The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-03-14
A GUILTY CONSCIENCE.

- ~ ~ 4AA = WAN
ssPoor, dear Joanna!" said Mrs.
Fox. $50 she's gone at last. Well,
we're all mortal
s'The deceased had many good
traits" said the parson. adjusting his
ten fDger-tips together aud looking up
20 the ceiling.
81 won't say but that Arphaxad had
some trials with her." observed Cousin
Car'liue. "She was middlin' short in
the temper, and hadn't any great
notion of economy"
1.-TWO silk dresses" said Mrs. Min
turn. .sAnd I never had ncthin' bet
Ter than cashmere, all my life long"
''Then that diamond ring" said
Mrs. Fox.
that diamond ring" hoarsely
muttered Mrs, Minturn. "And the
morglde not paid on the stun barn yet.
When I heard O that diamond ring, l
up an says, tWell, the fools arn't dead
yet, so longs Arphaxad Johnson's
aliye.''
"He was most induIgent husband
to the deceased" remarked the parson,
looking around for bis hat and gloves.
While poor Arphaxad' himself was
stealthily splitting wood in the basement
Of the stone barn, needless of his new
black suit.
s.I'm blest if I can stan settin'
round an doin' nothin'," said the
disconsolate widower. And as long
as nobody hears me, an the wood
piles runnin' low-an' Lord knows it
ain'tno disrespect to poor Joanna"
In the meantime Mrs. Minturn, the
Widow Fox and Cousin Car'line were
preparing for the morrow's funeral:
In that belated portion of the State
Of New Hampshire a funeral meal:
cold baked meats, chicken pies, raised
loafcake and the choicest preserves, for
he benefit Of the mourners.
"Joanna herself want no great Of a
housekce2er, said Mrs. Mintura.
s.Kut, all the same, Arphaxad s mother
was my second cousin. an' I'm bound
to sec there ain's nothin' lackin' on
his sad occasion.
It.was .ararly dark when the last loaf
Of cake was taken out Of the oven and
the last cold ham garnished with pars-
ley leaves and yellow jelly.
"Where's Car line" Mrs. Fox in
quired.
There was little hustle and furry
Of question asking until Cousin Car
line hurried out OF the back room.
with Mrs. Fox's bonnet and shawl on
her arm.
81 was just a-takin' last look at
the deceased" SAID she. ''Poor, dear
Joanna! An' she only twenty-eight!"
els it true," said Mrs. Fox, "that
she's goin' to be buried with that dia-
,aoud ring on her fnger?''
Mrs. Minturn nodded.
ssIt was most her last request" said
she, in the doleful voice which she
had assumed ever since Mrs. Arphaxad
johnson had departed this life.
s'Tnat was queer notion, want it?'
"Joanna always was queer" said
Mrs. Minturn. ''Wanted to be buried
IN her weddin' gown, with year-drops
in her years and that there vapble
diamond ring on her finger. She never
would have had that ring if Arphaxad
aad took my advice
All this time Cousin Car'line had
stood uneasily. balancing herself first
on one foot and then on the other,
holding the bonnet aud shawl the
while.
"Why, how you trelnble, Car'line
Cooper" ssid Mrs. Fox. "Aiu'tgettin'
nervous, be you?"
"Well, p'raps be little nervous"
admitted Miss Cooper. There's such
lot to do, you know; and Arphaxad
he's dreadful tryin'. Won't set in the
parlor and see folks, as he oughter, but
persists in doing odd jobs about the
place on the sly, and keeps me worried
20 death"
Mrs. Minturn took up the candle
and went into the big best room, where
lay poor Joanna in her white Benga-
Gue wedding silk, with the much-dis-
cussed ring sparkling on her left hand.
Somebody took the vi'lets outer her
handsr' said she sharply.
Don't you like 'em better so?' fall
tered Cousin Car'line with chattering
teeth.
'sNo, don't" said Mrs. Minturn,
replacing the stiff little bunch Of artiti-
cial pansies within the long, white
fingers.
"You don't half see the ring that a.
way" said Mrs. Fox.
eyes, you do," persisted Mrs. Mint
urn. 1.-The idea of buryin' that ring
With Joanna! ! call it sheer nonsense
81 guess we'd better leave the candle
here" said Mrs. Fox. "She looks
dreadful material, don't she, poor dear?
Well, she was pretty"
81 never thought So" crisply uttered
Mrs. Min.urn. Though, after all,
beauty's only skin deep"
Not until the two neighbors had gone
home, and Cousin Car'line was left
alone in the kitchen, with the fading
sunset shining through the geranium
leaves in the window, and an answer
ing splash of carmine glowing behind
the bars of the kitchen stove, did she
glance furtively at the door OF the best
room, and then bring out something