Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-11-19
SILENT SISTERS.

They had quarreled in girlhood and
mutually declared their intention never
to speak to each other again, wett1ng
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 q 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
Gle 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 p years
later Mercy, the younger, married fell
low workman of James husband. The
! two husbands were friends and often
| >
! on opposite sides of the same sordid
street, and the wives made them well
come. Neither Honor nor Mercy suffered
an allusion to 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 in 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 effervescence OF angry
speech When either lost q 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 collaborating
was heavy upon them. Gray hairs
streaked their brown tresses, then brown
hairs streaked their gray tresses. The
Fuckers of age replaced the dimples of
youth. The years rolled on, and Death
grew busy among the families. Honor's
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
Iected, would carry her off within
week. So the doctor told Jim, Mercy
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-
ton. "She was always woman to say
nothin. -
Honor put him impatiently aside and
examined the medicine bottle on the
bedside table.
'tIsn't it time she took her dose?''
'I dessay.
Honor snorted wrathfully. whats
the use of MANI" 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 pause.
elbow are you now, Mercy?" asked
the old man awkwardly. The old WON
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 a tailor's dummy? Why don't you
tell her to cheer up?'
"Cheer up, Mercyp' 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. ssThis is the end O. me-"
Ibid 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
rs the equals Of her elders, and here am
! I, her elder sister, as carried her in my
arms when was 5 and she was 2, still
hale and strong, and with no mind for
underground for many a long day. Nigh
/ three times her age / was once mind
you, and now she has the imperence to