Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-10-03

she sat watching her dying sister, hand
and eye alert TO anticipate every wish.
No word broke the awful stiffness.
The first thing in the morning, Mer-
cy's married daughter, the only child
of hers living in London, arrived to
nurse her mother. But Honor indig-
nantly refused to be dispossessed.
"A nice daughter You are" she said,
''to leave your mother lay a day and a
night without a sight O your ugly
face"
81 had TO look after the good man
and the little 'uns," the daughter
pleaded.
Then what do you mean by de-
sertin' them now?" the iratc old wom-
an retorted. First, you deserts your
mother, and then your husband and
children. You just go back to them as
needs your care. carried your mother
in my arms before you was born, and
if she wants anybody else now to look
after her let her just tell me SO and
I'll be off in brace o shakes"
She looked defiantly at the yellow,
dried-up creature in the bed. Mercy's
withered lips twitched, but no sound
came from them. Jim, strung up by
the situation, took the word. you
can't do no good up here" the doctor
says. You might look after the kids
downstairs bit when you can spare
an hour; and I've got to go to the
shop. I'll send you telegraph if
there's change" he whispered to the
daughter; and she, not wholly discon-
fentnI 20 20 he, E,,;, t,,ta
ests, kissed her mother, fingered a
little and then stole quietly away.
All that day the old women re-
maincd together In solemn silence,
broken only by the doctors visit. He
reported that Mercy might last a
couple of days more. In the evening
Jim replaced his sister-in-law, who
slept perforce. At midnight she awolSe
and sent him to bed. The sufferer
tossed about restlessly. At half-past
two she awol1e, and Honor fed her with
some broth as she would have fed n
baby. Mercy, indeed, looked scarcely
bigger than an infant, and Honor had
the advantage of her only by being
puffed out with clothes. A church
clock in the distance struck three
Then the silence fell deeper. The
watcher drowsed. The lamp iliclsered
tossing her shadow about the walls as
If she, too, were turning feverishly
from side to side. A strange ticking
made itself heard in the wainscoting
Mercy sat up with a scream of terror.
"J-im!" she shrieked "Jim!"
Honor started up, opened her mouth
to cry 'Hush!" then checked herself,
suddenly frozen.
Jim" cried the dying creature
'listen! Is that the death spider?''
Honor listened, her bl ood curdling.
Then she went towards the door and
opened it. Jim" she said in low tones,
speaking towards the landing; tell
her it's nothin'; it's only a mouse. She
was always nervous little thing"
And she closed the door softly, and,
pressing her trembling sister tenderly
back on the pillow, tucked her up
snugly in the blanket.
Next morning, when Jim was really
present, the patient begged pathetic
ally to have grandchild with her in
the room, day and night. Don't leave
me alone again." she quavered; don't
leave me alone, with not a soul to talk
to-" Honor WINGED, but said nothing
The youngest child, who did not
have to go TO school, was brought-a
pretty boy with brown curls, which the
sun, streaming through the panes,
turned to gold. The morning passed
slowly About noon Mercy took the
child's hand and smoothed his curls.
"My sister Honor had golden curls
like that" she whispered.
'They were in the family, Bobby"
Honor answered; your granny had
them, too, when she was a girl"
There was long pause. Mercy's
eyes were half-glazed, but her vision
was inward now.
'"The mignonette will be CROWN in
the meadows, Bobby" she murmured
"Yes, and the heart's-ease," said
Honor, softly. "We lived in the coun-
try, you know, Bobby"
'There is flowers in the country"
Bobby declared, gravely.
Eyes, and trees" said Honor 81
wonder If your granny remembers
when we were larrupped for stealin'
apples?"
"Ay, that l do, Bobby, he, hel'
croaked the dying creature, with a
burst of enthusiasm. 1--WE was pair
o. tomboys. Tho warmer he ran after
us, cryin' 'Ye! Yer but we wouldn't
take no gar. He, he hel"
Honor wept at the laughter. The
native idiom, unheard for half a
century, made her face shine under
the tears Don't let your granny ex-
cite herself, Bobby Let me give her
her drink" She moved the boy aside,
and Mercy's lips automatically opened
to the draught.
tom was WI us, Bobby" she CUR
gled, still vibrating with amusement,
land he tumbled over on the heather,
he, he"
Tommy is dead this forty year,
Bobby" whimpered Honor.
Mercy's head fell back and an express
sion of supreme exhaustion came over
| the face. Half an hour passed. Bobbv