Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1895-11-21


beauty of the morning. then they gen.
tly closed.
1 am coming, Jack-dear-" she
sighed.
So Nelly Thurgood. Tom Thurgood's
young wife, died, and was buried In the
little churchyard by the sea; and the
tide came In, and the tide went out,
through the long summer days and
nights. and peaceful order reigned In
the little cottage, for Hepzibah was
notable housekeeper. and Tom was
grateful to her in a dull, impersonal
way. His heart was buried In the
newly made grave on the cliff side, and
nothing seemed real to him but that.
Hepzibah watched him from under
her white eyelashes and kept silent;
but his pipe was all ready for him when
he came indoors, and his favorite food
simmered on the hob.
Hepzibah's hair grew brighter a. the
days went on: her cheeks had comedy
hush; she began to take thought Of her
dress. She bought blue gingham
gown In the village, and muslin hand
kerchief for her neck. Her voice took
softer note. she began to sing about
her work.
But Tom would sit in the churchyard
through the long summer twilights, and
when he came into supper his feet
dragged YEARLY. and his eyes were dull
with misery.
You should not grieve So" said Hep
zibah softly, one night after supper.
She was knitting in the freight; her
head was bent over her work.
Tom woke up from dream; he
looked at her with seeing eyes.
"Ah. it's well to say that to a man
whose heart is breakingw
His voice grew husky; he turned his
head away to the fire.
But you shouldn't grieve as one
without hope. Time must soften
things a bit-you have your life before
you"
Tom laughed a short, bitter laugh.
not good to hear.
"She was all had-my Nellie. The
apple OF my eye. What goods life to
me now? Such pretty ways she had,
too" he went on, musingly; such ten
der. loving ways"
Hepzibah's needle flashed In the fire.
light.
There are other women In the world
as fond as Nellie" she said softly, with
her eyes on her knitting.
There was long silence In the room.
hn 6rA OH
hearth. Hepzibah could hear her
heart throbs she slowly lifted her eyes
to the mans face.
He was not looking at her at all, but
at china shepherdess upon little
table against the wall. His eyes were
troubled; he was trying to remember.
my Nellie did not keep that on there.
No, 1t was on the mantlepiece, here,
that she had It,"
He brought the ornament over, dust
ing ii with his handkerchief.
I'VE must keep the things as she left
them, Hepzibah." he said. But Hepzi-
bah had slipped out of the door into
the summer darkness.
She rested her arms on the little gate.
and stood looking far out to sea. Her
face shone white and ghostly in the
dimness. She shivered in the warm
air.
"You dead woman-you Nelly" she
whispered tensely, why will you not
give him up to me? You have your
Jack, you do not want him-and I-oh,
my God"
A great fearless sob choked her; the
shimmering waves Knocked her; her
face hardened.
"Why should not tell him? shall
do you no harm. Are you anywhere
here to care at all? God, the life be-
yond.are these anything but words?
How can one hurt the dead? You are
asleep in the churchyard there; and I
love him-and l tell you l love him.
The man was sitting smoking mood
lily, gazing into the glowing fire, when
Hepzibah glided in, and stood behind
his chair.
TON, can't bear that you should
grieve so. She wasn't worthy Of love
like yours"
"Hepzibahw
1.-THE letters"
Hepzibah laid the packet on the table
and crept up the staircase to her room.
She fell on her knees by the bedside,
clutching the coverlet tight over her
mouth, that her deep-voiced prayer
might be stifed. She shook as with
the ague. The gates of heaven and
hell we're open.
The still hours passed by. Night
waned but Hepzlbah. wild-eyed and
numb, crouched by her bed. straining
her ears for any sound from the room
below. Anything, anything, but this
deadly silence. The hours seemed
eternities.
1t grew unbearable. Disheveled,
wan, fearful, she crept down the stairs
and peered in.
Tom Thurgood sat at the table, writ
ing by the dim candle light. He had