The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-24


eyes, died last night. IL didn't seem
possible he could ever surprise 'em in
that way, they'd been lookin for 1t so
long, but he did. They were eatin their
supper in the kitchin Left him jes' for
mint, and when they hurried back
there he was-gone
Mrs. Crocker Strengthened her sun
bonnet, drew her shawl about her shoul-
ders and rose to depart. AT the door
she paused.
"What do yer suppose, Lie, that
daughter of his II do?"
"Matildy?"
eyes"
"Waal, I've thought Of that, but don't
seem to come to eny mind consarnin
her. She's SO all fred queer. Perhaps
it'll onsettle her. p"
"Do yer think she'll go to Bostin?'
"Shouldf't be bit surprised Of she
did. She's never be n the same sence her
visit there that air time"
Likely though"
eyes, smart's whip"
As they turned TO part each glanced
curiously down the hill, where from
the door knocker of a small white house
long black streamer hung in detected
folds to the stoop.
Looks like new Grape"
"Waal, it's about time. That old
pieces ben in use ever sence the year
my John was born. Remember jes as
we'll Miss Edgcom' left off mournin for
her ma and put on that sprigged mus
lin. Sort o. neat, but too young for her.
Waal, Mr. Edgoom', he jes took her
old veil, yanked out the creases and has
used il ever sence for every funeral he's
ever tended
In the white house lay the corpse OF
Ezra Perkins. As his neighbors had
gossiped, he had been left for few min
utes by his daughter and nurse, and
when they returned he had passed be-
yond their care The hard work, the
exposure, the fover, to all of which the
New England farmer becomes an early
inheritor, had done their work AT 90
he had been wornout man; at 60 he
was dead.
In the sparoroom the nurse, COM
Portable looking, middle aged woman,
was tying black ribbon around the
stem of goblet which held few
sprays of ragged robin and young man q
love, viewing her work with approval
and wondering how soon she could with
deoency leave the house of mourning TO
enter her term of service at the next
place, where she had seen six young
Browns into the world and was ready
and eager TO help along the seventh.
Down stairs Matildy was putting
back the disordered chairs, straighten-
ing an unruly window shade and trying
vainly to end the struggles of huge
bluebottle fly that buzzed distractingly
about the dusty panes The coffin stood
in, the middle of the room, and now and
then as she wandered about she would
g.ance at it apprehensively, as If she
feared its contents would still question
and disapproye in querulous accents.
Ezra Perkins had been stern parent
and hard taskmaster. Even death conld
not blot that from her mind Her thin
frame, whose close fitting garment Of
black emphasized the stoop engendered
by years Of daily labor, the lnotted hand
and careworn face, were each mute wit
nesses of the bitter experience life had
been TO her. She had been a slave many
years, but she was free at last-free
from tho gibes and jeers, the constant
supervision, the necessity for account
ing for trifes, the ever overhanging
dread of q daily tribunal for sins OF
omission and commission. There had
been no love between father and daugh-
ter, but the Puritan rigidity of principle
which showed each the straight path OF
duty TO the other and their little world
gave their stern lives the empty appear
anee of family affection.
A little time was her own, in which
she could enjoy the hard earned reward
of reflection-a scanty reward, but one
which overworlSed body and tired brain
had ere this denied her. Her dreams