The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-06-03

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great hands resting upon his knees, his
pale eyes blinking solemnly, began;
"E'lizb beth, you are left alone now"
She nodded her head in affirmation
You haven't much of this worlds
goods"
I've kept two of us from starvin' for
five years. 1 reckon 1 can keep my
self" she replied stiffly
"Yo'h father was well fixed once, but
the Lord seen fit to deprive him of his
earthly treasures that he might lay
more store by them gifts which is above
earthly price"
"He was a graspin' man and over
reached himself"
The woman beside her shifted re-
proachfully and glanced at the minis
ter with sorrowfuI air The man stirr-
ed uneasily. and lifted hand in ex-
postulation.
"A daughter shouldn't Judge. If you
was enlightened by the spirit you
wouldn't be so lacking in Christian
charity"
She had endured much that long af-
ternoon. and she raised her eyes now
defiantly.
1--WE done my duty by him-I've done
my duty for twenty years without COM
plainin'."
THE pride of the onregenerate must
be humbled," returned the minister.
She vouchsafed no reply, and they
went on in silence. the setting sun
touching with softening light her worn
face and tired eyes.
The sun was low in the western sky
when the two women reached the small
house, once white, but now dirty
gray, with yellow streaks following the
lines of the overlapping clapboards.
The black waters of the swiftly flowing
river were flecked with red and gold
under the level rays Of the sun, the
rounded hills on the other side of the
stream were softly blue, toward the
east a white fog was rising. A flock
of geese high in the air was flying
swiftly southwark spread out in
great struggling v.
The mournful cry of theft leader
reached the two women family, the
fight of the wild geese was a sign of
approaching winter, and they watched
the black lines Of the flying fowls un-
til they vanished in the southern sky,
their wierd cry growing fainter and
the swish of the river against its mud
dy bank the only sound which troubled
the quiet of the autumn twilight Two
women with hushed voices and funeral
faces waited inside the dingy front
room of the house.
at was a right smart gathering"
said one of them.
"I never seen finer" said the other
"And the minister was mighty pow
full" ventured the third in mournful
tone.
They looked at the dead mans daugh-
ter expectantly. Common decency
surely requireds some expression of graft
fed approval of the congregation and |
the sermon. But she was folding her |
shawl carefully, laying it upon the bed, |
alongside her rusty bonnet. She seemed |
not to have heard their voices. Then |
she sat stiffly by the window, looking |
out at the mud-clogged road.
81 hope you feetreconciled, Miss Liz |
BETH" one Of the women began.
81 reckon 1 am. He's been awful |
hard to take care of" she replied, with |
her hard honesty. She turned her eyes
away from the window and looked |
YEARLY at her visitors.
IT'S supper time. There amt any |
use of your staying with me-"
The three women arose, angry at |
their dismissal.
"I lowed you'd want someone to stay
with you the first night" said one of
them with lugubrious sniff.
"Tve got all the nights of my life to
stay alone in. l bout as well begin
now"
She watched them as they went away
the deepening gloom, their
heads together nodding wisely. They
were talking about her, of course. She
knew how hard and strange and I'M
feeling they were calling her. And as
she sat alone by the window she WON
dered whether she was all these. The
bed in the dark corner brought 20 her |
mind the picture of the man who had |
first quit 1t for his narrow bed upon the
She fancied that she saw his hard,
thin, yellow face upon the pillow now;
that she heard his querulous voice de-
her attention, upbraiding her
for some fancied forgetfulness, fiercely
denouncing her for her lack of "re.lg-
ion" How hard he had been! AS the
thoughts travelled back along
the years she could not recall one kind
word, one touch of thankfulness FOR her
care. for her absolute i'm
of life, hope, love upon the al
tar of duty" Twenty years! what a
long time it seemed!
She passed into the back room and
pressed close to the little square look
glass which hung against its wall The
daylight was well-nigh gone, but she
could yet discern the reflection of her
face against the background of gray
twilight How old she looked! How
5allow she had grown There were
great lines about her mouth and deep
burrows between her eyes. And her
lair-how dingy 1t was with its streaks
If yellowish gray Twenty years Ego
she had been proud of her hair. 1t had
been bright and soft She was twenty
Years old then, and there We're roses in
Ter cheeks, and her eyes, SO pale and
ired now had been blue and fresh
hen. She wondered if she had went
heir color and freshness away. Per
laps that was the reason no tears were
eft for her father. She had shed them
l.