Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-09-25

finging IL toward the fireplace
Close that shutter instantlyln she
saId. as If she spoke to the stable boy.
Then j saw the stubborn, angry
look on her face came into his own
Il won't!'' he answered, and 1 knew
the end had come. She OF the child
that come into the world with all her
strong, passionate nature for her herit-
age must yield.
For the last time, Henry, will you
obey me?''
''Her voice, like steel, rang clear
through the silent house. The wind
itself seemed to hold its breath to hear
the answer that came without fear or
hesitation.
II am neither child nor a slave, to
be so bidden- l will notl''
Her face changed then, and grew so
still and rigid that l nearly screamed.
fearing, / could not have told what;
but she merely laid her hand upon his
shoulder, and said 50 quietly that you
wouldn't have known her:
Get up. boy"
Il think, for his spirit, he was
frightened, too, for he rose at once, and
she led him to the hall door, followed,
and | saw her throw open the door and
point out into the night.
Col" she said. You are no child
of mine"
lie looked up into her stern face as
il he scarcely believed her, and then he
went And from that hour none of US
have ever laid eyes Oh the poor boy who
went away on that wild, dreadful, win
| ter night"
II suppose my aunt was sorry when
her anger cOOled?''
'She never said so, sir. Until she
bade US send for him three days ago,
she never mentioned his name, nor let
any one else III her presence. But
know how she sorrOwed for him At
nights, l would hear her go wandering
about the house, to and from the room
that had been his, and when the wiz Il
blew, she WAS like a mad creature.
Often | would wake To find her at my
bedside, and she would say:
Pray, pray for me, Jane, for all
homeless wanderers tonight | can't
pray for myself. Ny hearts too hard
i can't break my PRIDE
And 50 l would kneel in the cold
and dark, and pray, as she told me, for
all homeless wanderers-uever for him
10y name while she stood groaning by
Ia her grief and dreadful pride that
would not let her send for her son.
The young mans eyes We're moist at
the picture of the kneeling old woman,
who prayed IN the dead hours of night,
with the hOwling wind about the
house, and the other, the obstinate oil
mother, whose pride fought so hard
with her love.
She never ceased to expect him, sir,
for she could not realize that II was
her own stubborn spirit in her son, and
size hoped 10 the last that he would
come back, humble and penitent.
don't doubt that he's longed too, many
a time, for lie was never taught to
work, and he's only common soldier
III the army now, out on the frontier. :"
''Do you think lie will come now?''
''Oh, yesl The captain of his COM
pany is the son of a neighboT; that is
how We ever heard of his whereabouts.
oh, there VIII be no difficulty about his
leave of absence"
But his prideI''
"l GU forget. She sent for him."
The voices of the whispers died
away. y log III the spacious fireplace
burnt through and fell with a sharp
noise, and the rising wind began TO
moan about the house. Nothing el e
then broke the silence. save the heavy
blcstlLllS Ol the sleeper, ulllll the CIOCh
struck midnight, when the door of the
bed-chamber was flung open, and a
chill wind swept past the watchers.
The sufferer, aroused by the noise,
languidly opened her eyes. and then she
rose in her Ded, cry of joy ringing
through The room.
my sOnl Ny Soul'
Her arms We're cldsped TO her breast,
sIs II she held some one 10 1t, and look
Of peace and rapture transiigured heT
face As they laid ler gently back upon
the pillOws-deadi
The wind Is fierce tonight said
her nephew, as lac closed the swinging
doors.
But next day, when the country rang
with the news OF great railroad uIs-
aSteT that took place At midnight, and
his cousins name was first among the
dead. the old hOlsekeeper ami the
young man looked AT each other silent
ly Tor awhile, when the latter said rev
erently, bOwIng his head:
- Dyts Is strong As l-athfn