adeline would never really let us
into the house. She'd stand with
the door half open and hear
what we had to say, but never ask US
to walk in. Of course we stopped go
ing by and by, and it got to be just
so with the other neighbors. Barker
stops his wagon now and then to take
orders to the store for her, and the
mail drops her books and newspapers.
but she never goes any where OF sees
any body if she can help it She's q
perfect hermit. The house is getting
awfully out of repair. l guess she's
had to give up living in the front
rooms, that side of the roofs so leaky.
But she'll never have it fixed. She's
lost all her ambition. She'll just die
there alone some day. as sure rs the
world"
Rachel shivered. Oh, how full of
haunting sorrow this tale had filled
the spring evening! The fresh-leaved
willow in the yard dropped in infinite
grieving; the chanting of the frogs in
the pond. that she had thought one of
the pleasantest of spring sounds,
seemed now the waiing of a measure
less regret. To think all the oy and
promise of love and youth could end
in life blighted like this! To think
there should be living grave like
yonder brown cottage, more mournful
thousand times than the green
mound at Arlington! To think of
the MANNED solitary life. sadder a
hundred-fold than any noble death!
Was this. too. the work of the warp
Yes, in part. But Rachel knew that
the strife between unseen principal
tiles and powers. the work of the
rulers of spiritual darkness, was most
respon sible for this kind of wounding
and dying.
Rachel gathered her young COM
panions and they made their white
shield. and adorned it with the name
of Richard Guild. Her friends smiled
and chatted over their work, but
Rachel was quiet Her heart had
gone out into the life of the young
man whose name she was weaving.
With him she was afar from home,
foot-sore, thirsty, weary, pressing on
toward the awful battle. Her
thoughts followed his. turning home
ward-oh with what tenderness! to-
ward dear ones that the prescience of
love told him he should never see
apain-toward that dearest one of all
who was to have been his wife. In
that last request for her Rachel read
his silent commendation of her 10 .he
regard of his friends. How had it
been observedP
Her young helpers went home in
peace, but R1chers heart was heavy.
At night her father asked to see the
h.,,ar and she brou oht it forth He