River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-10-10
THE SILENT SISTERS.
BY I. ZANGwILL-


childish incantatiOn; and while they
lived on the paternal farm they kept
their foolish oath with the stubborn
ness of a slow country stock, despite
the alternate cOaxing and chsstise-
ment of their parents, nOtwithstand-
ing the perpetual everyday contact of
their lives. through every vicissitude
of season and weather. of sowing and
reaping, of sun and shade, of Joy and
sorrow Death and mis- -ortune did
not reconcile them, and when their
father died, and the old farm was sold
up, they travelled 20 London in the
same silence, By the same train, in
search of similar situations. Service
separated them for years, although
there was only a stones throw be-
tween them They often stared at
each other in the streets Honor, the
elder, married local artisan, and two
and a half years later Mercy, the
younger, married a fellow-workman of
James husband. The two husbands
were friends. and often visited each
others houses. which were on oppo-
site sides of the same sOrdid street,
and their wives made them welcome.
Neither Honor nor Mercy suffered an
allusiOn TO the breach; II was under
stood that their silence must be re-
ceived in silence. Each of the sisters
had quiverful of children. who played
and quarreled together in the streets
and in one 1other's houses. but not
even the eet ARRAYS and mutual
grievances Vi the children could pro-
woke the mothers to words They
stood at their doors in impOtent fury.
almost bursting with the torture of
keeping their mouths shut against the
effervescence of angry speech. When
either lost a child. the other watched
the funeral from her window. dumb as
the mutes-
The years rolled on, and still the
river of silence flowed between their
lives Their good looks faded; the
burden Of life and of collaborating was
heavy upon them Gray hairs streaked
their brown tresses, then brown hairs
streaked their gray tresSes- The
FUCKERS of age replaced the dimples Of
youth The years rolled on, and death
grew busy among the families Honors
husband died. and Mercy lost son,
who died a week after his wife. Chol-
era took several OF the younger chill
dren But the sisters themselves lived
on, bent and shriveled By toll and sor-
row even more than by the slow frost
of the years
Then one day Mercy took 10 her
death-bed- An internal disease, too
long neglected, would carry her off
within a week. 30 the doctor told
Jim. Mercy's husband.
Through him the news Travelled to
HOnOr's eldest son, who still lived with
her. by the evening it reached
Honor
She went upstairs abruptly when he
told her, leaving him wondering at her
stony aspect. When she came down
she was bOnneted and shawled. He
was filed with Joyous amaze to see
her hobble across the street, and, for
the first time in her life, pass over her
sister Mercy's threshold.
As Honor entered the sick-room,
with pursed lips. light leapt into
the wasted, wrinESled countenance of
the dying creature. She raised her
self slightly in bed, her lips parted.
then shut tightly. and her face dark
ened.
Honor turned angrily to Mercy's
husband, who hung about impotently.
''Why did you let her run down SO
low?' she said. II didn't know" the
old man stammered, taken back by her
presence even more than by her ques-
ton. 'She was always a woman to
say nothin'."
Honor put him impatiently aside and
examined the medicine bottle on the
bedside table.
Isn't it time she took her dose?'
II dessav."
Honor snorted wrathfully. Whats
the use OF man?r she inquired as she
carefully measured ouL the fluid and
put il IL her sisters lips, which opened
10 receive it aud then closed tightly
again.
'.How is you wife feeling nOw?" Hon
or asked after pause.
''HOw are You now, Mercy?" asked
the old man, awkwardly. The old
woman shook her head. I'm a-goin'
fast, jim" she grumbled weakly, and
a tear of seIf-pity tiickled down her
parchment cheek.
What rubbidge she do TALK cried
Honor. sharply why dye stand
there like a taiIor's dummy? Why
don't you tell her to cheer up?'
Cheer mp. Mercy: 4uavered the old
man hoarsely.
But Mercy groaned instead, and
turned fretfully on her other side with
her face TO the wall.
I'm too old. I'm too old" she
moaned This is the end o me"
Did YOU ever hear the hke?" Hon
or asked Jim angrily, as she smoothed
his wife's pillow. ''She was always
conceited about her age. settin' her
self up as the equals of her elders; and
here am |, her elder sister. as carried
her in my arms when l was five and
she was two still hale and strong. and
with no mind for underground for
many a long day Nigh three times
her age was once. mind YOU. and now
she has the imperence To talk of dyin'
before me"
She took off her bonnet and shawl
"Seud one o the kids 10 tell my boy
I'm stayin' here" she said. And
then Just you get EN- all 10 bed =
there's too much noise about the
house"
The children, who We're orphaned
grandchildren of the dying woman.
were sent TO bed. and then Jim him
self was packed off 10 refresh himself
for the next days labors. for the poor
old fellow still dOddered about the
workshop.
The silence Of the sick room spread
over the whole house. About ter
o'clock the doctor came again and in
structed Honor how to alleviate the
patients last hoIr rs All night long
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 e
nurse her mother. But Honor indig
nantly refused - be dispOssessed-
"A nice daughter you are" she said
s.to leave your mother lay day and 4
night without a sight o your ugly
face"
az had to look after the good mar