Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-01-11
ing cnild waiting Tor one. sne said.

but not To Inc.
Thought of her that evening when.
looking out Of my window, ! saw thnt
the sky in the west had turned primrose.
I saw her trudging home with the light
on her face and the singing Of her birds
In her ears growing nearer and nearer,
till at last she turned in ut the little
gate.
Often after tha, met her in the fields
or going her rounds in the village.
Sometimes when saw her talking with
the neighbors l fancied that the glamour
Of spring evening had worked spell
and that after all there was nothing un-
common or evil about her, aud then l
remembered the eyes that had watched
the sunset and the strange sound heard
through the spring darkness.
II In the day ytime chanced to pass
h.r cottage. which stood alone among
the sad, cultivated fields, l heard her
birds singing and chirping ceaselessly.
I"Monsieur, she said To me once,
"whon l am dead they will stop sing
ing
She went early to work in the morn.
ings. giving them fresh food and water
before starting. Often she went far
aiield for herbs Once met her coming
home slowly and heavily, leaning on
her stick. Dusk had fallen, and the east
was growing tender for the moonrise.
She asked me in that evening. no
ticed that she moved about feebly. -
though ,he were tired out, and ut last
she sat down aud was silent.
Mere Susanne," | said suddenly.
when is your boy coming back! How
long has he been away?"
Ey the movement she made l knew
that she raised her head, for we were IN
darkness.
Monsieur. - she faid, "he may come
any day Every night say TO myself,
Perhaps he will come tomorrow, may
be- before am up, or he will meet me
coming home in the evening. ="
why does he delay, Mere Susanne!'
Her fingers grew restless and plucked
at her apron. II cannot tell. monsieur.
But it is not long since he went-only
q little while ago. "
when did he 20, Mere Susanne, and
why? You have never told me. When
was it,"
1T was during the war, monsieur. l
do not know how long ago; have no
memory. but only little while since.
Monsieur will know. He went to fight. y"
Then nc last began To understand.
II was 20 years since her boy had gone.
She would not have known him now.
He was tall lad, fair and handsome,
and blue eyed to her still. and she was
waiting for him 10 come back from u
battlefield which the plow had turned
up score of times since that last battle
had been fought
The little room and the darkness
seemed To me TO grow very sad. At
times came a twitter from sleepless
bird. and then the moonlight stole In
and found US Mere Susanne rose up.
"Sce, monsieur. she said, II will
show you his room" And she took me
into the other chamber IL was very
bare and spotless. and the white moon
light was glorifying it-nay, was hal
lowing it; for IL was shrine. There
was nothing in il except chair and a
chest Of drawers and the bed against
the wall. The moonlight was streaming
on to the pillow where should have been
lying the head that had slept since on
another bed Of honor
Mere Susanne stole mp and kissed It,
and then, kneeling, laid her own bead
there. And stumbled out into the lit
tie garden and the soft moonsbine and
shadow, not seeing where Went.
Sometimes fancy that her boy came
home; that some early summer twilight
he met her returning from the fields
and came back with her through the
little gate and into the cottage, his arm
about her shoulders and she looking Up
at his face with pride and peace in hers.
Was II 60, wonder? ! like to think
that it was. For one morning when |
passed by the little cottage stood with
open door in the early sunlight. And
the birds had stopped singing. st.
Louis Globe Democrat.