Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-10-19

Achsa HAYES how slow-how slow-they
were in going! The hands On the clock
crept on patiently, but seemed to make
so very little progress indeed. When the
papers came at night both mothers I'M
folded them with terrible dread, but it
was a week before n bad news found
. its way to Priestly. Then it came to
Judith's neat house first. Judith went
down street for her paper, and the mo-
| ment she entered the little postotice the
terrible dread came to meet her and smOte
her on the threshold. She staggered
across the room, bent and trembling I'M
der the blow. There was no need of the
pity in the mems faces and the sudden
hushing of their excited, shrill voicAs--no
need of their turning away from her the
big black head lines of their papers. She
knew at once. Uncle Purdy came down
the dim little room to meet her, but she
brushed past him and got her own paper
and went away.
"~Somebody'd ought to tell her-she
hadn't ought to read it all alone" NUT
tered the old man. 'She'd ought to read
it with somebody. Judith. judith Tai
bot" He went to the door and sent his
thin, kind voice out into the quiet even
ing. Judith Talbot heard and waited.
"Well?' and her own voice sounded
harsh and strange to her. 1t choked her.
"Well?'
"You goin' up Achsa Halves way?"
stammered Uncle Purdy, eagerly. q
/ kind of thought maybe you'd stop in
an'-an' read the paper to Achsa. There
there's news of the Twentieth in it to-
night-Achsa'd want to hear"
Uncle Purdy went back into the post
office with beads of perspiration on his
bald forehead. His mild, pleasant face
was troubled.
Il don't know but I've put my foot in
it." he said, gloomily. II don't know but
7 bo-o J+'c +nrrihlo horJ vrorl- r., Hro, l.
things to folks. But L thought she'd
ought to read it with somebody, and l
didn't know but 'twould kill her alone"
you selected the wrong woman, that's
ALL" the joker remarked. Il calculate
you forgot Judith Talbot hadn't spoke to
joker's jovial face was drawn out into
solemn, unaccustomed length. He fin
gered his paper nervOusly.
Yes" Uncle Purdy groaned. 81 forgot
it. | jest remembered that Achsa was q
woman them"
Down the quiet street Judith Talbot
was hurrying. A great relief and a great
face. She was trying not to be glad
that it was Achsa's boy instead of hers.
She was trying honestly-but she was
glad. How glad she was! There was
the blessed relief-for anything but lit
tie Jerome. Then she remembered Ach-
cd. SHc lIOuSHI VI lue lllIlt INO1S Iutl,
and strangely enough the picture in her
mind was Of the sturdy little fellow
walking hand-in-hand with little Jerome.
Oh, no! Oh, no. he could not be wound
ed or-dead! He was SO little to be hurt!
Ivory was Achsa's baby-poor Achsa!
Uncle Purdy wanted me to break it
to her-he forgot. He thought Achsa'd
take it easier with me. l knew that was
what he meant the minute he spoke. He
forgot about Achsa and me. Oh, [ can't
think little Ivory's dead! He had such
proud, Independent ways, little Ivory
had! He and Jerome! Oh, no! Oh,
poor Achsar'
An overwhelming sorrow for little
Ivory's mother took possession of Judith
Talbot. The pain sti1ed her and made
her pant for breath as if she had been
running. She ciutched the terrible pa
per in her hand until it tore under her
fingers; she had not opened it at all. 1t
had not occurred to her to do it after the
first heart leap of relief that came with
Uncle Purdy's words.
Poor Achsa! 0, poor Achsa." muir
INJURED Judith Talbot over and over again
IN little gasps of horror. The bitterness,
the long estrangement-everything was
swept away on the tide of her pity. She
longed unutterab bly, to go and comfort lit
tie dead Iyory's mother.
I'll 60" she said aloud. Lord in
heaven, help me comfort Achsa!"
Achsa met her at the door. Bewilder-
ment and joy struggled for precedence in
her thin, sweet face.
judith, Judith" she cried softly, hold
ing out her hands. Had it come at last
at last? Judith come to her.
Dear Lord be thanked" prayed
Achsa'S heart.
1--WE come, Achsa." Judith said sim
ply. She vas holding out the crumpled
paper and the pain in her face, and the
Whlteness of it told the sad story as
plainly as words. The joy in the face of
lvory's mother gave way to anguish.
There's news from the Twentieth,
they say. [ came to read it with you.
is dead. My boy is dead!!'
mo, no-Oh, [ don't know! I've come
to read it with you-he's only hurt. dear.
maybe. Wen read it together-me and
you, Achsa. We've borne so many things
Wounded" f But in her n'i heart ty she Knew Sui It
was death she had read in the solemn
faces of the men. She knew it was death
she heard in Uncle Purdy's compassion
ate old voice. Proud, independent little
Ivory was dead.
.",Weu set down out here in the sunset,
Achsa. It's easier to bear things out Of
doors under the Lords sky. Set up here
close to NELL read it easy as [ can.
You needn't look at all-shut yOur eyes,
dear, and you'll be all ready to pray
Ihe first cool breath of the evening buf-
feted their faces gently. Above them be-
tween the trees a dim star glimmered
family, as through tears. Shrill, CHEEKY
little insect voices called to each other.
A calm world shut them in comfortingly.
Now, Judith. I'm ready.
And Judith Talbot opened the paper
and read the pitiful news. God pity Ju-
dith Talbot, for it was little Jerome who
had fallen at the front. Little jerome
IN bis soldier blue was among the dead.
She had misunderstood; dear Lord, the
pity in Uncle Purdy's scanned old face
had been for her.
All the stars came out clearly. Al!
night they sat there under them together.
and the mother Of the living son com
forted the mother of the dead. And when
1t was sweet, fresh morning in the world
and Judith went down the little, unworn
pathway, AchSa went too. They held
each others hands, as little Jerome and
Ivory had done long before.-Cleveland
Leader.
American Dead in Mexico.