Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-08-24
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The rus.r.s: comins down the road
. cJuld see Iis., C.ai.na in the garden
picking lay ....r T.i, lavender Miss
! Jane woulG as;,rEarj make into scent
. bags for sal, \ good Summer added so
. much To th,ir income. bat this year
there were minors Of blight, and Miss
. Caroline's eyes wee anxious as she
/ peered among the bushes.
While she picked, Joseph purred and
! rubbed himself against her gown, there
/ bv hindering the work Every few
minutes the old lady stopped to stroke
! and admire his tortoise shell sides Next
| TO Miss Jane. who was st,il Juvenile
being ten years younger than her sis
ter-Joseph was Miss Caroline's ideal
of youth and youthful spirits. To be
! sure. no one could remember when Jo-
seph was kitten, but to Miss Caroline
he was still young and delightfully."-
flisky.
She noticed now that his pur held a
hoarse note. and her face became still
more anxious. She put mp her glasses
and gazed at him in concern.
Dear, dcar!" she cried. Il do hope
You are not going to be i'll, Joseph.
What should do without your If we
We're parted-if you died -
Here speech failed and the quick
tears of age gathered in her eyes.
She was tall, thin old woman, that
looked not unlike sprig of faded Law
ender Her gray gown was faded and
matched her gray eyes and her faded
hair, but her sentiment, like the fresh
lavender in her apron, had fragrant
pungency Suddenly she wiped away
her tears, and her face frightened. She
had seen the postman coming down the
road.
1t was many years since he had stop
ped at Lavender cottage, but Miss Jane
cherished pleasant illusion that some
day he would bring tidings of a for
tune and his passing along the road
was the event Of the day for the sisters.
So strongly did Miss Jane believe in her
hopes that she had infected Miss Caroline
with her expectations Miss Jane had
a practical mind No doubt she knew
that it gave zest to spare meals to be-
lieve each one the last they would con-
sumo Hunger could be borne when
hope spoke of a letter on its way that
would bar the door forever against
hunger. 1t set halo about the parlor
to picture themselves in it undisturbed
and safe until death called them
As long as they believed in the for
tune they did not see the skeleton that
sat all day on the hearth-the dread of
the union. Confidence in the letter hid
from their eyes the bare boards of the
workhouse coffin.
If it was Miss Caroline who every
summer spared a dozen scent bags for
the old women in the workhouse, it
the paupers graves and tended them
all the year round. She was very pitt
full for the multitude of dead that char
ity covered so grudgingly.
Miss Caroline glanced from the post
man to the window. Then she smiled
and nodded meaningly. Yes, Miss Jane
was there sewing She would see the
postman.
The noise of the latch gave her a
shock. She could not believe her eyes.
The expected had happened. The post
man had stopped at the gate. He was
The corners of the apron fell from her
trembling fingers, and the lavender
sprigs poured in fragrant rain to the
ground. Miss Caroline tottered to the
door, not to take the letter, but to call
Miss Jane to take it.
1t was the younger sister who ruled
the house. Miss Caroline never even
dreamed of opening her eyes in the
morning till Miss Jane had said: "Now,
sister, it is daybreak. We must be ris-
ing
But Miss Jane was already at the
door, and Miss Caroline trembled again
to see that her composure was disturb
ed For all that, Miss Jane took the let
ter from the postman in silent dignity.
They did not speak till they were Sc
cluded in the little parlor; then Miss
Jane said solemnly: 81 don't know the
writing. 1t must be the fortune-come
at last
She laid the letter ON the table, and
Miss Caroline sank into a chair greatly
agitated.
''If that is the case, let us thank
God, F" she said in awed tones. She fell on
her knees and Miss Jane, with an un-
certain cough, knelt down siso. But she
remained silent until Miss Caroline
murmured, surprised. "Sister. are we
not thankfulT"
Then, blushing family and recalling
her confidence, Miss Jane thanked God
for his mercy in promising them COM
fort and home for the end of their
days.
When they rose, their agitation had
calmed, they could look at the letter
with steady eyes. 1t lay ON the table
unopened waiting Miss James sugges-
tion.
Miss Jane polished her spectacles, and
her glance caressed the furniture that
had grown old with them. II was al
ways afraid we might have to sell
them. she whispered.
Miss Caroline lifted Joseph to her
knee "Now we can afford cats meat
for Joseph, Nshe laughed, land pepper
mints for the old people in the work
house And | should like to give them
a little shawl each. We know what it
is to miss warmth. /"
"Can we afford them for ourselves,
YETI" said Miss Jane. She hated to cast
doubt on Miss Caroline's confidence.
"Ah, sister, she went on, ''if we could
purchase liberty"
"Who knows?" said Miss Caroline,
blithely. Eve might have enough to
build amlshouses
'Or an infrmaryl" cried Miss Jane,
forgetting her doubts. Il should like
the poor to have a strong young nurse
when they are i'll. l thought of that
when had bronchitis last year.
"I forget that l must seem very olG
TO you, Jane said Miss Caroline.
| humbly.
mot old, sister. but aging, said
| Miss Jane brislly 81 wonder what is
| in that letter.
"What can it be but the fortuner"
| asked Miss Caroline 1T is the gift Of
Providence; just now, too, when the
I I. r. oh hp.