Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-06-14
Pris was condemned.

do nothing by renal ming, and do
not want to feel that l have robbed
you OF days pleasure
you will be quite alone. Every
one is going but Mrs. Tuttle and
that Miss BentoD,' urged Mrs.
FOrsythe.
Il don't want to talk, am 60
ing to sleep all day" The other
girls, with noisy sympathy, yiel'
ded commlseratiugly 10 Pris's COM
mand that the expedition should
not be given up.
Presently she heard the groan'
ing wheels of the mountain wagon
roll up to the door. One horse
was restlve; would he neigh againf
The girl put her bands to her ears
in an agony of apprehension.
What a shrlll voice Lou SAKE had, ,
and how long they were getting
readyl
They were gone at last, and tn g
girl turned her pillow to see if
there were not a cool spot upon 1t;
but no sleep came. The day was
intensely hot. She hal closed the
window to shut ont the sound OF
Mrs. Tuttle, the hostess, beating
eggs IN the kitchen. Her sense
of hearing was a torture to her.
By and by Mrs. Tuttle came to
the room, seated herself in the
rocking chair-the one that had
been utilized in Miss Benton's
treatment-and entertained the
invalid with a graphic account of
all the funerals, accidents and
illnesses that had come under her
observation.
Seems though you'd ought to
to have something for dlnner,' she
urged. Couldn't you eat a bit O.
cheesel"
no. thank yoo,' answered Pris,
struggling to speak gently.
Its homemade. 'Twouldn't
hurt YOU
But 1 don't care for any, thank
you
Jest graln. You could soak it
10 your tea
please, no. murmured Pris.
If you soak it in your tea 1t
would make it SOFT
PrIs's self-contrOl was at all end.
Desperation gave momentary
strength. 'I-dOn't-want-any
cheesew she cried, fercelJ: Il
never mean to eat any thing again
as long as I live. Do gop
Mrs. TutiIe moved toward the
door IN evident alarm; with her
hand on the knob she hesitated
and turned, with telling akin to
that of the deserter condemned to
be shot, aud expectsnt of the word
of command, 'FireP. Pris dlved
beneath the bedclothes. The next
moment the bang OF the door
ouivered through and through her
aching head.
How the hours dragged In the
silence of the great house a cree p
ing sense of loneliness came over
the girls, till it amounted almost
to terror.
IF live to get home, I'll never
leave 1t again. she thought. How
DO you dor
The last words were spoken
aloud, in a sudden frenzled desire
to hear a human voice, aud to
ascertain whether she had not lost
the power OF speech.
Not at all well, thank YOU she {
answered herself, still aloud. i
am in a position TO realize, as
never did before, the figures given
IN the arithmetic beneath the
srAble of Time Measure Of the
appalling number Of seconds ther 9
are IN a dayP
Presently there was gentle tar
at the door.
Come in!' called Pris, ready to
welcome even Mrs. Tattle. But il
was Miss Benton who stood upOr
the threshold!
Il thought | heard you speak,
said Miss Benton, 'Can I do any
thing for your
1t was more in the tone that
even the kindly words, but the
last yestige of Pris's selfcontro
vanished, and an inccherent ont
burst was the only answer. Miss
Benton listened OF first in sstonish
ment, and finally with a look o
understanding, while her mouth
which Pris noticed for the first TIM
was so fine and true, lost It's smil
ling curves. But in the gravity thal
had stolen over the face, the CIR
was vaguely aware that rar'