The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-01-12

they went to give their order. After
all, their money would procure only
the simplest of simple stones; but they
were satisfied.
whats the inscription" asked the
man in attendance, when the stone
had been selected.
/. Harriet turned helplessly to Mar
garet, and Margaret looked blanlxly at
Harriet. Neither of them had thought
of that.
"Why-his name-I suppose" Miss
Margaret began.
mo, sister, DON'T" pleaded Harriet.
"Let's wait and talk it over and come
again"
And so they walked slowly home.
They had a way-these sisters--of not
speaking until they had thought q
thing out, each for herself. Miss
Harriet lighted the fire when they
reached home, and made the tea, while
her sister set the cups and plates on
the table. sliced the bread and put on
the wee bit of butter. 1t was chilly
evening, but they put on their shawls
ard let the fire go down. There was
90 paper to read tonight; so they both
knitted. Margaret worked steadily,
but Harriet stopped now and then IN
an absent-minded way, and she passed
over more than one dropped stitch
without seeing it. 1t was she, OF
course, who finally broke the silence.
81 can't bear to have that name go
| on" she said. sseven il it was his. He
never disgraced it."
s.But whoever heard of tombstone
without any name on it?
'sWell, we could put on his first
name-and-and-a verse of poetry,
mebby, or somethin' from the Scrip
lures"
| Harriet Staples! Poetryl The
idea! Itain't befittin'-and you know
it. Nor yet Scripture. He was good
man, but we don't know nothing about
his religion. 1t don't suit, somehow.
l guess it'll have to be jest the name
Robert"
! THAT sounds kind o. cold like. "
Miss Harriet hesitated. Nobody ever
called him that. Couldn't we have the
other-Bob-you know?
mo, we Couldn't" snapped Miss
Margaret. "We amt goin' to have no
nick-names on that stone"
Harriet said no more, and the next
day they gave their order. Miss Mar
garet was even more quiet than usual
during the remainder of the day, and
when night came she went to bed
earlier than was her custom. In the
morning, when Harriet awoke, she
was startled to find her sister gone.
She kindled the fire, wondering what
could have taken Margaret out sc
early. BY the time breakfast was
ready her anxiety had increased to
such an extent that she was In the act
of putting on her own bonnet to go In
search of her. when the door opened
and Margaret appeared. She looked
cold and blue, and her thin lips were
shut slightly together.
SIS anything the matter. sister,
Harriet asked. Where have yor
been?"
"Of course there amt anything the
matter. Can't go out for little with
out your gettin' riled up?"
was alraiu soHcthin Aou nap
pencd to you."
ssGuess l can take care of myself
Seems to me smell somethin
burnin'."
"It's the toast!"
4 Harriet turned meekly to the stove
She asked no more questions, Margare
kept her own counsel, and life in thu
little cottage went on as inonotonous
ly as ever.
1t was cold, bleak day in early No
| vember. There was not a bit of green
ness left anywhere; the frosts hat
, been early and severe. Even thu
! bright-tinted leaves had fallen from
. the trees, and the whole landscap
/ was brown and dreamy. In the oil
cemetery. where the hill slopes gentl,
to the south, stood two women, look