The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-02-26
which the advertisement brought, came
a dreadful fhonrhf

which the advertisement brought, came
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 ''go off alone to die"
She wondered whether it would
40 any good to ask the con-
ductor to send word to Joshua
not to eat any apple until she
should return. She imagined a 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: I'VE amt never been asunder be-
fore, and wouldn't be now IL 'twasnt
fur my wickcdness." And while she
sat SO, of a 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 a moment or two.
eXclaiming: allow do you do, Aunt
Serenaa 50 glad to see your as he
caught sight of the figure in the prim
black dress of Miss Lamsons 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--I'm afraid
somethin's 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 a.sound anywhere except the
voice. of the old clock, saying: 'Gone
vgone! gone-gone!' with dreadful
haste and perseverance. Presently
Joshua dozed, 1t was twilight when
he slept and black night when he
awozfe. and he heard the far-away
whistle of the New York night ex.
press He felt his way to the door and
went ont. Why in the world he
walked slowly toward the railroad
crossing he did not know. unless the
coming train seemed to him like a
message from Serena, now safe in New
York. He waited silently near the
fiagman's closet, while the red eye in
the engines forehead sent quivering
light streams far down the track. Be-
fore Joshua knew it the train had
stopped. The conductor was standing
on the ground, his lantern under his
arm, helping some one out Joshua
went forward and took her in his
arms.
Serena could scarcely speak before
they reached the gate. One by one the
old familiar objects along the path
broke upon her sight, though shrouded
in the dark. with the sweet sense of
awakened memory which comes to
one returning home after long years of
absence. At last she said: Joshua,
the apple butter?"
81 amt tasted it," said Joshua, put
ting great arm around her; but
there amt any manner of doubt but
what it's all right. Don't you worry
about that, S'rena- You're all tuckered
out R Macdonald Alden, in Har-
per's Weekly.