The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-16
CHAPTER XXI.
A Letter.


hear the letters called, which was the
custom at that time. saving the post
master the trouble Of calling over the
dozens Of envelopes again. Among the
rest was one form Isaac Akers to his
mother, but none for Mrs. Brooke, none
FOR Sparkle. From Isaac Akers's letter
they learned the news Of the death of
John Brooke, as told by the strange
woman who had taken the writer from
the grave alive The details We're so
meager ii left not a little bewilderment
in the minds of the widow and daugh-
ter, but no doubt of the news it con-
tanned. The letter made mention Of no
other incident of that eventful night,
but mentioned important papers that he
had given in care of the woman to con-
vey to them, and presumed she was
there long before his letter was written.
This bit Of news set all of the villagers
on tiptoe. in momentary expectation Of
the arrival Of the unknown woman, but
as she should have arrived weeks before,
all manner of suspicion was conjured up.
Some thought her dead, some that she
had been captured and carried into the
enemys country, while not a few al
legged that she had likely taken pos
might give and was far away, while
some even thought Isaac Akers crazy
and writing some Authorizations of a
diseased brain. The next mail brought
evidence. however, that settled one thing
and that was the death of John Brooke.
This had been so long expected and the
evidence Of which was held in doubt so
long, that the event seemed to grow
upon Sparkle and her mother and finally
become a matter of course, without that
shock which comes of a sudden from
such news. without warning.
John Brooke, the village blacksmith,
was no more. The villagers could now
remember his many noble qualities.
Those who had derided him and perse-
cuted him because his religious belief
differed from theirs thought of that 10
more. His many kind acts and noble
traits We're all they could think Of. and
they finally concluded that death eVenS
all up. When humanity learns to ap-
preciate the good qualities Of persons
during their lifetime and does not save
all the flowers for the grave, but makes
more use Of little rememberances while
the poor wayfarers are still struggling
along the hot, dusty path Of life, the
world will have less tears and groans
and more laughter and clapping of
hands. The grief Of some becomes a
mark Of vanity, they weep loudest to
advertise their sympathy. This is much
like giving to the foreign missionary
cause, but turning a deaf car to tile
wall of little sufferer that lives only
across the street.
Though there were but few outward
signs of grief in the home OF the widow
of John Brooke, there vas a deep gic:nn
upon the hearts Of the stricken John
Brooke was gone. Thai family trinity,
father, mother and hi c, was broken
Their stay and their hope was no more.
Those patient hands that oiled At the
anvil were now at rest. The ups that
spoke only lo.e and taught only the
philosophy of ma kindness were
still. Thai pOpu, IT form Os mr. lei .
who can best direct others how to des-
troy, had smitten the innocent and he
slept in an unknown grave.
Sparkle realized that she was now a
fatherless child, that her frail little
craft, like a cOckle-shell, was no more
to be guided by that great strong hand
of her devoted father; that henceforth
she must depend upon herself, her
reason, her judgment, her energy, her
integrity. She must enter unaided. into
q battle more fierce, more dangerous,
more tempestous than her father had
over known
The hardest of all battles that human
ty fights in this world are waged in the
solitude and silence of human reflection.
When the weak child sees every prop
removed and every stay broken. nights
rome without sleep. days without rest.
Every distracted throb Of the heart in
tensifies the souls misery. The restless
head losses from side to side, and the
busy and weary mind schemes and plans
seeking some way to avoid the calami-
ties Of poverty, disease and ten thousand
disadvantage From night till morn,
and from morn till right 1t perplexes
itself 1t is this silent battle that civil
1Zation has forced upon its children that
IF 10 oil
the evils Of heathenism, it's benighted
children at least found some rest To
the primitive and unenlightened races
suicide and insanity were almost IN
known. These dire calamities are the
heritage Of what we call "enlighten-
ment contemplation of our present
system Of grinding greed, injustice to
the toiling millions Of people, the pow
erty and dissipation of great cities, the
frail constitution Of millions of people,
the hopeless condition Of millions more.
the wonder is that one-half are not
crazy and that the other half does not
end its own existence, leaving its shad-
ows with the hope Of finding sunshine
on the other side
Sparkle Brooke had somewhat of
reason in questioning the wisdom of
her own existence. To call il providen-
tial is to assume that there is some
ruling power blind, deaf and dumb.
Grief has it's philosophy as we'll as IFS
has learned to be while struggling to
extricate itself from some Disadvantage
or some pain. With this alertness OF
human cunning the races would become
extinct.
Though Sparkle Brooke's sorrow was
deep and real. the experience of the
past few months had taught her that
grief was only to be used as kind of
safety-valve to keep the heart from
breaking. and she wisely concluded. as
she was busy during the day struggling
for the means to support herself and
those whose burdens she had voluntarily
placed upon her own shoulders and
whom she must feed by that continuous
stitch after stitch, she had no time for
sorrow except at night
Many times, after the long wea,-v
days toll was over. with aching head
and tired hands, she fell upon her bed
to give way to tears and then to sleep.
arising early in the morning as cheerful
as could be under such circumstances.
TO arrange the house, assist her mother.
who was we'll nigh broken down both
the echo of which came back from the
battlefield. Later Sparkle would be
found taking baby out Of bed. bathing
him and dressing him, talking baby
talk 70 him, until remembered duties
forced her to lay the treasure aside to
be watched by its invalid father while
she worked
Carl Brandon had sufficiently recov-
cred. after many weeks. TO walk with
out his crutches. though not fully res
tOred to his former strength Being des-
titute Of any financial resource and I'M
able to earn a dollar. he was little more