The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-04-30

which the advertisement brought, came
a dreadful thought.
She had not put the rat poison awayI
1t must still be standing there by the
apple-butter. and Joshua-it made her
sick to think of it-might take the
wrong jar for his dinner. He might
have done it already; probably had, and
must be quite dead. Serena put her
head down on the back of the seat in
front of her, and let her troubled
thoughts run on as they would. She
wondered dimly whether the poison
affected human beings as Mrs. Stem
mons had said it affected rats, and
made them Ego off alone to die
She wondered whether 1t would
40 any good to ask the con-
ductor to send word to Joshua
not to eat any apple-butter until she
should return. She imagined mes
sage awaiting her at her nephew's
house, bidding her come back to her
husbands funeral She thought OF
how she deserved all this punishment
in return for going away and leaving
him alone for the first time since their
marriage. There came into her mind
the words of the marriage ceremony:
''What God hath joined together let no
man put asunder," and she said to her.
self: .'We 'ain't never been asunder be-
fore, and wouldn't be now if 'twasnt
fur my wickedness." And while she
sat SO. of sudden it grew dark and
then light again, and the eager train
was resting in the New York station.
A young man in brown overcoat
was inside the car in moment or two.
exclaiming: "How do you do, Aunt
Serena? So glad to see your as he
caught sight of the figure in the prim
black dress of Miss Lamson's fashion,
ing.
But Serena, as she let him take both
her trembling hands, only said: my
dear boy, I've got to go back home"
"Home. Aunt Serena? Why, are you
sick? You must come and let Susie
take care of you"
II amt SICK" said Serena, YEARLY;
land I'd be gladder n you think for to
stay with you, but I'm-rm afraid
sometimes happened to Joshua"
The room and the stove at Green's
Corners were rather chilly, and
whether the mice discovered it or no,
Joshua found the house remarkably
empty. He fingered long in the barn
with the cattle, and when he came
home ate only bowl of bread and
milk, and then drew out the calico
cushioned chair and sat in it. There
was not sound anywhere except the
voice of the old clock, saying: ''Gone
l-gone! gone-gonew with dreadful
haste and perseverance. Presently
Joshua dozed. 1t was twilight when
he slept and black night when he
awoke, and he heard the far-away
whistle of the New York night ex
press. He felt his way to the door and
went out Why in the world hi
walked slowly toward the railroad
crossing he did not know, unless tho
coming train seemed to him like {
message from Serena, now safe in New
York. He waited silently near the
fagman's closet while the red eye ii
: the engines forehead sent quiverint
lRlt SLTcduS ldT uOWu tuC baShs 1'C
fore Joshua knew it the train hat
stopped. The conductor was standing
, on the ground, his lantern under hi
arm, helping some one out Joshu'
went forward and took her in hi
: arms.
Serena could scarcely speak befor
they reached the gate. One by one tn
old familiar objects along the pat
broke upon her sight, though shroude'
in the dark, with the sweet sense o
awakened memory which comes t
one returning home after long years O
absence At last she said: Joshua
the apple butter?"
81 amt tasted it." said Joshua, put
ting a great arm around her; "bu
there amt any manner of doubt bu
what it's all right Don't you worr
about that; S'rena You're all tuckere
out n. Macdonald Alden, in Ha
per's Weekly.