The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-03-02
THE CLOSE OF LIFE.

AlEF ANtR AIANAbb hnNi.t anu HE Ah@
bean bending down TO examine ereaking
front wheel Of the rather diiapidaitd road
wagon in which they sat; and, as be beat
thus, the thought came 10 hsf for the hun
drcdth time that Joha was falling, was
icsbler than he had been. As be sat up
the scarce broken lilly SHE'D over against
the Shaggy old mule on her own side. and
she noted with relief how trmly John
twisted fingers held the rlytic rope lines.
and that the old buggy whip, reserved only
Tor ihese Sunday drives. rame with q sure,
stroag stroke ac,oss the glosy little crcs,
tire
They, were coming home from church, thu
new Methodist church, ,hs breht sprins
midday, and the warm Fun r.owed down
dagrccably overhead and facilitated the
disiuieErstiou Of the dust clois 10 the long
white country read
1T was gos.s. Annie. lie done well for {
young mau, raid the Old man slowly, with
out looking O her, for his eyes were Farina
over the hrids they were passing, fields oi
hundreds a rows Of tiny cotton plauis
yes, hV 10 O better speaker than his ia
,her were. Dat, John, feel he ianlirr foi
having heard him. I've been thinking. John
Il sat there. you know, and were think
ing"
"Nsll. Annie!'
Only, John, that Il you isll ill. or !, yot
hnow"-not willing tu alarm h,m-"aud Il
one Of us should dir-wc've lived 40 long
toscthrr--it would be hard. II will surely IL
l0ucly for one Of us some time you know
with no one, and-vihoui the other
They drove On ~ .iien"e Tl.as he'd lad
their whole Lives together, and peaceful,
loving friendship had brought them tnta
such close sympathy thry often SAT together
for long intervals without speaking Her
iscc was smaller than his own: but. 90 much
alike were their faded features, even 4
stranger would have guessed them br0thCi
and sister
Presently he got on, 10 open the bH gate
that let them into THAR own back yard
II was rather small house. but lt was
the oa'y hone esther had crcT kaa=n, sa4
was made precious hy lifelong familiarity
and association.
She was glad, yet almost sorry. too. ~ slS
eat rocking and listening on the low gal
l,ry. II had been Der idea, mgrcs,cl some
how away back in n" spring by that scr
mon. 20 have somebody come and help them
and live with ihgm. and make q family
And from Missouri Mary's Eon had written
that be- was willing: thai his wife ha5
taken 20 10 az once, and that they bed two
children
He was Sister Mary only son. and Mary
had disd long ago in Missouri, and 'he boy
had never seen them u was natural IL
should have asked How many actes are
in the FARM and II they were "mor'vserd
up" not understanding that they we're two
pnor old people Offering b,m wealth ri
love.
She was going to give them her best
room" o sort of parlor. aud she went and
stood in tho doorway Of The low, lasgc room
cooking lovingly into the cool interior Al
ready she half felt that she had done wrnus
10 ask these strangers 10 come aud mah,
their home there; that she and John, who
hsb lived 20 long quietly together, were
happier perhaps alone. When she reached
the gallery again she was coughing, and her
mouth was moist with the blood that bad
come 30 often 1t had ceased to elarm her
She looked thin, and Oh. and fraiI her
white aa's and s!sss.ss slis,cniEs in ,he sun
rays She was SGT In her ways and "ai,k
Is" snI "olj maidish;" but. for al that, hri
heart vas hungry and sick ior companion.
ship, some one TO love them her and John
II was October. and Ncll stood looking
out Of The window. her pretty face csowlng
from . recent pearusss 20 the stove.
Sweetheart" she mid lovingly to her
husband. this &. tho frs, house we have
sytr owned, and now } want you to buy me
some pretty rusrs and cut away thos,
scrargy hushcs 10 the front yard That old
cloth Of gold hardly bore a perfect bloom {,
besides, us unhealthy to have vines on ths
house,
Something larpr and hard seemed to coms
az in Aunt Anuic's throat; hut before she
could speak she was e.ad to hear John say
stcrnly. il somewhat huskiIy: No. Philip
That vine was given me when a youth by
ms one sweetheart She is dead, and yov
must not tut it down, slr And the Other
flowers are Annic's"
The young husband and wife exchange
Flanccs, aud when one Of them spoke 1t was
90 change the subject
but Aunt Annie felt that the something
In her throat grew bigEv1; the tight feel
ms seemed TO occupy her entire left side
Vixen the children had come IN aud supper
vas over. Aunt Annie noticed how CHEEKY
The little family looked but John sat apart,
silent, resting heavily GU his elbow, bic
head leaning on one band.
Perhaps he was bowed by rush Of old
memories, and sat recalling the sorrow that
had 80 long blighted his life.
She went over, and did thing she had
not done for years-ktssed John good night
upon the forehead. and then. ashamed at
this display Of foolish weakness and tender
ness before thess strangers, she almost ran
70 her room. She undrcssrd hastily hut
had scarcely turned down The light before
faint sal, taste was IN her mouth. Although
conscious % Little pain. she felt grra, weak
ness coming over her, grear pressure over
her breast She pushed of the cover and
called family. Across the hall the younger
child was crying. and its voice seemed te
drown her own. She las still for what
seemed a long time, the blood wetting the
pillow and darkenihg the clean white sheet
Presently the door opened softly AID o
rough old band closed over her own.
"Annie'-hia voicc was low aud It sound
cd far of-"Anniel"
She tried to speak, aud, failing, would
have raised her head in acknowledgment Of
his presence. But the blood gushed warm
and thick aud she sank back coughing. dy.
ina. slrangled IN her own life blood, And
the hard, bent fingers clasptd hers closer, and
to the ears of the dying woman came faint
u the sound Of the old man sobbins.
II was spring; the rose stiIl grew on tho
gallery and was holding To the sunshine q
hundred bursting faint gold buds Nsll had
never alluded 10 It again, indeed, the entire
front yard seemed fallen into pitisble neg
eet 4 sow had torn Of loose board, aud
her pigA, half concealed BY the wet grass
we're granting and roofing among some lily
bulbs. The children, Forbidden" 10 80 on
the front gallery. peered euriously around
The door faeias, alternately pushing enc an
pther out and scrambiins within the open
aoog again.
What's uncis doing xEtoopipg down there
BY the fenceT said one child,
Intending It," answered the older "Aih't
he been there long timel"
The nephew. passing, looked out. Noting
The stiffness Of his u Gle crouehed In tee
rickesy fence corner. he went out 20 ses
what was the matter; .hsn he called gently
10 his wife that be had found the "old man
lead.-~Iennis Montgot 'ery, in New Orleans
Times Democrat.
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