The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1896-01-10

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>zS M%yETiZtS TNnl played in h c @
" MVyHHfWA NH three suburban viii
%s5%2Yry.ynAGA Ml las, while on q COM
&1iSSS[5s.9Nl) monpiace stage love
S90SI.sJ end humor d
lights and shadows
were so swiftly sue
&.0 ceeding each other,
9 and while I h Q
three tamili e s,
drifted together by fate, were shaping
each others aestinie9 and working out
In their own fashion the strange, intri-
cate ends of human life, there were
human eyes which watched over every
stage OF the performance, and which
were keenly critical of every actor on
1t. Across the road beyond the green
palings and the close-cropped lawn, be-
hind the curtains of their creeper-
framed windows, sat two old ladies',
Miss Bertha and Miss Monica Williams,
looking out az from 81 private box at all
that was being enacted before Ihcip.
The growing friendship of the three
families, the engagement Of Harold
Denver with Clara Walker. the engage
ment Of Charles Westmacott with ,her
sister, the dangerous fascination which
the widow exercised over the Doctor,
the preposterous behavior OF the
Walker girls and the unhappiness
which they had caused their father, not
one Of these incidents escaped the
notice Of the two maiden ladies. Bertha
the younger had a smile or a sigh for
the lovers, Monica the elder 4 frown or
q shrug for the elders. Every night
they talked over what they had seen.
and their own dull, uneventful life took
q warmth and n coloring from their
neighbors as q blank wall reflects q
beacon fire.
And now it was destined that they
should experience the one keen seD&a-
ton Of their later years. the one men,
orable incident from which all future in
cidents should be dated.
II was on the very night which suc-
ceeded the events which have just been
narrated, when suddenly into Monica
williams head, as she tossed upon he:
sleepless bed, there shot Thought
which made her sit up with a thrill ana
a gasp.
Bertha" said she. plucking at the
shoulder OF her sister, Il have left the
front window OPEN"
mo, Monica, surely not" Bertha sat
up also, and thrilled in sympathy.
II am sure OF it. You remember had
forgotten to water the pots, and then
opened the window, and Jane called me
about the jam, and / have never been
in the room since"
Good gracious, Monica. Il is q mercy
that we have not been murdered in on"
beds. There was q house broken into
at Forest Hill last week. Shall we so
down and shut it?''
II dare not go down alone. dear. but
IL you Will come with me. Put on your
slippers and dressing gown. We DO not
need q candle. Now, Bertha, we will
go down together.
Two little white patches moved
vaguely through the darkness, the
stairs crcakcd, the door whined, and
they were at the front room window.
Monica closed it gently down, ana
fastened the snib.
What q beautiful nloonv' said she,
looking out. I'VE can see as clearly as
if II were day. How peaceful and quiet
the three houses are over yonder! IL
seems quite sad to see that TO Let card
upon number one. 1 wonder how NUM-
Der two will like their going. For my
part I could better spare that dreadful
woman at number three with her short
skirts and her snake. But, oh, Bertha,
look! look, lookup Her voice had fall
len suddenly to a Quivering whisper and
she was pointing to the Westmacotts
house. Her sister gave gasp Of hor-
ror, and stood with n clutch at Monica's
arm, staring in the same direction.
There was light in the front room.
n Slight, wavering light such as would
be given by q small candle or taper.
The blind was down, but the light
shone dimly through. Outside in the
garden, with his figure outlined against
the luminous square, there stood man.
his back to the road, his two hands upon
the window ledge, ana his body rather
bent as though he were trying to peep
in past the blind. So absolutely still
and motionless was he that in spite OF
the moon they might well have over
looked him were it not for that tell-tale
light behind.
Good heavenv' gasped Bertha. "it is
n burglar"
But her sister set her mouth grlnly
and shook her head. I'VE shall 81.
she whispered. 1T may be something
worse"
Swiftly and furtively the man stood
suddenly erect, and began to push the
window slowly up. Then he put one
knee upon the sash, glanced round to
see that all was safe, and climbed over
into the room. AS he did 50 he had TO
push the blind aside. Then the two
spectators saw where the Eight came
from. Mrs. Westmacott was standing,
as rigid as a statue. in the center OF
the room, with a lighted taper in her
right hand. For an instant they caught
a glimpse OF her stern face and her
white collar. Then the blind fell back
into position, and the two figures disap-
.cared from their view.
"Oh. that dreadful woman cried
Monica. THAT dreadful, dreadful wom-
an! She was waiting for him. You saw
1t with your own eyes, sister BERTHA
flush, dear. hush and listen" said
her more charitable companion. They
pushed their own window up once more.