The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-06-17

all them pies ana nXln 5. you must
hev thought I'd hev sight of COM
pany. Well, goodbye; take good
care of yerself r'-for the flagman was
waving for all he was worth, and al
though Serena privately hoped that
the Notwithstanding engine would
refuse to stop, it stopped. In a mo-
ment more Joshua and the fagman
and the farm house We're as the Gin
ders which were jerked past the car
window by an unseen hand.
So long was it since the wide world
of travel had shown u glimpse of itself
to Mrs Frethat the morning passed
swiftly, on account of the rapidly
changing scenes through which the
train fled along, and Serena was more
nearly like herself than she had been
since the invitation came. But noon
brought dismal rain, which driZzled
down the windows and put the coun-
try in drab mourning, and discouraged
nearly every one, especially Serena.
Not thinking that she had changed
her place, she felt certain that it was
raining thus dismally at the Corners,
and that Joshua would have to look
after the COWS in the chilly wetness,
and return to an equally chilly
kitchen and stove. Presently the
interchangeable news agent, who had
been all the morning firing alternate
caramel packages and books at the
passengers, threw a pamphlet into
Serena's seat, and she idly picked it
I'D and began to read the advertise
ments on the cover. As she did so.
she let the book fall and gave little
cry of despair.
it was only an advertisement of
some patented rat-destroyer which
had met her eye, but it threw her
poor heart into deep distress. Only
the night before, when she had been
arranging Joshua's provisions in the
pantry, Mrs. Slemmons, the grocers
wife, had come to the door with Il jar
in her hand, the strings of her sun
bonnet hanging dejectedly in front of
her shoulders.
Here's that rat pizen l promised
you,'' she said. Il thought likely Mr..
Fry might find it useful while you
was away the emptier house is, the
more the mice likes it. When my
Susan died, she want really buried
before they was gallivantin' around
her room. I'll sit it right here, Mis-
Fry, for l can't stop; it's comm on
dark. You'll find it'll make 'em go
right off an die every time.
Serena had noticed dimly at the
time that Mrs. Slemmons had set her
jar in front of one of apple-butter
which had been filled for Joshua and
placed on the pantry shelf. Now,
with the swift remembrance OF this
scene which the advertisement
brought, came a dreadful thought.
She had not put the rat poison
away,
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. Slemmons had said it effected
rats, and made them go Off alone TO
die" She wondered whether it would
do any good to ask the conductor to
send word to Joshua not to eat any
apple-butter until she should return.
She imagined u message 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 asun-
der" and she said to herself, I'VE amt
never been asunder before, and
wouldn't be now if 'twasn't fur my
wiclledness." And while she sat so,
of Il sudden it grew dark and then
light again, and the eager train was
resting in the New York station.
A young man i'll Il brown overcoat
was inside the car i'll Il moment or two,
exclaiming: How do you do, Aunt
Serena? So glad to see you as he
caught sight of the figure in the prim
black dress of Miss LamSon's fashion
ing.
But Serena, us 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 AMI let
Susie take care of you
Il amt sick, " said Serena YEARLY;
''and I'd be gladder'n' you think for
to stay with you, but l'm-I'm afraid
SOlneUIllll = lltpjSicti " poSlitib.
The room and the stove at Green
Corners were rather chilly, ana
whether the mice discovered it or no,
Jorhua found the house remarkable
empty. He fingered long in the barn
with the cattle, and when he came
home, ate only II bowl of bread and
milk, and then drew out the calico
cushioned chair and sat in it. There
was not Il sound anywhere except the
voice OF the old clock, saying, "Gone-
gone gone-gone y with dreadful
haste and perseverance. Presently
Joshua dozed. 1t was twilight when
he slept and black night when he
awoke, and he heard the PARKWAY
whistle of the New York night express.
He felt his way to the door, and went
out Why in the world he walked
slowly toward the railroad crossing he
did not know, unless the coming train
seemed to him like message from
Serena, now safe in New York. He
waited silently near the flagluans
closet, while the red eye in the en-
gines forehead sent quivering light
streams far down the track. Before
Joshua knew it, the train had stopped.
The conductor was standing on the
ground, his lantern under his arm,
helpin 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 shroud-
ed in the dark. with the sweet sense