Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-11-21
LYDDY's FINAL TRIUMPH.

taught term of district school in a
small country hamlet near Mt, Desert, two
years ago.
The house in which | went to board was
one of the most lonesome places magma
able. A low, rambling farm dwelling,
surrounded by woods, fields and meadows.
No other house was in sight, and the
road in each direction lost itself in dense
growth of trees. A turn of the road a
quarter of a mile away brought one to the
school house, church, half dozen dwell
lings and the one store of the place.
The family with which | boarded con-
sisted of Mr. Enoch Baire, an itinerant
preacher, with fair education, but an in
herited dislike of work, his wife, Mary,
ona of the best women | ever knew, "a
thorough housewife, with sound, practical,
common sense, pure, earnest love of re-
ligeon, which she expressed in deeds more
often than words, and their son, Jem,
seventeen years of age.
One evening, after had been a member
of the family several weeks, and the
strained relations of schoolma-am and
boarding mistress had worn away, Mrs.
Blaire asked me to bring my books into
the kitchen and sit with her Jem had
gone to bed with a toothache and Enoyh
was at a revival meeting in the next dis
trict. He would not be home until very
late and she was going to sit up for him.
accepted the invitation gladly, for the
bright cheerful Kitchen was my delight
it was so spotlessly clean and homehke,
the pleasantest room in the house. A
warm fire added to the Cheerfulness, for
fall nights had grown chilly.
Mrs. Blaire did up" her dishes, brush
ed the floor, strained the milk, while
looked over the next days lessons; then
we drew our chairs nearer the fire for one
of the talks had grown to enjoy so much.
what shall we talk about? said Mrs.
Blaire, as she clicked her knitting needles.
"Religion?"
This was her fayorite theme, and loved
to hear her express her Baptist views of
life and death. So ! let her talk, till at
,angth | looked at the clock. 1t marked
IL 80.
"Where can Enoch be?" said Mrs.
Blaine, gathering up h~r work He was
never so late before
She arose, went to the window and
peered out into the intense darkness,
shlvered slightly, come back and threw a
few sticks on the fire. We set some time
in silence, watching The sparks fly out
through the hearth of the cooking stove.
The old clock III the corner strucksthe
hour of II with slow, deliberate strokes.
A sudden breeze sprang up and swung
a shutter to with a loud catter. Then all
was fearfully still, when slowly and dis
tinctiy from the far distance came a low,
musical sound.
Nearer and nearer it came, louder and
louder it grew, until the whole room was
filed with the sweet melody. 1t was sing
ing, but singing such as mad never heard
before. The words we're unintelible, but
the sentiment was of Joy and happy re-
ioicing.
| sat spellbound until the sweet sounds
faded away as they had come. | could not
tell whether they were within OF without,
overhead or under feet. The melody was
everywhere. II gave me a strange enex-
plainable feeling of awe. turned to look
at Mrs. Blaire Her face was asher. The
lines about her mouth were tightly drawn,
and the nervous hand that grasped the
back of her chair shook visibly.
A feeling that ] could not account for of
wishing to shut out the night prompted
me to draw the shades close over the olack
windows and come closer to the warmth
and glow of the FIRE. All this ! observed
and did before asked
Did you hear anything, Mrs Blalrer
''Yes, heard murmured Mrs Blaire,
IN scarcely more tl n a whisper
1T c0nldu t have been Jem, ] asserted,
but to satisfy myself went TO the stair
way aud listened heard only
the hard, regular breathing Of heavy
sleeper
What was it Mrs. BIair?" ! asked
raiu
Mrs. Bllir had resumed her accustomed
piacid expression and said, With a light
I raassuring laugh:
"0h, it vas nothing at ALL Come, let
us 90 TO bed. We viii not sit up longer
for Euoch / will come IN and sit
with You tIil you 20 TO sleep, if YOU want
me TO.
said was not in the least afraid But
! lay awake Tor a long time, wondering
over the stranEe scene. i felt sure Mrs.
Blaire had a story, and wanted to hear
/ it.
Though not believer in spirits, any
thing supernatural had strange fascina.
ton for me.
Mrs. Blaire and | were lett alone again
! The next evening As We again drew
our chairs Up before tire cracking fire,
my companion said, without any intro.
duction
TIE STORY or MRS. Blade.
Ny dear. j NJ going to&ell you a strange
story.
! did not speak
Twfnty years ago my only sister then
! btauiiu .irl Of eighteen, mauied Just
+ fifteen months after she and her baby girl
veIe buried lu one ecfin. Before my sister
died ,ne discovered that her bosom friend.
Lyddy Baker rad cared for her john aud
had Boped 10 marry BIN We Az knew
John bad never shown Lyddy any aften-
tor ont .he frled n MIKE NArln mink