Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-15
out into the street. 81 must have been
very foolish when I thought that book

out into the street. 81 must have been
very foolish when thought that book
good"
Then she turned to read and leaned
her little elbows resolutely on the great
volume and knit her brows. This was
Shakespeare. 1t must mean some
thing.
Il wish you would take handkef-
chief and tie 1t tight round my head.
It aches so"
He had not been long in his seat
when he saw drops fall from beneath
the hands that shaded the eyes on to
the page.
II am not accustomed to so much
light. 1t makes my head swim lit
tle," she said. Go out and close the
shutter
When he came back, she lay shrivel-
ed up among the pillows.
He heard no sound Of weeping, but
the shoulders shook. He darkened the
room completely.
night, she told him to wake her early.
She would be dressed before breakfast.
Nevertheless. when morning came, she
said it was little cold and lay all day
watching her clothes upon the chair.
Still she sent for her oxen in the coun-
try. They would start on Monday and
go down to the colony.
In the afternoon she told him to open
the window wide and draw the bed
near 1t.
1t was a leaden afternoon. The dull
rainclouds rested close to the roofs Of
the houses, and the little street was
silent and deserted. Now and then a
gust of wind eddying round caught UP
the dried leaves, whirled them hither
and thither under the trees and drop
ped them again into the gutter. Then
all was quiet. She lay looking out.
Presently the bell of the church began
to toll, and up the village street came
long procession. They were carrying
an old man to his last resting place.
She followed them with her eyes till
they turned in among the trees at the
gate.
sWho was thatY she asked.
IAN old man." he answered, "a very
old man. They say he was 81, but his
name do not know
She unused awhile, looking out with
fixed eyes.
THAT is why the bell rang SO cheer
fully" she said. when the old die, it
is well. They have had their time. It
is when the young die that the bells
weep drops Of blood"
But the old love life?" he said, for
1t was sweet to hear her speak.
She raised herself Oh her elbow.
'.They love life. They do not wantsto
de-, she answered. eBut what OF
that? They have had their time. They
knew that a mans life is threescore
years and ten. They should have made
their plans accordingly. But the
young" she said, s'the young, cut down
cruelty when they have not seen, when
they have not known, when they have
not found-it is for them that the bells
weep blood. 1 heard in the ringing it
was an old man. When the old die
Listen to the bell! 1t is laughing: 1T is
right, 1t is right! He has had his time
They cannot ring SO for the young"
She fell back exhausted. The hot
light died from her eyes, and she lay
looking out into the street. By and by
stragglers from the funeral began to
come back and disappear here and
there among the houses. Then all was
quiet, and the night began to settle
down upon the village street. After,
ward, when the room was almost dark
90 that they could not see each others
face, she said, ut will rain tonight y
and moved restlessly on the pillows
allow terrible when the rain falls
down on you"
He wondered what she meant, and
they sat on in the still darkening room.
She moved again.
"Will you presently take my cloak
the new gray cloak from behind the
door-and go out with it? You will find
little grave at the foot Of the tall blue
gum tree. The water drips off the
long, pointed leaves. You must cover
it up with that
She moved restlessly, as though in
pain.
Gregory assented, and there was ST.
lence again. 1t was the first time she
had ever spoken Of her child.
"It was so small" she said. sit liv.
ed such a little while-only three hours
They laid it close by me. but never
saw it. I could feel it by me-" She
waited. "Its feet were so cold. I took
them in my hand to make them warm
and my hand closed right over them
they We're SO little" There was an un
even trembling in the voice. "It crept
close to me. 1t wanted to drink; II
wanted to be warm" She hardened
herself. 81 did not love it. Its father
was not my prince. did not care fol
it., But it was SO little" She moved
her hand. '"rhey might have kissed it
one of them, before they put it in. II
never did any one any harm in all its
little life. They might have kissed it
one of them"
Gregory felt that some one was sob
bling in the room.
Late on in the evening, when the
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