The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-11-21
LYDDY's FINAL TRIUMPH.

small country hamlet near Mt. Desert, two
years ago.
The house in which went to bo ird was
one of the most lonesome places imagina-
able A low, rambling farm dwelling.
surrounded by woods, fields and meadows.
No other house was in sight, AMI the
road in each direction lost itself in dense
growth of trees. A turn of the road
quarter of nile away brought one to the
school house, church, half a dozen dwell
lings and the one store of the place.
The family with which | boarded con-
sisted of Mr.. Enoch Biaire. an itinerant
2 preacher, with fair education, but an in
herited dislike of work, his wife, Mary,
one of the best women | ever knew,
thorough housewife, with sound, practical,
comnon 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 member
of the fan lily 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 10 bed with toothache, and Eno1h
was at 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 spntlessly clean and homelike.
the pleasantest room in the house.
warm fire added to the cheerfulness, for
fall nights had grown chilly.
Mrs. BIare did up her dishes, brush
ed the floor, strained the milk. while
looked over the next days lessons; then
4 - Er, Co.
of the talks | had grown to enjoy so much.
What shall we talk about?" said Mrs.
Blaire, as she clicked ber knitting needles.
"ReligionP'
This was her favorite theme, and loved
to hear her express her Baptist views of
life and death so let her talk, till al
length locked at the clock. 1t marked
l:30
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,
shivered 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 struck.the
hour of IL with slow, deliberate strokes.
A sudden breeze sprang up and swung
shutter to with Il loud clatter. Then all
was fearfuly still, when slowly and dis
tinctly from the far distance came 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 had never heard
before The words were unintellibie, but
the sentiment was of JOY and happy re-
ioicing.
sat spelbound until The sweet sounds
faded away as they had come. | could not
tell whether they were within or without,
oArhead or under feet. The melody was
everywhere 1t gave me strange, enex-
plainable feeling of awe. turned to look
at Mrs Baire. Her face was ashep. 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 tie shades close over tie olack
windows and come closer to the warmth
and glow of the fire. Al! this Observed
and did before asked:
Did YOU hear anything, Mrs. Blaire?'
''Yes, heard, murmured Mrs. Baire.
in scarcely more tn IN whisper.
at couldn't have been Jem." asserted,
but to satisfy myself went to the stair
way and listened. heard only
the -akrd, regular breathing of heavy
sleeper.
What was it Mrs. BIair2" ! asked
araiu.
Mrs. Bl ,ir had resumed her accustomed
placid expression and said, with a light
reassuring laugh:
''Oh. il was nothing ut all Come, le.
Us 20 to bed. We will not sit up longer
f0r &noch. | will corae in and sit
with you till you 20 to sleep, if you want
me TO.
| said was not in the least afraid. Bat
lay awake for long time, wondering
over the strange scene. felt sure Mrs.
Baire had story, and | wanted to hear
Though not a believer in spirits, any-
thing supernatural had a s:rangs fascina'
tion for me.
Mrs. Blaire and were lett alone again
the next evening. As ue again drew
our chairs Up before tie cracking fire,
my companion said, without any intro.
du"tion:
THE STORY OF MRS BLAIkE.
my dear, I'm going to tell you a strange
story
lid not speak.
Twenty years ago my only sister, then
a beautiful girl of eighteen, married. just
fifteen months after she and her BABY g'ri
wer.s buried in one coffin. Before my sister |
died she discovered that her bosom trend
Lyddy Baker, had cared for her John and
bad hoped to marry him. We all knew
John had never shown Lyddy any atten-
tiop, hut she tried to make Sarah think
he had-said her life was wrecked and
much Of that kind OF talk. Sarah was