Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1896-10-31

kerchieflfor her neck. Her voice tool
a softer note, she began tossing abou'
her work.
But Tom would sit in thelchurchyart
thrcNgh the long summer twilights
and, when he came in TO his supper hi,
feet dragged YEARLY, andihis eyes wert
djnll with misery.
"You should not grieve So" said Hep
izihah, softly, one night after supper
She was knitting in the freight; hel
head was bent over her work.
Tom woke as from adream; NE looked
at her with unseeing eyes,
"Ah, it's well TO say thattto 9 mar
whose heart is breaking!"
His voice grew husky. he turned
away his head TO the fire.
But you shouldn't grieve as one
without hope. Time must soften things
n bit-you have your life before. YOU"
Tom laughed u short, bitter laugh,
not good 10 hear.
she was all had-my Nellie. The
Eapple OF my eye. What goods life 10
I'ne now? Such pretty ways she had,
too" he went on musingly; such low
ing, tender ways"
Hepziboh's needle flashed insthe fire.
light.
There are other women in tie world
as fond as Nellie" she said, softly, with
her eyes On her knitting.
There was a long silence IN the room.
The fire tlickered; a cinder fell on the
hearth. Hepzibah could hear her hear,
throbs; she slowly lifted her eyss TO
the mans face.
He was not looking at her ST all. pui
at a china shcpherdess upor the little
table against the wall. His ewes were
troubled. lie was trying 10 remember.
MY Nellie did nor keep that on there.
No, ii was Oh the u~nantlepiece, here,
that she had It,"
He brough, HE ornament over. dust.
ing ], with his handkerchief
I'VE L keep the things as she les,
them, Hepzibah," he said, Ru, Hep
7ibah had slipped ont Of the door inlo
the summer darkness.
She rested her arms on the little gate,
and stood looking far ont 10 sea. Her
face shoae white ard obesity in the
dimness. She shivered in the warm
air.
Yea dead wosuan-you Nellie" she
whispered, 1ensely, why will Won no,
give him up 10 ne? You have YOUR
Jack, you DO not want him-and l-oh.
my God."
\ sre&t fearless sob chnhed her; the
.shimmeEing waves Knocked her; her
face hardened.
Why should I not tell him! l shall $
do you no harm. How can one hurt the t
You are aslees in the church.
aud ! love him-I tell you l love 6
:
The man WAS sitting smoking mood. q
w, gazing into the glowing fire. when /
lepzibah glided in and stood behind his 7
chair. [
Tom, I can't bear that you should
yrieye so. She wasn't worthy of q love ,
ike yours"
'llepzibah!"
Il have thought you ought TO e
inow-' she faltered, because I can't a
Dear to see you spoilin' your life for e
owe OF her-her who did not love you at a
III, but Jack" e
woman! what do you mean? What V
les are you telling me?" G
'It'c fr1ta n,,
alllng out about the letters the night
he died? She gave me a packet a
ack's letters to her." /;
my God! Give them to mel"
You must not mind SC much, Tom" a
"The letters."
Hepzibah laid the packet on the table.
nd crept away up the staircase to her a
DOM. II
The still hours passed by. Night 10
'aned, but Hepzibah, wild-eyed and IT
uInb, crouched by the bed, strainins Ii
ears for any sound from below. Oh
An hour before dawn came the sound W
I a chair seraping on the tagged floor;
zen drawers were opened and shut; h,
Is footsteps echoed to and fro. Then
'lence and the scratching of a pen.
1t grew unbearable. Disheyeled. it
an, fearful, she crept down the stairs
nd peered in.
Tom Thurgood sat at the table. writ. pt
g by the dim candle light. He had On w
is rough pilots coat; a bundle tied hi
a red handkerchief rested beside W.
IN. lie rose and came towards her. in
I'm going away-back to sea again." tn
; said, gravely. you're welcome to pc
e cottage and the bits of furniture. B,
here's no home for me now-the place WI
ould Kill me. Get back to bed, WON. sa
l. Good-by: there, go!" an
lie turned back TO his writing and ia
e room was quiet again. Presently to
threw down his pen and passed his tw
ky fingers through his hair. ha
THE wind means terrible to-nioh.n IN,
said. tal
1t was Hepzibah above, crying for her Bu
st Paradise.-Chapman's Magazine. on