The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-09-01

much more-an' I declare I thought,
ef I'd never thought afore, thst Lean
der was in the rights OF. Wal, you
know how we had the weddin', on
Tuesday, jest the same with only your
folks an ourn. An you know how
folks talked; an how my brother Lean
DER looked all that summer. An when
this woman comes down ter his fun'ra
and sets an cries, you an -he minister
think that's enough. It beats me! An
dunno but you pity :her-yer do, fur
aught know
! moo, I dunno's say it's enough
exactly" said Mrs. White, obviously.
But she added, with more spirit: "Sor-
rvs l be fur you, Charlotte Longman,
| do say-an' know I'd oughter say
it-that it amt fur us ter say who's
punished an who amt punished, in
this world. An it amt fur us ter try
ter punish people, should say-much
less in our own houses
Miss Longman rose impatiently, a
world Of revolt in the movement
Il guess we nights well go now"
she said curtly.
The two passed through a wicket
beside the house into broad meadow,
green, touched, with russell They went
noiselessly, their footballs solemnly
muffled by the soft grass, The autumn
afternoon was full of the pale glow of
a sky Of transparent clearness. The
great peace of atmospheric purity
seemed settling visibly over the wide
space. Miss Longman moved quickly.
Her tears had ceased some time before,
but there was a tense look on her
strong, disigured face. In spite Of
herself, old scenes still surged through
her brain, Wearied with night-watching
and grief Now she saw Leander, his
gray hair ruff1ed, his gray eyes looking
indulgently over his newspaper when
| he spoke. She saw him leaning on
his scythe, big drops on his bronzed,
impassive forehead, pulling deep
draughts from the Jug she brought
him. She saw him still with herself.
on the doorstep, after a hard days
Work-for no one could say he was not
a good farmer, did not keep things up,
for all his oddly silent ways. There
was great stiffness in the air, and
themselves at peace, they watched the
fading sky. Full of anguish she saw
him on his death bed, the fierce color
in his long, unshaven cheeks, the soft
ened, yet clear look of his eyes, the
tumbled sheets which she could not
straighten often enough. And she
heard again, alas! the strange words
he had let fall with such evident sin
cerlty. That evening had seemed very
still. With her strong arms and knees
she had pushed his bed to the window.
His eyes had swept the sky, before he
spoke. -. >" f. ----~
She was allus a purity creetur, Lott
with them lips an eyes o. hern,' he
had said. "Singlar how I've allus felt
as eft she b'longed ter me, by rights
spite Of AL, III. tz'PEraps ef ]. hadn't made
her marry 111m-right off-she'd come
round. Women do. I've thought O.
that heap o'times. But 1 was crazy
like them martyrs they tell bout,
Lott. Yes, twas like boilin' oil
Sence this fever, it feels jest's I did
then-only now kinder like it-yes, I
kinder like it now. It's bein' young
again. An I see her palmer n ever I
did-an' I've seed her purity plain, too
sometimes-heard her, too. Did YOU
ever think that leetle brown bird that
sung them dry summers in the elm
sounded like her? Wal, I guess should
ma, struck hiIl-sooner r later-ef he
hadn't gone off fore the Weddin'. But.
Lor, L guess't Warn't no way ter do.
l spose he's gin her heaps O. fixins',-
lust an 1ast-but allus said he warn't
no great hand with Women-folks, fur
airs line ways But eff she was sorry,
whose fault vast? I've thought O.
that a powerful deal, too. But | listen
ed enough. Arter she was gone ter
Ded, an you was quiet upstairs, I'd
creep out, an listen, an listen. When
she was sobbin so, eff she'd said a
l word about me, my name or any thin,
yer knoW-an' she might ha' said that
I'D ha' opened the door, an gone in,
an TUX her in my arms-or else I'd
struck her. I've often wondered which.
It's most crazed me sOmetimes-seein'
her round so. But most likely I've
liked it. I guess there amt many
places bout the old farm, where she
ain't been with me. Eve had her in
my arms, someimes-but in a dream
yes, guess mostly in kinder dream.'
His sister had held her breath for
him to go on. II kin feel her pantin'-
best,' he had said, then; "that was
when I asst ef we hadn't better git mar
ried, yer know. I thought I'd dot
bout this time O. day-when yer don't
see each other so awful plain; n
waited fur a real good sunset. Seemed
| Ter me JWOulu make heap o. dHer
whether twas red or yaller. Maybe
eff I'd TUX a yaller one I'd a done bet
ter; but somehow I allus liked this red
kind best. There she is! declare eff
she's altered a mite this evenin'. ~
AS his sister had heard the words
they had seemed to burn her. as if
they, too, were full Of fever. He was
not raving. He. had only spoken him
self out-at last.
Miss Longman was one Of those who
cherish the past for its simple tender
nesses. it's homely devotions, but she
must feel herself moving, pre-eminent
among those memories, to give them
value. Now in the torturing confusion
Of her mind, before this passion, sur
prised as it were, still living in the
sick man, one feeling predominated-.
an intolerable sense Of repulsion, Of al
most physical disgust, as before some
thing so strange, so unexpected as to
seem unlovely, uncanny-shameless al
most
But now the graveyard was in sight.
From slope the two women saw the
few tall shafts shining pallidly; the
/ dingier tablets standing at many an