The silver lance., 1899-06-02

nower-sprigged dress. Yes, l s'pose
I'd better put on black dress. Is'pose
SO, out of respect for Marietta's feel
ings."
Soberly begowned and shawled, Mrs.
Carter a few minutes later, tapped
gently at the Gamble back door, She
noticed that the blinds were nearly all
closed and the shades down An air
OF hushed solemnity brooded over all
things, animate and inanimate, in the
small dooryard
| Poor Andrews choice Plymouth
Rock hens went about as if on tiptoe,
with dropping tail-feathers. To Mrs.
Carriers sensitive ear, even the old
cocks Growing had a doleful. drawn
out wall in it.
She tapped again softly. Nobody re-
sponded. Then adjusting the corners
OF her mouth to appropriate droops.
she stole gently into the kitchen.
There was no one there. The little
room had on its prim afternoon dress,
and looked unsocial and stiff. The
faintest possible hint of clicking knit
t1ng-needles drew the visitor uncon-
sciously toward the sitting-room.
Mrs. Andrew Gamble sat there knit
ting in the still. dark room. She gave
a little start as Mrs. Carter entered.
Oh" she said, in a low voice. I'm
real glad to see you, Mrs. Carter. No,
don't take that ehair-that's Andrews,
and l can't bear it. This rockers cas-
ier to your back. Undo your shawl,
| do"
81 had to come over, Mariett-seem-
| esd 7 Inrt ffaar
thought of your sitting here all alone.
l wish l could help you-O Marietta, l
wish l could.'
Mrs. Gamble looked up from her
knitting quickly. Yes, it is lonesome
with Andrew gone" she said. quietly.
She was a slight, sweet-faced woman.
and the loose wisps of hair, turning
gray. curled prettily around her face.
For a very little space neither Of the
women spoke. The subdued creak OF
their rockers sang dirge in the visit
or's ears. She was wondering how
Marietta could knit stockings. and look
so composed, and curl her hair! Still,
she had been crying. Her eyes looked
reddened
Then the visitor spoke in sharp
whisper. drawing the words out SOL
emnly. Wasn't it dreadful sudden,
Marietta?"
"Yes, it was sudden. Still, I'd been
expecting as likely as not it might
happen. He's never been real hearty
"No?" Mrs. Carter assented, with
doubtful, upward infection. Andrew
had looked hearty, very.
Ever since he sprained his knee
joint last fall he's been ailing especial
ly; it seemed to use him up"
81 never noticed that he limped."
Well, he did, going uphill and COM
ing home after long trip"
Another pause, and another stanza
of the creaking dirge.
when did-it happen, Marietta?"
whispered Mrs. Luther Carter then.
Three o'clock this morning. or a
few minutes past. We were up all
night with him. l didn't get wink
of sleep"
Poor childw Mrs. Carter softly pat
ted the knitting needles. "Did-did-
he suffer much?"
mo, / guess not. That was mercy.
He didn't seem to sense anything all
night We did everything We knew
how for him-everything Laudanum
didn't seem to do any good" She be-
gan to cry suddenly Il was SO fond Of
him!" she sobbed, apologetically.
"Yes, yes, do cry. Marietta-itl do
you good You ought to cry. It's a
mercy you can
81 don't know how we're going to get
along without him, Mrs. Carter"
TITS a great loss to the neighbor-
hood. We all feel it," Mrs. Carter mur-
INJURED. Luther and l were all stuck
in a heap. He read it in the paper
Just think of our finding it out in the
newspaper"
Mrs. Gamble lifted her dropping head
with an air of solemn pride. Yes.
she said, "they put it in the paper right
away. / didn't s'pose they would in
today's, but they're dreadful smart
about getting things in. When An
drew's Uncle Andrew died, they got
that into the morning paper. too"
It was warm in the room, and Mrs
Carter took up a paper from the table
to fan herself She folded it neatly
and set it waving with slow. steady
strokes.
when are you goin to-to-when
will you-bury him, Marietta?' she
asked at length, gravely.
Mrs. Gamble took up knitting work
"Oh. we buried him this morning as
soon as twas real light. We thought
we might as we'll get it done with and
we wouldn't feel so bad when twas
over"
"Why, Mrs. Gamble! Why, I never
heard of such a thing in my born days
= peverr She spread out the news
paper fan in abstracted agitation, and
stared at it absently. Her face ex-
pressed the utmost amazement and