The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1899-05-25

VI DO ny bftt 10 Uske Der usPty "" M
time shs hes TO live, bat oil ton sil
! cause . alssdial lot Of tslk, Abe ! sisl
yoa could bsvs 70, tsf from ihst hfsss u
some other vsy.
1 wish l could have, mother. said ABR
- be kissed her. 0od blsss you, dear
for standing BY ne In this. Even u s6ss'
10 sslt. you aud knos " ere doing shs
thirs. don't ves
I, zee lste 10 the rss. chilly aitsfnoor
when Abe drove up 10 Von Rittss's col
tsss with The stove and fusl 10 BIZ wagon.
Garry came sloucbius out sod prosssdsd
10 unload the wagon. Ii dil pot tsks him
very long. snd si les, be walked into The
cottage Abe followed him. 10 shs
vrstched, htsIess room girl ~ astiae.
her lap foil Of cimso0 bitteusess berries.
Abe rsmem bersd - be looked d then,
hov ttey used 10 search tor them together
in ihe glen vbsn thsy we're children.
She had tvinsd soms 10 her hais. end tbs
ruddine:s Of tho berries made h'r pale
face look shss,ly BY eoasrsst Abs vslt
cd over TO her side. viney. be whispssed.
will you come With Abe? She looked d
him srsvsly. then Slipped h'r thin hsnd
into bis. Just 10 she used to yssss ego.
snd ross obediently. While bs wrapped
bis mothers warm shssl sbout her.
Garry erinned - be watched them
wslking TO the wagon, the little cripple
and his slim. white faced girl wife.
Thers'li be scandal sure. be said. With
laugh. and turned and vent into The
house. and then sdded. I'm clad ter Be
rid OF those sssrio eyes o. hers.
As they drove along the dsrkenins road
and the cir got colder aod dsmper Elvins
oou 4 bed and then ssnk bsck exhausted.
There Was little stain Of blood on her
blue lips. Abe dropped bis head 10 hide
the tears IN bis eyes.
God, be prayed, let her live . little
while. just long enough to know that ve
aren't oil brates ih this world; jos long
enough, Lord. TO know . little happiness
her life has been 90 ssdl
Nv.
Gary aud Mrs Hawkins were right
there was . scandal sud Mrs. Hswkins's
and Abe's motives we're misconstrued, and
they we're much censured by the people
10 the village.
The idea, they said. Of buyin . mans
wife for stovel
II was The fifth dsy after Abe bad taken
Elvina from her cheerless home that the
people OF the villsge reached such state
OF indignation d "the Hswkios's eoin's-
on" that they decided TO speak TO Mrs.
Hawkins and express t cit dissppsoval.
Accordingly that evening deputstiop OF
Eve ci.izsns knocked 1t the Hsvkines
Kitchen door, Receiving no response,
they walked 10. Mrs. Hawkins sat cFy ios
spd the doctor stood beside her
did ell could. Mrs. Hswkins, be vss
saying. She was too worn ont and too
starved to last any longer. II she hsd
been stte uded to 10 time ber life might
have been prolonged, bat she Vas con
poor child
The Ave citiz ms stood sbsshed. Abe
entered the room WITH white, Get face and
limbs.
suppose you yeople have come to
make me send Elvina back 10 that bfuteP
be said. glsncing st them. She won't be
starved or frox,n or beaten any more.
She 10 dead. Perhaps you would like TO
Zee herr
They followed him silently into little
bedroom, and there on the bed, with .
lew bitlersweet berries on her breast, her
vacant blue eyes closed end . happy,
,hildlike smile on ber white face. Icy oil
Ihat rem sinsd oi poor Elvius Won Ritter.
She looked very, very young and happy.
loo. happier than those Who gszsd at her
10 pityiogly now hsd ever seen h,r look
iuring the nineteen yesrs Of her yoone
ifs years so foil Of misery, psin and
,orrow. They looked Il ber srsvely Tor .
moment. aud then softly left the room:
Mrs. Hawkins followed them. 'bhe
lied rsmblin along sbout cid school times
md 81 last she said. Abs. help me up the
ock. There 10 . lot Of bitterswset erosip
here. and she put her poor bsnd into
4 Abe's aud closed Der blus ttsriog eyes
md died. She thought she vas . child
Poor dear, she wasn't much more
han one. Only nineteen. lt's better that
he should die, bot Abe will feel It terri
,ly.
In the little room the cripple wss knsel |
ne beside the bed holding Eivins's hand I
q bis. o., God, be sobbed, | thank thee
hat her suffering 10 over and that Thou I
iid'st let her die With friendly isces Z
round her. Then be kissed hef pale :
orehesd snd whispered. You'll never
Ipow how mucb loved you. little sweet ,
ieatt Ii
Was the supreme Tsst.