Middletown transcript., 1897-05-15
White LiIacs.
BY LizErrE wooDwoRrH REESE.

grasped he
| GNG<W band b oxant
half-dozen bun
dies more tightly. The Havershan
stagecoach, which had just set heI
down at the corner of Church Lane
was already halfway up the pike, ant
whirling mountainward. Clouds o.
dust followed it.
All the trees In Church Lane stood
up filmy and Elusive in tie late sun
shine. The hearty odors of April wert
everywhere. The frogs were croak'
ing.
The old woman went slowly along
under the greenihg .boughs. Every
thing looked the same. The steeple
was pointing black as ink against q
strip of mellowing sky. Two panels
were hanging loose in the churchyard
fence. She shifted the air; it smelled
good and herby. She knew that the
dogtooth yiolets were purpling by hun
dreds the marshy spaces back of the
church. She felt safe as she toiled
along. She felt free. The graves COM
panioned her all the way. One side Of
the winding road was thick with them.
Behind the palings, weather-burned a
warm gray color, the grayer STOKES
rose up out the of curving young grass.
They had friendly attitude
ELIZA Barton. aged seventy-two. -
she read out, in her thin, sweet Voice.
She herself could count as many
years; but she had feeling she was
too young TO die. Presently she stood
still in the middle of the lane. "Pm
going to shut my eyes," she spoke,
softly, ''and walk along aid come on
them sudden. know they're all tht re,
and / know they're just as Whitep'
A little later she found herself stand
| ing opposite small and square brick
house. The upper windows, which
were shutterless, blazed like copper in
the sunset. Running from the gate to
the front door were two rows of lilac
bushes; white as lghosts, they gave a
haunt ed look to ths deserted garden.
The next minute Mrs. Holt was in
the midst of the mysteriou, bloc m,
stretching up OH the tips of her toes 10
iDhale the fragrance Of the highest
growing ones, and burying her faee in
those that grew lower down. Her bum
dies in heap on the weed grown little
path. The moments passed.
sis that you, Mis- Holtp" An old
man and an elderly woman stood out
in Church Lane. The scarlet worsted
hood the woman wore brought color
almost like that of August into the
delicate spring landscape. SIS that
you, Mis- Hclt7" repeated the old
man.
"Yes, it is" said the woman.
"Wby, Mis- Holt, how'd you get
back in these parts againp"
Mrs. Holt slowly approached her
gate. 81 just come little while ago,
/ come in the stage"
"Just on,a visit, guess" said the
other.
'sNo,'' said Mrs. Holt 's.no, no. I've
come to stay. I'm never going back
to Haversham any more" Her voice
broke like a child,s. I.
II always thought your sister Ssbilla
was good to you, Mis- Holt.
"Good as gold.'
The old man took a step forward.
"What made you come back, Mary
| Ann?''
'tIt was things, just things" She
swept comprehensive arm around
"things. Last fall when the chrysafi-
themums we're out I thought I'D go
wild for thinking of rhine.I new-they
were all here, standing up in rows, and
bitter and yellow and clear copper color.
l used to see them growing out in the
street. And now, when lilac time
come, it just set me to going. / said
Mines out;' and felt as if I'D rather
be dead than not to see them.n
81 never knew anybody as fond Of
blooms as you," said the old man.
"And here am, and here Pm going
to stay" She began to move back to
the lilac bushes.
"Thst house has been shut up for
six month; you'll get your death, Mis-
Holt, " said the younger woman.
''There's stove in the kitchen. Sa-
billa said it was too old to take; and
there's rocking chair. Pm going to
light a IRE IN The st0Ve CO.Hlgft and go
to sleep in the chair. I'llget along all
right"
The other looked helplessly at her
father.
''Come home with US, Mis- Holt,n .
said the old man.
"l'm going TO stay just here" said
Mrs. Holt. "You and Lizzie are real
kind, Mr.. Barton: but you needn't
worry"
It was dusk in ihe garden and turn-
ing dusk in The lane. All the sunset
was toward the roofs and the tops of
the trees. The graves seemed to come
nearer.
81 thought may be you'd be afraid, y
hazarded Lizzie Barton.
aYou mean Josiahp He's been dead
six months. l buried him on Monday,
ann on Tuesday packed up and went
down te Haversham to Iiye with my
sis er Sabilla. "No,D she ended. sol
emily, Josiah never troubledlany body
when he WAS living. and be amt going
To AoS hes dead
She watched them going homeward.
two distinct lgnies Under the fading
bo,lghs. thea turned and walked slow
lu stxsa = "a Nm fxy>.s s1.,s.~ Ca.