The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-21

cart--a cloud or steam rising from the;
marc. l did not see James; he was ai-
ready at the door, and came up tbs
stairs, and met inc. 1t was less than
three hours since ho left, and he must
have posted out-who knows how-to
Howgatc, full nine miles off, yolsed
jess and driven her astonished into
town. lie had an armful of blankets,
and was streaming with perspiration.
lie nodded to me, spread out on the floor
two pairs of clean old blankets
havinGa ut their corners, ''A. g., 1884,"
in large letters i'll rcd worsted. These
were the Initials of Alison Gracmc and
james may have looked in Mt her from
wlthout-himsclf unseen but not un.
thought of-when he was. wat, wat.
and weary" and after having wallsed
many II mile over the hills, may have
seen her sitting, while IA the lave were
slecpin';' and by the freight working
her name on the blankets for her ain
james bed.
he motioned Rab down. and taking
his wife i'll his arms, laid her in tho
blankets, and Mapped her carefully and
firmly up. leaving the face uncovered
and then lifting her, he nodded again
Shurply to me, and with n resolved but
utterly miserable face strobe along the
passage and downstairs, followed by
Kab. 1 followed with IL light; but he
didn't need it. | went out. holdinp
stupidity the candle in my hand in tho
calm frosty air; we we're soon at the
gate. l could have helped linn, but I
saw lie was not to be meddled with. and
lie was strong, and did not need it, He
laid her down us tcnderly, as safely, az
lie had lifted her out ten days before
as tenderly as when lie had her first IN
his arms when she was only "a si'
sorted her, leaving that beautiful seais>,
face open to the heavens; and then Il
ing Jess by the head, he moved awav
lie did not notice me, neither dis
Rab, who presided behind tlfs&
cart. stood till they passed throughE
the long shadow of the College. and
turned up Nicholson Street | heardE
the solitary cart sound through theT
streets, and die away and como agatnl
and returned, thinking of that coma
pany going up Libberton Brae, them
along Roslin Muir, the morning light
touching tho Pentlands and making
lhcm ike on-looking ghosts; then down
the hill through Auchindinny Woods.S
past haunted Woolhouselee;" and a.
day break came sweeping up the bleak
Lammcrmuirs, and fell on hi, own
door, tho company would stop, and
James would take the key, and lift
Allie up again. laying her on her own
bel, and, having put jess up, would
return with Rab and shut tho door.
James buried his wife, with his neigh
bors mourning, Rab inspecting the
solcmnity from distance. There was
snow, and that black ragged hole would
look strange in the midst of the swell
ing spotlcss cushion of white james
looked after everything; then rather
suddenly fell i'll and took to bed; was in.
sensible when the doctor came, and
soon died. a sort of low fever was pre-
vailing in the village, and his want OF
sleep, his exhaustion, and his misery
made him apt to take it. The grave
was not difficult to reopen. A fresh
fall of snow had again made all things
white and smooth; Rub once more
looked on, and skunk home to the stable.
And what OF Rub? | asked for him
next week at the new carrier who got
the goodwill of James business, and
was now master OF Jess and her cart.
CLOVIS Rab?' He put me off, and said
rather rudeiy, What's your business
wi the dowg" l was not to be SO put
OFF. Where's Rab?" He, getting con.
fused and red, and intcrmeddling with
his hair, said, Deed, sir Rabs deid."
dead! what did he die OFF" ''Weel,'
sir, said lie, getting rcdder, she didna
exactly dee; he was killed. l had to
brain him wi a rack-pin there was nae
dom wi him. lie lay in the treviss wi;
the NEAR, and wudna come DOT.
Tempt him wi kali and meat, but he
wad talk naething, and kcepit mo frae
fcetlin' the beast and he was aye CUR
gurrin and grnf gruppin' me by the legs
| was lath TO make ava wi the auld
dowg. his like wasna atwccn this and
Thornhill-but, decd, sir, | could do
naethng else
believed him. Fit end for Rab.
quick and complete. His teeth and his
friends gone. why should he keep the
peace. and be civil?