The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-03-31
concluded from 9th page. ]

the village dressmaker's needle and
scissors were busy. 1--WE been down
below below meant Boston, she said
when she was pinning on the lining, land
they dress young there. l am going to
make you the Lyddy you used to be, +"
she smiled.
When Mrs. Potter heard of it, she
started straight for the Sheldons' and
she carried heavy heart in her bosom.
When nearly opposite the little home.
she met Stephen Bowen. 81 want you
to go into Lyddy's with me, have got a
dying repentance to give. / must be
right" she said in husky voice.
Stephen silently turned and accom-
panied her.
"Lyddy!" Mrs. Potter burst out, as
soon as she was in the house. did Otis
Morgan ever wrong you? He was my
brother, but tell me, Lyddy. No, thank
you, can't sit"
Stephen Bowen stepped to Lyddy's
side and put his arm about her
Mrs. Potter" he said. ''he wronged
us both out of fifteen years love. He
came to me and sneered about Lyddy's
love for me. He showed me her picture
he carried with him, and swore what he
would do. l was hasty, but he made me
Lyddy so untrue, and l finally resolved
to see her the next day and be assured
that nay fears were groundless. 1t was a
beautiful, cold morning; but its sun
shine all turned to darkness when |
came in sight of Mr. Sheldon's garden.
Otis Morgan and Lyddy stood in the
summer house. thought they had just
come from walk. He was holding her
hand, and the troubled look on her face
was misinterpreted by me. l could not
know that she was telling him he could
not win her in thousand years, and
begging him to make himself worthy of
some wife who could return his affection.
Otis saw me. He knew why / turned
and fled. l can see his look of exulta-
ton now. He knew why l went to Cali
fornia, but he never told Lyddy.
Yes, he wronged us, Mrs. Potter"
at was you he meant, then. All the
day before he died he would look at me
by spells, and declare the devil was
close to him, grinning, and telling him
the Indians killed somebody-you know
there were no railroads then-and that a
lot of little devils danced around the big
one and piped out You must suffer for
murder. 1t was you that killed him.
| would try to soothe him. | thought
he was out of his head. But his soul
was SORE"
"Glad ont" Sally interrupted in an
undertone, "hope it smarted all over
and ached nigh ter split"
"The day he died he kept grooming and
saying, I've repented, Martha. You
tell them I've repented.'"
Tell who? asked" and Mrs. Potter
wiped her eyes.
"Ifyou ever see any one you think
I've wronged, tell them I've repented,'
was all he would say. But he kept
groaning; and at the last he looked at
me, and whispered, Martha, tell them
it was my dying repentance. Do you
think they will forgive mel? and he died
groaning with those words on his lips,
I've been waiting all these years to OBJ
tam that forgiving, and this morning,
when | heard you two were to be mar
red after all, it came to me that it
must be you. Can you forgive himP she
urged, choking back the tears.
I'VE will try to-" Stephen answered,
still remaining at Lyddy's side. Won't
we, Lyddy?"
Il have a word to say about this for
giving business" said Sally, who had
been standing ready. She knew Lyddy
anu hCIl hOulu NC JOO III
their happiness.
Pm not so ready to throw in princi-
pal and int'rest," Sally continued. Eyes,
Lyddy, don't demonstrate. I'll be mod
erate.h
"You would be, Sally" Mrs. Potter
said meekly, 'if you could have heard
him groan."
''Groan!' Sally burst out, I'm glad
he did groan hope he is groanin' yit.
| hope he'll groan for fifteen year. Why
didn't he repent when 'twould have done
some good; not wait till he got to groan-
in! He put it off till he got scared and
was afraid his shrivelled up little soul
might git dried up dryer. Groan! If his
repentance had been accordin' to his sin,
the whole town would have heard him.
I'll think over about my forgiveness,
and let you know"
Very well, Sally" replied Mrs. Pot
ter. And I'm very grateful to you and
Stephen, Lyddy. Forgive, if you can.
| think he was sincere. And you are
really to be married Wednesday night?
Eyes, Christmas eVe,' ana Stephen
looked at Lyddy and smiled.
~ have been nearly out of nay head
since heard the news. 1t III came SO
suddenly to nae. Try to forgive him.
God bless your and Mrs. Potter turned
to the door. How | should have felt
last night if I'd known you were talking
it over" she added, and ''forgiving him
tOol''
I'm dreadful sorry for you, Mis- Pot
ter" said Sally in softened voice. ut
must be an awful load to carry. l don't
know nothin' about it though. l s'pose
it's because my conscience has 80 many
burdens of its own there amt room to
tuck in everybody else's sins. I'll think
it over. Perhaps Otis can know they are
going to forgive him. and feel easier.
P'r'aps so. That can comfort you, Mis-
Potter. hope he'll see how happy they
are in spite of him. I'll 90 down next
week and help you clean house. You
are not strong and I'm tough; besides, l
shall be middlin' lonesome"
Christmas eve came at last. Just after
dusk, Stephen and Liddy stood in one of
the upper rooms, alone, for Mrs. Brent,
who occupied the remainder of the house
in which Sally and Lyddy lived, had
thrown open her rooms to the guests,
who were anxiously waiting below.
"Lyddy," said Stephen, drawing her
arm within his, lit all seems like dream.
And our love" he smiled, "has so many
years to spread over, it will be ali the
deeper, will it not, dear?''
And they left the room, Lyddy fearful
ly giving her answer.
Two hours later Sally sat in corner of
the kitchen, her face buried in her hands
. IL