The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-04-18
SELECTED STORY.
A Wife's Error.

mat autumn, 30 That the country had not
quite lost its summer tinge of green, but
winds had blown necessarily and given
the foliage tattered, disconnected look.
Something of the same look, scared and
uneasy, was repeated in the girls face.
Every now and then she glanced behind
her, with a swift, involuntary turn of the
head, as if she expected to hear footsteps
or n call. Nothing came. The population
in this country district was scanty, and
she only passed a cart, driven by man,
and two or three children, truants from
school, who were climbing the hedges in
search of the few remaining blackberries.
As she saw them in the distance the un-
easy look in her eyes became more marked,
and she scurried by them on the opposite
side of the narrow, muddy lane without
question, although she was sure they could
have told her what she wanted to know.
Presently she came upon an outlying
whitewashed cottage, with a garden still
full of chrysanthemums and geraniums
and smoke flying lightly out of chin
ney. She paused, then closed her rather
tremulous mouth determinedly. "No,"
she said, 81 won't. I'll find the house
somehow"
AT last, seeing a man working in field,
she called to him over the gate:
"You needn't come no nearer, but |
wish you'd tell me where the minister
lives"
81 amt coming no nearer" said the
man, surprised. "See that little white
house by the big ellemY Anybody'll show
you"
She went away in the direction he point
ed out. As she came near she heard the cry
of a child on the other side of the wall and
slackened her pace. "He's children, too"
she said to herself "Well, it's his place.
he's got to come, and was told to fetch
him" She rang the bell and asked for
the minister.
81 don know as you can see Mr.. Wood, p"
said the girl who appeared in answer, "but
If you like to step in you can leave mes
sage with the missis."
She hesitated. "I'll stop here, " she said
In minute or two she heard light
football, and Mrs. Wood came into the
passage.
"You asked for my husband" she said
kindly. II don't know your face. think
you must be a stranger?"
eve haven't been here long. We'm over
TO Abingdon"
"And do you wish to speak to him?"
"He's wanted to our house" the girl
answered in a dull tone, as if she were re
peating a lesson. Johnny and Toms
both dead, and mothers dying. Fathers
down, too, " she added.
The curate's wife turned white and step
ped back.
"What is itf" she said family.
"Diptheery. Everybody's that scared of
us they won't come nigh the house. The
baker puts the bread inside the garden
gate" She spoke stolidly, as if already the
cutting off from human fellowship had be-
come matter of course, and she did not
look at the shrinking figure of the wife
and mother, who stood staring, but as no
answer came she added, 1.-The minister's
wanted
"Why did you come herei Arlington is
not in this parish.
''There's no use going to Mr.. James"
"You must try. Go back and say my
husband can't come"
The girl glanced at her with dreary ac-
ceptance before she made final attempt.
"Mother's awful bad. The doctor says
her can't last the night"
The other stood stiffly, bracing herself
to her words
cts terrible Mr.. Wood would be very
sorry if he knew, but he can't come. He's
away" she added. And taking out
purse as meager looking as herself she
dropped a few shillings into the girls
hand. There, 60" she said hurriedly,
land mind you don't speak to any one in
the village.
II amt going to speak to no one, " re-
turned the girl, with a touch of indigna-
ton in her voice. She held the money in
her limp hand without looking at it or
thanking the giver, her eyes meditatively
fixed upon the door, the handle of which
the wi fa rrro n & bou RI
fearful that she might force an entrance.
Once more she vaguely repeated, "Her
won't last the night"
"You d better go back at once"
They heard child at that moment call
Mother motherp' The girl lifted her
heavy eyes and looked full in the wife's
face.
eyes, III CO." she said briefly. Turn
ing away, she went along the road by
which she had come, and Mrs. Wood stood
rigidly watching her, still holding the
handle of the door. AS the last fiutter of
the faded lilac print was lost round a cor
ner the tension failed, and she leaned
against the door with all her limbs trem-
bling.
"What have donei What have doneS"
she murmured. "If John knew, he ID never
forgive me- What business had they to
bcnu lOr JOHH WHEN IHty re none Vi HlS!
She paused, her sense of justice refusing
to take shelter behind this thought. AL
lington was a tiny hamlet, lying strictly
within the borders of another parish
where the vicar was very old and infirm,
but the curate of Marldon had never
shrunk from responding to any call which
came from the two or three families in
habiting the poor, low lying, damp, out
Of the way cottages. Least of all would
he have refused now. And as she felt in
her own conscience what his conscience
would suffer for the act she started up
right and turned to run and tell him. But
she had one of those strong wills which,
from their very power over their possess
ors, are often unsupported and it rose up
now like iron. "No," she said, che shall
not go. His throat is weak, and he is so
careless of infection that he would let the
children play about him, as they always
do. If he had known that he was want
ed, | would not have tried to stop him.
wouldn't lay the sin of refusal upon his
shoulders, but If l take it myself God can
not be angry with him. will take i'll
do take it," She lifted her gray face to
the gray skies. "Good Lord" she said