The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1892-03-19

Who LID hCdu IuCh d Hlll-SIOu6, Kill
ing him instantly" He escaped sim
liar fate only by being called to anoth-
er part of the mill just before the &C
cident, still Gretchen remained at the
window, hearing everything tinctly,
yet powerless either to move or cry
aloud. She knew not how long she re-
manned thus.
A feeling that she could not resist
drew her to the place where she knew
they had laid him. She crept quietly
out and reached the room unobserved.
She knelt beside him, clasping his hand
in her own, but there was no answer
ing pressure. They were cold and chill.
She kissed the pale lips over and over
again, but no smile lit up the careworn
face, no CLEAN of love-light shone out
through the closed eyelids. She saw
him standing in the doorway, as he had
stood for moment before going to
his work that morning. His parting
words came back to her. He had said
to her in his bright, CHEEKY way:
Gretchen, help the little mother all
you can to-day. You know she is not
very strong"
She had returned a crisp unpleasant
answer. Then he turned and went
away without another word; but o,
such grieved, sorrowful look! How
much she would have given to know
that she was forgiven! But it was too
late. He would never know how sorry
she was. Tears came to her relief.
Great sobs broke the awful stiffness
Then a neighbor came in and drew her
gently from the room, saying:
"Gretchen, you must be your mothers
comforter now" Then she resolutely
put aside her own grief to soothe and
quiet the younger children.
The day of burial came. She saw
the friends gather one by one; she
listened to the solemn chant, stood be-
side the open grave, heard the old gray
headed pastor solemnly repeat the
words: Earth to earth. and dust to
dust" heard her mothers agonizing
cry, as the earth-clods touched the
coffin-lid. Then came the return to
their desolate home where everything
reminded them so forcibly of the lost
one.
Ere long thoughts of The future
pressed upon mother and daughter
The cottage was theirs. but how was
the little flock to be clothed and fed?
Through the kindness of a friend,
school in an adjoining district was
proffered Mrs. Merton. She decided to
accept the offer. Thus few weeks
found Gretchen duly installed as house,
keeper. 1t was not what she had
planned for herself before their sorrow
came, and rebellious thoughts would
crowd in upon her; but memory of
the still form hidden away in the old
churchyard, and look into her
mothers pale, sad face, would check
them, and the bitter words remained
unspoken.
Weeks passed. The duties of the
school-room, together with the over
sight of the home, proved too much for
frail Mrs. Merton. Late in the autumn,
just before the chilling winter came,
another grave was made, and Gretchen
saw her mother laid to rest beside her
father.
Mollie had been slightly i'll for sew
eral days; but Gretchen had not heed
ed 1t, being too much engrossed with
the care of her mother Mollie grew
suddenly worse. The disease proved
to be scarlet fever in it's most malig-
nant form. A few days of intense pain,
then the busy hands were folded and
the loving child voice hushed forever
One after another the other children
were taken from the home, till only
heHelf and the baby were left. She
held the little form close in her arms,
lovingly smoothing her tangled curls,
trying with her own soft touch to cool
the fevered brow. Earnestly she prayed
that this one home-link might be
spared her; but soon tiny mound was
made beside the larger ones, and she
found herself alone in the world.
In the meantime debts had been &C
cumulating. There was no alterna-
tive. The cottage must be sold. The
day of salescame. Before the crowd
began to gather she went through the
silent, deserted rooms, reserving here
and there an article, in itself of little
value, but of priceless worth to her. A
broken doll, a worn baby-shoe, her
InotherS work basket, with its contents
untouched, were among the treasures
carefully placed in an old hair-trunk.
Then she saw the home furniture auc-
TONED off, and lastly the cottage and
grounds transferred to Deacon Smith.
She was alone, without friends or home.
With great heart-cry of anguish,
she sprang to her feet. She gazed
about her with look of intense aston
ishment The breath of cinnamon
roses came to her through the open
window. A robin was piping a
merry roundelay in cherry tree near
by. The indistinct murmur of chill
dren's voices fell upon her ear. The
book that had fallen at her feet as she
sprang from the lounge now arrested
her attention Tears Of Joy sprang