Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-09-10

was still as death. The cool and dewy
air was soft with the fragrance of the
flowers that came to her in faint and
honeyed watts. A drowsy mist of stars
hardly disturbed the darkness of the
night. There was no sound but the
tapping of the river and now and then
the village clock that tolled the hour
or the quick wrangle of some neighbours
clock through the open windows. Every
once in awhile she went round and
looked in and saw Humphrey still
sleeping. A light wind came fiuttering
about her-the dawn had stirred in the
night. AS she sat upon the low step,
not conscious of being tired or sleepy,
only conscious of listening, it was all
so sweet and still and solemn, it seemed
as if the night itself were communion
with unknown force. Its peace entered
into her soul. She felt as though she
leaned her head ON the breast of her
Heavenly Father. A little bird piped
beside his nest, A trill answered it. All
the unseen world was awake with wild
music Through the clear dark across
the water came the rhythmical rowing
of oars. She stole round again in tender
fright, but Humphrey was still sleep
ing. A dream of light rather than light
itself had interfused the dusk. 1t grew
with slow pulse and yelling till gray
was gold and gold was rose and rose
was silver blue, swelling like the pre-
Jude TO great music, as if day had never
been before. Everything was dripping
aud shaking and sparkling with dew.
The bright light breeze went rioting in
the leaves No one stirred. She had the
day as the night alone to. herself. The
Lord been good TO me, said Sally
Lavender Hes give me real season
of peace =
She waited till Tom Brier came
along whistling to his job. She had
never talked of her trouble, but she
had sometimes asked help of Tom, and
he brought ladder round to the back
of the house and held it and looked the
other way while she found her way in
at an upper window. Then she slipped
down the stairs and closed the bedroom
door and noiselessly lighted her fire
and set the meat to simmer for his
strong rich broth and washed and re-
freshed herself and allowed herself a
long, sweet siumber on the lounge. She
crept by and by into the bedroom where
Humphrey still slept, although stirring
now and then, and held q cup of broth
to his lips, her arm under his pillow,
and he drank it without Enclosing his
eyes. She gave it to him so twice or
thrice during the day, and piece by
piece, slowly, and at long intervals, she
removed his clothes, and with cautious
lifting and Juggling of all her poor lit
tie strength had him deoently in bed,
and she took her own morsel of food
and lay down outside and waited.
There was peace in her heart. There
was even deep, still joy as she thought
of the grass growing on the little grave
where Polly lay--the child for whom
she had feared the fathers fate, and
whom, while her heart half broke with
love and longing, she had been glad to
lay away before the trouble could come
upon her.
The day went by like the marching
of an enemy's army. All the village
kept quiet about her door. Friends and
neighbors knew it was Humphrey
time of slumber now. The children 8
laughs and cries were far away. Even
the bees and birds made drowsy music.
/ When faroff in the twilight the whip
poorwills began to sing, she laid her
own weary head upon the pillow, lis
tened losneEt 70 tie deep, calm
breathing beside her and fell asleep.
1t was in the dead of the dark that
she awoke with two arms around her
and rough cheek resting on her own,
rough cheek wet with. tears. "Wife!'
whispered Humphrey. "Wifel I'm all
right. Yes, | be- But kind of feel ez
though I'd been dragged through seven
cities, and ez though you'd had tug of
it, too Sally. Hev ben abusin of you,
mother? Was it one Of the bad ones?"
And Sally pressed her cheek closer.
"There, there, she laughed and cried.
'Twarn't nothin at all to speak Of"
THE END.