Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-09-14

kuNN.
Again there was silence Miss Margaret
rose. folded and laid by her work. locked
the door wound the clock. and TOOK mp
the lamp.
Come to bed" she said. otis half
past ten.
They put out the light and went to bed.
If they slept or walked If they shed tear,
in the darkness if their poor hearts achea
with the pain of forty years ago. they did
no. tell each other of It.
They were astir early next morning The
september sun had hardly begun TO warm
the world when their scauty breakfast was
over the dishes washed and put away, the
old carpet swept. and the room busted
Miss Margaret came out OF the tiny bed
room with her bonnet OIL
"Where are YOU going
Harriet looked ny surprised. She usually
did the errauds.
.Im going 10 ask Nj Morgan to see to
things Tor the funeral IL the oldest. and
its proper ! should do it, You'd better
put on your other dress. an 60 al gel
that money out of the bank
And SO the matter was settled. and poor
old Bob Barton, who had died alone. and
lett moi a relative III the world. nor cent
OF money. instead of being laid III pau
per S grave. was decently buried. and fol-
lowed to his last resting place by two sin
cere mOuIuers
When the expenses were ali paid, the
sisters found Their little sum reduced more
than they had anticipated
1--WE can 60 without our roast beet Sui
days Harriet suggested tImioly.
"N e~-aud tea once d day D, enough Toy
anybody Margaret answered
so without word of regret orr q thought
OF yielding their project. the sisters made
their little sacrifices, and then they went tu
give their order. After all. their money
would procure only the simplest OF simple
stones nuJ they were satisfied.
what the Inscription aske. the
man lu attendance when the stone had
been selected
Harriet turned helpless.y 80 Margaret,
and Margaret looked Dlankly al Harriet.
Neither Of them had thought of tina,
"Why-hIs name suppose. Miss Mar
garet began.
"No. sister. don't" pleaded Harriet.
Lets wait and talk il over and come
again
And so they walked slowly nome. They
had a way-these sIster--0t not speaking
until they had thought "a thing out. each
Tor herself. Miss Harriet lighted the nre
when they reached home. and made the
tea. while her sister set the cups and plates
on the table. sliced the bread and put OIL
the wee bit OF butter Il was a chilly
evening but they put on Their suawls and
Lex the nre 20 down There was no pape,
to read to-ul-l. So they both knitted.
Margaret worked steadily. but Harriet
stopped now and then Ill absent minded
way. ana she passed over more IMAM one
dropped stitch without seeing .. In was
she OF course. who finally broke the ,I-
leuce
81 can bear TO nave that name 60 OIL
she SAID. ''eveu if il was his. lie never
ulsCracel lt
"Bu, who ever heard OF tombstone
without any name OF IT,
"Weu. we could put on ms rrst Maine
/ and-and-a verse OF poetry. meDuy. or
sOmethin' from the scripture
Harriet Staples Poetry The idea
Il ain Dehttiu and you know ILL., MOI
/ vet Scripture. he was a good man, but
We don't know nothing about his religion
/ IL don suit. somehow guess I'll nave
/ 10 be Jest The uamv-kOUert
"That sounds kind o. cold like" Mis-,
Harriet hesItatel Nobody ever Gale.
/ Bot-yOu know?
NO. We couldn't, snapped Miss Mar
CaTet eve aIu'l C0iu TO nave no nick
names OIL that stone
Harriet said 10 more: and the next DAY
they gave their order Miss Margaret wa
even more quiet than usual during the To-
malnder OF the day. and when night cam,
she went 10 bed earlier tnau was ner Gus
tom. IN the morning. when Harriet awoke
she was startled 10 md her sister gone
She kindled the IRE. wondering what conf.
nave taken Margaret ont SO early. BY IN,
time breakfast was rea IS. her anxiety hal
increased 10 such al extent that sine was II
the act OF putting on her own bonnet 10 q.
III search of her when tine door Opene.
and Margaret appeared. She looked COLI
and blue. and her thin lips were shut tight
by together.
lis anything the matter, sister" Har
RET asked 'Wnere nave YOU been
"Of course there ain / anything the mai
ter. Can, l 60 OUT 1OI a little wItnou
you re gettin riied up3
Il was afraid somethiu' had happene.
10 you.
"Guess cal take care OF myself
Seems 10 NE / smell sOmethiu DuruiL
1T S the JOas, go
Harriet turned meekIy TO the stove. Sh'
asked no more questions. Margarel Kep
her own counsel. and life IN the little cot
rage went Oh as mOnolOnousiy as ever.
II was cold. bleak day III early Novem
Der There was not DIt OF Creenuess LET
anywhere; the frOsts had been early an.
severe. Even the Drigh,-tinted leaves hal
fallen from the trees, and the whole land
scape was brown and dreary. In the oil,
cemetery. where the hill slopes gently u
the south, stood two women looking dow
upon a grave. The wind blew Miss Mar
garet scant skirts about uer ankles. an.
pulled out Miss HarrIets shaw benin.
ike a balloon. Miss Margaret face look
ed cold ana plncned, with the thin wlsp,
OF hair blowing about il; and Harriet
bonnet was askew and her nose reddene-
by the wind. some people We're passing
a pretty cir IN the party Cigglel and sal,
something 10 the others aUOu, the '',Ug
old maids. But the sisters were alike uu
conscious Of the Crotesqueness OF their ap
pearauce and the pathos OF the white ston,
that marked an old mans grave with it
one word
But
"Why. sister Mis- Harriet locke.
alarmed. "Why he's made mistake
we told him Robert"
"NO, faint a mistake, Margaret al
sweTel. ] told him 10 change It-vou wer,