Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-03-28

arm ABOUT uer, LOOKING uOWn Vue rOau.
1t was toward nightfall, and the valley
was full of shadows, while above the
hills iioated soft gray clouds-the dead
sunset. And even as they looked
sudden thrill and flush came across
these, and the valley was filled with
the glory of the after-glow, and the
two old figures stood silent in the
midst of the golden light.
1t was a few weeks after this that
Hester caught a severe cold. She was
in bed for several days, and Mamie
had her husband and child to care for,
and her mother would not let her stay
long.
They'll be needing you'll can get
along now," she said.
81 guess they can get along without
me little while longer" answered
Mamie.
"What say?"
Mamie looked alarmed; she raised
her voice and spoke with careful en-
phasis--
81 guess-they can get along-with-
out me a little while" she repeated.
Her mother nodded.
81 said it had been quite while"
she said. "I'm glad you're going,
Mamie, though we shall miss you SC"
Nannie's face filled with a pitiful
tenderness. Her mother looked up
suddenly and noticed, and a strange
expression came into her eyes. She
spoke with curious eagerness.
"Nannie," she said, "tell me true
don't hear as L used to?"
Nannies face flushed. With sud
den impulsive gesture she threw her
arms about her mother, sobbing bit
terly. But in her mothers eyes the
strange expression grew into glad
light.
Don't feel so, Mamie" she said.
'I-I guess I'm almost glad. I'm
going to tell your father"
Mamie went home the next day
sorely against her will She told her
husband that it almost broke her
heart to think of them so; if it wasn't
for little Mamie she would go back
there and stay, but she couldn't take
the child-it might hurt her throat Sc
riously to have to shout to them.
Then she caught Mamie up and kissed
her again and again; she wondered
how she could live if she couldn't
hear that baby voice. She was
troubled, too, for the child had deli
cate throat and she dared not take
her often to see the old folks-and
they would miss her so!
But it was not so hard; her mother
spoke of it herself and said that she
and father had talked it over, and they
knew it would be best not to have the
child there often. And Mamie
mustn't worry-they could get along
all right as long as they could hear
each other. Indeed, it seemed as if
the bond of suffering drew them closer
together. 1t was beautiful to see the
old mans care for his wife and his
tenderness in speaking to her. The
neighbors who had pitied at first
talked often of it; they said they nev-
er saw two deaf people take such COM
fort in each other. Often on summer
days the two high-pitched voices
would be heard. and the people pass
ing would smile at each other and
sometimes linger little.
"Tis kind O. social to hear them,"
they said.
So the winter passed and the sum-
mer, and then quite suddenly, one
night when the earth was lying hushed
and silent under soft fall of snow,
the old man passed from the silence of
his life into the greater silence that is
beyond the reach Of human voice.
The neighbors for miles around
ctme to the funeral, and the house
was full of grave decorous whispers,
broken strangely when any one spoke
to the wife. She was pale and silent;
only once did she speak of anything
that she wanted done, and then she
called Mamie hesitatingly.
'"Tell him / don't 'twant him to speak
SOS L can hear. lit wouldn t
seem proper, somehow. 1t won't
make any difference to Ezra now,
and I''-she faltered a moment, and
tender light came into the, faded blue
eyes-"I guess he can't say anything
about my husband that I don't know
q hundred times better than him."
''I'll tell him, mother" said Nan.
ME, gently.
Her mother spoke slowly, choosing
her words. "And tell him. she said,
"that we've lived together thirty
years, and it don't seem more than
thirty weeks as look back. And tell
him that in it all was never an angry
word, never anything but love can
speak of; and tell him" (she was cry
ing little now, but her face was
still touched with the wonderful
light "tell him that the only thine
I'm sorry for now is that there wasn'
more could do to show my love fol
my husband"
CT will tell him ALL" said Mamie
That was a strange funeral-th,
leighbors spoke of it afterwards. TIL,
still figure that sat dead to the words
Of tender healing spoken by the min