Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-01-18

they ali say MIS- bruno VIII put III Inc
We'll, what of It, sister? faint moth
ing to US, thank the Lord
Sister the moneys most gone and
don't know where We are to turn; can
beg an my eyes IS gettln SO weak
I can't hardly sew, an lois times
lust fall asleep over those button holes.
"Prssy you don't mean that We-O,
The sharp old face of Needles fell back
/ on the pillow with the cry. But IN mo-
ment she had raised herself again and sat
/ bolt upright to speak with energy and de-
cisiOn:
/ aPrissy, that shan't be. Now just. you
/ stop your crying and listen to me. There's
/ those cherry chairs, you can sell EN- to
/ old johnson and you shall do IT; and
/ there's that silver of mine and that silk
dress. I've had it a good while, but faint
/ likely III ever want 1t again. linen there rs
/ that apple-tree stand father made me.
| What do we want of two tables? Well
/ sell of all these things, Prissy, and,
/ please the Lord, we won't be sold for
paupers to the lowest bidder this year.
And, Prissy, when Mr.. Lee comes along
/ next week you take out two dozen shirts
/ like we used to. I amt so far gone that I
| can't sew yet, and when / lie awake nights
/ with the cough it'll amuse me.
/ But, Roxy, suppose we use 1t all up?"
"Prissy, don't YOU dare to speak like
| that! Didn't the raven feed the prophet
/ Elijah? Have you forgot the barrel OF
meal and the cruise of oil that did not waste
nor fail through all the famine? Read
your Bible, sister, and trust the Lord.
| Needless was the stronger Willed of the
/ two, and Pins rested gladly on her word,
/ and took of her bonnet and shawl and
I hung them In the press. But Needles, who
| had watched her wistfulIy, mOtiOned her
to come near. As she stopped over her
/ the sick old woman threw her arms
/ around her sisters neck and drew her down
| to her IN a passionate embrace, and Pins
/ felt the hot tears on her face. Then she
put her away a little and looked her stead
/ lily in the face as she said, Sister, did you
/ pray to-day that I might live?"
Yes sister.
+ Never do it again, Prissy. Pray I may
| die soon, for I'm afraid, sister, I'm afraid
the meal and the oil won't hold out through
the famine for both Of US, and I'd rather
/ YOU have Il.
The days wore on. Needles talked with
the doctor the next time he came to see
! her.
Il can't get well, no way, can I, Doctor"
| Il fear not.
"And all you can do is to make me a
little easier, ain. t it,"
YES"
We'll, then, doctor, think you'd better
not come any more. I can stand what I've
/ got to stand, 1 guess, and I'll do without
ease for the rest of the time. Prissy II
And Prissy settled the very reasonable
/ bill.
There. said Needles, exultantly, as
/ she watched him go, now we've got OFF
! the only debt we had and we've only got
/ to live.
! Only got to live! Was it ever harder
work to live? Fifty cents a week from
that stream Of shirts that poured in and
out, and there was soap and matches and
| oil and Hour and meat to get. No fire
wood, thank God for at the old home
! across the way Pins was allowed to pick
up all the fragments of bOughs she
| could find IN the old orchard, and the frag-
ments were many and they burned little,
| saving all the while against the dis
tant winter. But then there was the
/ dollar a month, One-half Of all they
earned. And suppose they should have
to have anything beside?
There came q fit of coughing one day
that shook the thin withered frame Of
| Needles and left her gasping for breath.
! Pins came to her anxiOusly. Are you
/ worse, sister," she asked.
NO, sister, but do suffer SO"
Pins laid down the shirt she was work
/ ing on, and took down her old bonnet and
shawl from the press.
Where be you going, Prissy?"
10 Inc QOCLOI- anu ING shaking Oli
hands tied the ribbons resOlutely. 4
! can't stand this no way. It's worse than
/ being farmed out, sister" And she went
The doctor came. There was little he
could do but that he did, and first of all
he took the needle out of Needles thin
| old hand.
From that day on she set herself with
all the force of n resOlute and loving ma
ture to die. 1t was pitifuI to see how she
chung to Pins and lOnged to stay for her
sake, even as she felt she must make haste
to go for that same dear sake; and the
conflict between longing and steady pur-
pose weakened the faithful old heart still
| more.
"Prissy," said she, when I am gone
don't spend much money on me. I'd
| rather the town should bury me than that
you should come on the town finally"
The slow tears rolled down Pins cheeks.
III bury you myself, sister, she said,
earnestly, and 1 won't live long enough
after to trouble the town, no way"
Needles looked up wistfully. Don't be
long after me, Prissy, for shall be lonely
| without you.
NO, sister, but there's my two hus-
bands, Don't you think you'll know emf"
Know EN-? I'd know Silas Wetherell
anywhere set eyes on him, and as for
| Amasa Youngs-"
Sister, hope you don't bear no malice.
| He's dead and gone, you know.
SOL 7 be, Prissy, when I see him-if
do"
Sister,
@The Lord is mercifuI, and I think,
sister, I think he's made heaven big
enough so that Amasa and I won't see each
other.
We'll, sister, if it hadn't been for him
dying as he did, getting run over by that
ere train. we couldn't have got along sc
we'll as we have"
NO, Prissy, we shouldn't. Amasa's
death was mercy any wayyou look at 1t.
~As for Silas, she went on after 6
minute, Il never had no cOnceit of him
nohow, but I'll try to get along with him
till YOU come