Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-14

pot oO"ii tO leI sewing, DuI SOInSAoW ileI fingers idled. She reached up and took little tworn Bible from the l"spool she1f"-she opened it at random and spelled laboriously through the first sen tence her eyes rested upon:
 And mans foes shall be they of his own household"
 Her face whitened. "It ain't said wimmins-only mans. ''she whispered, and closed the book sharply. She was restleSS-too restless to sit alone,So she took up the tallow candle and went into the sleeping room. Mel had gone to bed just after supper, and Rosie could hear her soft breathing, rising and falling as she slept She stirred uneasily under the flare of the candle, murmuring in her sleep. Involuntarly. Rosie bent down:
 Go back, now-Rosie II wait sup per" A tender smile stole over Rosie's face. illumining the plain fea- lures. making the hard face lovely through love.
 Hit wuz right not ter say wimmen's" she said contentedly, and soon she, too, slept. and the house was in quiet.
 It was evening" and Rosie sat in the kitchen doorway smelling peas. It was the last day of August, and tomorrow would be her wedding day. She was calmly content, with no misgivings for the future. True, she sometimes warried over Mel, but there was sort aof blind trust in her heart; she was unlearned. so she did not question that the Lord sat there in silence, save for the Whiffing of the katydids, some thought came to
 her of the unequal division of things, but she did not complain. It was right that Mel should have the better part, for She was frail and fair and made for tender usage.
 Suddenly Rosie dropped her hands in her lap and looked intently over the field. Mel and Ham were coming slowly through the Atall golden rod; they were talking earnestly-at least Ham iwas- Mel seemed listening.
 Presently they stopped and Mel was speaking. shaking her head decidedly, and throwing out her hand with little passionate gesture of denial that Rosie knew so well. The wind caught the words she was saying and whirled them along to Rosie's ears, taking the color from her face and the strength from her toil-marked hands.
 "No-no-no, Ham, she was saying. "It kain't be! Termorrer yer to marry Rosie-I keer-yeS, keer, but-no don't! Rosie Il see yep
 What eff she do? Amt I a right ter kiss me ergain,. Mel-en say tn word en I'll break 'ith RoSie.'
 Kiss him again-again. Rosie's eyes blaZed with agony; again. That meant but Mel was speaking passionately. "Aint I toP ye-I keer? But ye mus marry Rosie. do keer, but won't-no, neverI''
 Rosie sat like a dead thing. watching Mel as she came on alone, swinging her hat by the strings and humming gay | little tune.
 "Shellin peas. Rosie?" she asked lightly. for want of something to say. The other only nodded, and Mel went carelessly into the "other" room. still singing.
 Rosie's heart seemed bursting; her eyes felt as though burning away their own light, her hands were nerveless and cold. She tried to make things plain to herself. but 1t seemed as if the standing corn roared and thundered in the wind, deafening her. Mel and Ham loved each other-She Rosie, was a bar to their hap l piness-she was in the wayl It was pitiful to see the strained look upon her face; the only beings in the world that she loved were being made unhappy by the very fact of her exist ence Mel-her idol-her fair young sis ter!
 Curiously enough, it never occurred to her that there was any other course than one-to efface herself that Mel might be made happy. She had always done so- she must do 1t now. She tried to call Mel to her, but her mouth twitched oddly, her tongue was dry and hard and refused to do her bidding. Presently Mel came rom the inner room and threw herself petulantly upon the stack of trunks. Yell be tired fur ye weddln', Rosie, eff ye work that CT way tel termorrer." It was characteristic of her innate selfishness that she did not offer to assist even in these last hours Rosie gave a short, hard cough and answered: They aint goin ter be no weddin' here termorrer--ef me en Ham is ter do the marvin" Mel looked at her in open- mouthed amazement. Why. Rosie" she began.
 "I heered what ye said ter Ham. Mel en whut he said ter you. Eff ye feels ye do' tn aint no call fur ye ter live p7s< happy-ye kin have him." But, Rosie
 Never ye mind.-lfie, Mel, never ye
 mna n,n aI me- f,,,. Kin git erlong. en ye know me en Ehfck promised nav ter sorter
 @ looE -efrt fur ye en Lum. I aint got no -S'dim on Ham-ye kin have i'm
 Mefs hower-like face was turned in
 curious wonder upon the hard visage of
 her sister. To her. there was nothing pathetic in the convulsive working of those un1ovely features She only shrugged her shoulders and thought how hopelessly ugly Rosie was.
 "Ye needn't worry fur me, Mel" Rosie went on monotonous1y, 'It'll come queer at fust' havin' Ham fur brother instead or a-a-Mel ye must be happy!"
 The last was low cry of almost brute suffering The pan of peas was un- needed, and Rosie clasped her hands convusvely.
 HeV ye lost ye senses. RoSie?" Mel said at last.
 "I heercd whut ye said ter one ern- other out thair'-indicating.
 faint ashamed gleam crept into Meps eyes as she answered slowly:
 Well Rosie hit wuzn't meant fur we to hear, but ye must knowed 'twuz all funnin'.'
 NO, Mel, l don't want ye ter lie ter me. Didn't I heered ye tell Ham we keered but he mus marry Rosie? Ye do keer. Mel, ye kin have him"
 But l don't want him." Mel said at Ia st netula ntlY "K aint aa,, thi,,o.c