Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-12-01
SILENT SISTERS.


mutually declared their intention never
to speak to each other again, wetting
and drying their forefingers to the ac-
compartment of an ancient childish in
cantation, and while they lived on the
paternal farm they kept their foolish
oath with the stubbornness of a slow
country stock, despite the alternate
coaxing and chastisement of their par
ents, Notwithstanding the perpetual ev-
eryday contact of their lives, through
every vicissitude of season and weather,
of sowing and reaping, of sun and shade,
of joy and sorrow.
Death and misfortune did not recon-
cile them, and when their father died
and the old farm was sold up they
travelled to London in the same silence,
by the same train, in search of similar
situations. Service separated them for
years. though there was only stones
throw between them. They often stared
at each other in the streets Honor, the
elder, married local artisan; 2 . years
later Mercy, the younger, married fell
low workman of James husband. The
two husbands We're friends and often
visited each others houses, which were
on opposite sides of the same sordid
street, and the wives made them well
come. Neither Honor nor Mercy suffered
an allusion 30 the breach. 1t was under
stood that their silence must be received
in silence.
Each of the sisters had quiverful of
children, who played and quarreled to-
gether i'll the streets and in one anoth-
er's houses, but not even the street af-
trays and mutual grievances of the chill
dren could provoke the mothers to
words. They stood at their doors in i'm
potent fury, almost bursting with the
torture of keeping their mouths shut
against the etfervescence of angry
speech. When either lost child, the
other watched the funeral from her
window, dumb as the mutes
The years rolled on, and still the
river of silence flowed between their
lives. Their good looks faded. The bur-
den of life and of their childbearing
was heavy upon them. Gray hairs
streaked their brown tresses, then brown
hairs streakod their gray tresses The
Fuckers of age replaced the dimples of
youth. The years rolled on, and Death
grew busy among the families. Honor 8
husband died, and Mercy lost a son,
who died a week after his wife Cholera
took several of the younger children.
But the sisters themselves lived on, bent
and shriveled by toll and sorrow even
more than by the slow frost of the years.
Then one day Mercy took to her death
bed. An internal disease, too long neg
lected, would carry her off within a
week. So the doctor told Jim, Mercy's
husband
Through him the news travelled to
Honor's eldest son, who still lived with
her. BY the evening it reached Honor.
As Honor entered Mercy's sickroom,
with pursed lips, light leaped into the
wasted, wrinkled countenance of the
dying creature. She raised herself slight
ly in bed, her lips parted, then shut
tightly, and her face darkened
Honor turned angrily to Mercy's hus-
band, who hung about impotently.
"Why did you let her run down so
low?" she said 81 didn't know" the
old man stammered, taken back by her
presence even more than by her ques-
tion. "She was always woman to say
nothin.
Honor put him impatiently aside and
examined the medicine bottle on the
bedside table.
isn't it time she took her dose?"
81 dessay.'
Honor snorted wrathfully. whats
the use of a man?" she inquired as she
carefully measured out the fluid and
put it to her sisters lips, which opened
to receive it and then closed tightly
again.
''How is your wife feelin now?"
Honor asked after a pause.
How are you now, Mercy?" asked
the old man awkwardly. The old wom-
an shook her head ''I'm a-goin fast,
Jim, " she grumbled weakly, and tear
of self pity trickled down her parch-
ment cheek.
"What rubbidge she do talk, !" cried
Honor sharply. "Why dye stand there
like tailor's dummy? Why don't you
tell her to cheer up?'
"Cheer up, Mercy" quavered the old
man hoarsely.
But Mercy groaned instead and
turned fretfully on her other side, with
her face to the wall.
''I'm too old; I'm too DID," she
moaned. ''This is the end O. me-.
did you ever hear the like?' Honor
asked Jim angrily as she smoothed his
wife's pillow. ''She was always con-
ceited about her age, settin herself up
as the equals of her elders, and here am
|, her elder sister, as carried her in my