The sun., 1900-12-25

tendely laid across her knee, "Elylra, do
you remember Hiram Dagget?"
"Yes, you and him did keep company
right smart time"
Sarah Ellen with dignity replied, Eyes
he took me to meetin' every Sunday for
four years and then we made it up to be
married Christmas eve. Hiram he was
that fond of blue he was just sot on the
idea would be married in blue dress.
/ thought it was too gay for me but he
said Sarah Ellen nothin' is too bright
and beautiful for you and ant you to
wear light blue dress when l make you
Mrs. Hiram Dagget. So / bought this
yer blue poplin, mother and me went over
to Bowdentowg to get it. No one ever
saw it. We made it up. And it was all
done and finished two weeks before
Christmas. Well / don't know how it
was, Hiram and just had falling out
about some little matter. 1t seems very.
little now but to foolish proud girl it
was big thing and / wouldn't send for
him and Hiram wouldn't come to me and
| remember / cried myself to sleep for
many a night but / would git up in the
mornin' just as hard and determined as
ever not to ask no explanation. And
then | went to meetin' and we didn't
speak and Hiram he left town the next
day He wrote me onct and | never an
swered thinkin' he'd write again. But
he never did and when l wrote my letter
came back months after from that Dead
Letter Post Office to Washington saying
they couldn't find no Hiram Dagget and
| amt laid eyes on him since. I'll tell
you Elvra and would not tell anyone
else, | put the dress ON that Christmas
eve kinda hoping he would come but he
never did and then mother died." and
here Sarah Ellens voice which had been
strong and almost harsh quivered, '.I'm
an old woman now Elvira and | guess
Hiram would not know me-"
Law! sakes Sarah Ellen you do take
my breath away"
Sarah Ellen rose and tenderly laid the
gown back in it's box as if it were some
loving living thing.
"And that was thirty years ago this
coming night"
'.Oh Sarah Ellen do try the dress ON
now. Let me see how you look in it, l
know you will be perfectly beautiful"
The idea at first shocked the gaunt
old maid but on second thought she
looked out the door to make sure that
no one was listening to these deep he -
secrets of hers and with a guilty look.
and the nervousness Of a young debut
ante she began to robe herself in her
bridal costume. The soft folds hung
about her big square frame incongru-
ously. The sleeves were SO tight they
made her rough working hands look
redder than ever and the waist capped in
front as though the sweet young girl of
twenty was laughing at the great broad
bones of the woman Of fifty.
MY, aint it pretty" said Elvira, and
Sarah Ellen looked at the reflection in
the mirror and saw not the tallraw boned
spinster but the reflection gave back to
her heart picture Of the loving trusting
maid Of twenty.
She looked long at the picture with a
kind of awe and reverence. The clock
struck eight with long sonorous tones.
''Oh / must be going" and down
stairs two women went. At the door
Elvira looked up and timidly kissed
Sarah Ellen's wrinkled cheek. After
she had gone the door was locked and
boted and Sarah Ellen stood by the fire.
place in deep thought. She had taken q
great step in her life, she was now
sharing with another the great secret of
her heart. 1t was almost relief and
| lifted load from her mind. In each of
us there is re lote sacred island given
| to endless regret or secret happiness.
This was her island and now someone
was sharing it. She stood in the center
of the braided rug and it's rings of black
and grey semed to center about her feet
in the light from the logs. Her height
and heavy square frame in the low room
gave her the look of a huge Sibyl while
the fragrance of lavendar ladened with
memories filled the atmosphere.
Old Caesar purred and bumped his
back and rubbed himself against her feet
The old clock licked, keeping time with
her beating heart, the heart unsullied BY
other loves. Suddenly there was heavy
tread on the porch and scufiiing as Of
some one knocking snow off their shoes
and then the knocker ON the door re
sounded. Sarah Ellen started. Who
could it be this late? Never thinking OF
her costume, she cautiously opened the
door and in STEPPED the big frame of {
man who seemed to fill the room, square
shouldered, tall, and with stubby iroI
gray whiskers and forehead deep fur
rowed with wrinkles, a face bronzed bu
with ruddy cheeks and honest gray eye
full Of kindness; Sarah Ellen stood petri
fed and then q deep voice aroused her
"Why Sarah Ellen aint you got an.
welcome for me? Don't you know me? i?
Hiram" she exclaimed. "Good even
} in" awkwardly extending her hand il
solemn formality as though he We're
visitor of yesterday just returned. Sh
placed chair for him before the fire
this ghost of thirty years, and they sa
5 there with the light from the logs throw
ing glow in their faces. He sat Dol
upright toeing out his heavy feet square
ly, glancing with uneasiness around th
/ room. There was a silence broken onl
by the slow ticking of the clock and no,
/ and then the cracking of the logs.
J "Nice frosty weather we are a-havin',
+ he ventured?
1 "Yes," she answered, 'the roads al
all froze over"
I A long pause and then, "Jim Haye
| young colt died this morning from th
e cold" Presently there came to Sara
9 Ellen the consciousness of the incongrl
e ity Of her costume and she blushed fu
n iously, got up awkwardly and wake
t across the room. Hiram rose too an
g followed her.
4 Sarah Ellen aint you got nothin t,
i say ter me? 1t was all mistake an
n how that put us apart. have been ava
4 but never could forgit you"
e The old maid stood by the china clos
r with Hiram in front of her nervous
+ twirling his hat. Eyes, married, Sart
e Ellen way out in Indianny where
d went-she died and left me with a lit
n baby to take care of. The little bal
E grew up and married and when her lit
t baby came she died too and her litt
,e bairn is all have. A little tiny thiI