Middletown transcript., 1897-05-15

4 49,
scrubing could make them. The little
brass handles on the cupboard drawers
still kept somewhat of their ancient
polish. There, in that space between
the mantei and the stairway, had lain
Josiah in his coffin. 1t vas only yes
terday, and yet half year had come
and gone. She passed through the
first room and into the kitchen, setting
the yard ldoor there wide open. She
drew the dilapidated rocking chair out
of it, corner and sal down in it. A
step sounded on the brick wall with
out.
.'Is that you, SabillaP" she called,
tremblingly.
s'It's me, Mis- HoIt.n Old Mr.. Bar
ton appeared in the doorway. tive
got some hot tea for you, Mary Ann,
and bowl of soup. Lizzie says she
don't want you think you haven't any
neighbors."
s'Set them things down on the stove, y
said the old woman. There's sugar
and butter and most half ham and
some Tread in that bandbox FOUNDER.
Well, you can hand me the tea; l guess
I'll drink it now.n
The old man stood and looked down
upon her as she slipped the savory
liquid out of its tin kettle.
Il guess you feels if you had some
thing to live for,n he remarked at last.
II have back all my things, "she said.
"I-don't believe anybody In the whole
world cares for lilacs like I do. / al
ways felt that way about blooms. They
almost set me to bursting. guess
there's lots of violels back Of the
church, y
Millions" said the old man.
.Sabilla don't think any more of
flowers than il they were stocks or
stones. Josiah didn't either. Sabilla
hadn't one green thing in her yard. ex-
cept once ina while tiny bit af grass,
and then she'd go out and pour billing
water on it. l used to get so lone
some.D
; 81 expect she'll come up here to-
morrow" said her neighbor.
Mrs. Holt looked uneasy.
81 waited till she went on an errand,
and then got ready, and wrote note,
and came"-she flashed up moment
-"and here Pm going to say"
"Mis' Trench is mighty headstrong,"
he said, doubtfully.
Mrs. Holt set the kettle down with
a nervous clatter. 81 won't go backp'
she said, vehemently. The little strip
ped room was solemn with the last of
the sunset. The wind blew diytantly. The
shouts of children at play Game plainly
to the two old people. ''l'll save The
soup for later, Mr. b trtun. It was
real good in Lizzie 10 think of sending
me something"
The sun had long gone down when
she stepped out into her garden aud
stopped before the lilac bushes. She
stretched out hand toward them, and
drew it back again. Several times she
did the same. then suddenly began
breaking eff the white blossoms. She
made strange picture as she toiled
across to the churchyard shortly after.
The lights had died out everywhere,
except in the sky. A pearly glimmer
in the upper air caused the tall trees to
look more Elusive than ever.
Mrs. Holt laid the lilac blooms down
upon a grave that seemed to make
deeper blackness near the church door.
Josiah had been kind, but dense soul,
with no recognition whatever Of the
more passionate material of which his
wife was compounded. Que Whit of
his old pipe had been more to him than
all the green and growing things on
the earth. Some remembrance OK this
passed mistily through the old woman's
mind. She wondered If in that other
world an added faculty now made him
keen to see things to which he had
once been blind.
~ guess l'm giving him these, be-
cause I'm SO glad I'm home again. Jo-
siah, y she called softly, In the soft
darkness Josiah, you may have these
instead of your pipe"
The next morning tall old W oman
came up Church Lane. She was stout
as well as tall, and her air was mill
tant. Her stride was almost that of q
a man. She opened Mrs Hollis front
gate; it changed behind her like a call
of war. She was so large, and SO full
of a dominant vitality, that in spite Of
her gray head. she seemed to take pos
session at once of the whole. "Mary
Ann," she cried, authoritatiyely, "you
get ready and come on back with me. y
The house rose up before her like a
block of stone.
81 saw you peeking out that up
stairs window as eoHAe ttsttt VI ttt.sse tt.sse llsaae ee,
You're there, now, hiding. Mary Ann,
get ready and come on back with me. y
'tI'm going to stay right here, Sa.
billa,p foated down to her in a strain
ed voice.
"You're going to do what say
declared Mrs. Trench. "The idea of
FOUR running of just Ike child, aud
III on account OF = lot of old lilacs.
Eve great mind 10 git anax and
chop them downI'
"Oh nc, don't Sabillap' There was
agony in the appeal.
They're not worth an AK" pro.
claimed Sabilla Trench. with dis.
sinct sniff. 81 never could see any
hing decent about green things ex-
;ept if they were good TO eat. Now
cabbage is different, because you can