Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-10-06

pose / want any Of your ahominable |
dOggerel on my tombstone? Verses in /
deedw
''But it is not doggerel, Phoebe, said
Byron remOnstratingly 1t is full of the |
spirit of true poetry. 1t is the crown
ing effort of my life"
''Is, eh?" she said with another sniff, |
"well let's hear it."
He took carefully folded paper from |
his pocket-book, and clearing his throat
read as follows:
"She found this world too cold and drear,
And so her soul took fight,
And in a more congenial sphere '
She basks in blazing light"
Look here, Byron Rayne," broke in
his auditor excitedly, do you mean to
insult me? What do you mean by blaz-
ing light?"
docs MT sound just right does it?"
said the author meditatively. Per
hads dazzling would be better word
or radiant. But do MT be so suspicious
and touchy, Phoebe, the next stanza To-
Gates you all right. just hear this?"
ION snowy pinions she was borne
To happier realms above,
anu 1 ain 1911 lOEelOEU 10 mourn
My first and only love"
"First and only lovew snapped the
subject OF these touching lines. "First
and only indeed, and you gallivanting
with that odious widow all the time"
That stanza was written the week
after yJu died. and before l thought Of
Mrs. Snow. It's too good to leave out
and | can't see any way to change it to
fit the facts" and before she could make
reply he went on with his reading:
breathing sweet anthems she doth
roam
Where angel hosts rejoice;
But all is silence in my home,
l miss her gentle voice"
We'll, you're not going to miss my
! gentle voice very much from this time
out" cried the irrepressible lady in
gray. There, stop right where you are
for [ won't hear another word--not a
syllable. Such drivel as that on tomb
stone would m Ike any self-res pocting
corpse turn in its grave. Do you think I'm
| going to have the stone that marks the
last resting place of my mortal remains
read like page from comic almanac?
Not much. l tell you, Byron Rayne, l
won't have it. ="
Phoebe" said Byron calmly but firm
ly, you've got to have it"
| She looked at him curiously. There
was an expression on his face such as
she had seen but half dozen times
during the whole period of their welded
life. Before that look of adamanine
hrmness she had always been powerless.
Threats, tears, blows, vituperatiOn, per-
suasiOn- had tried them all and all
had proved unavailing. Byron Rayne
seldom made up his mind to anything
but when once he did so no power save
the Omnipotent could move him. New.
ertneless she made one feeble attempt.
"If you persist in this III make you
sorry" she warned.
Phoebe" he answered, ''you have
gone to the end OF your rope. You have
already threatened to do everything in
your power to make me miserable and
l expect you to do 1t, anyhow. l an
sorry you do mt like the verses, but
have spent great deal Of time on them
and they will have to go. have been
trying for years to get my productions
before the public, but the magazine ed
itors will not allow new writer's to get
|
sat upon by editors all nv life, Phoebe
but IN going to edit this tombstone
myself and do Mt you forget it.
She glared at him for long time IL
silence. This new and unexpected turI
Of affairs evidently disconnected her.
Byron" she said at last, speaking II
a changed tone, cant we arrange this
matter?"
II don see how we can under exist
ing circumstance, be replied.
IF | were to withdraw my objection
to this marriage" she asked with
tremor in her voice as though suppress
= ing some strong emotion, would /
J make any difference?"
DO you mean to say that you will lie
} me- and Byron hesitated for word.
II mean to say" she said eXplosively
that if you will agree to leave tina
balderdash of my monument l will lie
you go to Beezebub in your own foo
way and never interfere with you in
any way, shape, or manner"
"PhPbe," said Mr.. Rayne, after a mo
menJ's reflection, ''t's a trade"
Tue little woman arose and gave hin
a long, steady look in which rage, scorn
contempt and modification were
strangely blended! Presently her form
began TO grow indistinct and shadowy
: but her eyes seemed to CLEAN NOR
|. brightly each moment Soon she faded
away until there was nothing % be soel
but two shining orbs which rlowed il
the semi-iarkuess like Goals Of Gre
These, after time, came together ant