The Springfield herald., 1899-06-02

| hOwer-sprigged dress. Yes, l s'pose
I'd better put on black dress. s'pose
SO, out Of respect for Marietta's feel
ings."
Soberly begowned and shawled, Mrs.
Carter q 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 II on tiptoe,
with dropping tail-feathers. To Mrs.
Carter's sensitive ear, even the old
cocks growing had 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
ting-needles drew the visitor uncon-
sciously toward the sitting-room.
Mrs. Andrew Gamble sat there knit
ting in the still, dark room. She gave
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 chair-thats Andrews,
and l can't bear 1t. This rockers cas-
Ter to your back. Undo your shawl
do"
81 had to come over, Mariett-seem-
| oJ I
thought of your sitting here all alone.
/ wish l could help you-O Marletta' l
wish l could"
Mrs. Gamble looked up from her
knitting quickly. "Yes. it is lonesome
with Andrew gone" she said, quietiy'
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 no"
Marietta could knit stockings and look
SO composed, and curl her hair! Stlll'
she had been crying. Her eyes looKea
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. Andre"
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"
"I 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
few minutes past. We were up all
night with him. I didn't get a wink
OF sleep"
Poor child" Mrs. Carter softly pat
ted the knitting-needles. "Did-did-
he suffer much?"
| mo, l guess not. That was a 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. II was so fond OF
him!" she sobbed, apologetically.
Eyes, yes, do cry. Marietta-itn do
you good. You ought to cry. It's
mercy you can"
II 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 1 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. I 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"
1t 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 well get it done with and
we wouldn't feel so bad when twas
over"
why, Mrs Gamble! Why, I never
heard of such thing in my born days
I never! She spread out the news