The Farmington times., 1900-05-31
DIANrHA DERRY SAT- MuslNG.

The way the morning sunshine had
played with his brass buttons how
plainly she SAW that! Was IL the dal.
zlc OF II In her eyes that made them
water? Diantha Berry Was old II bl
years ~ old and lonely and grim.
There had been few shadnws--ur sun
flashes in her life. Little Benjic had
been more to her than, in her heart,
she wonld confess H. had been to her
almost what her own son might have
been.
She sat back in her chair now, rock
ing icrccly, and remembered many
things Little Bunjic was in them all.
They filed before her mind Ia steady,
relentless succession The time when
Little Brnjir put on his first bits OF
trousers and stumpcd across the yard
20 show her the pockets in them the
time when he first went to school and
she tucked pair Of his beloved straw
berry tarts, unnoticcd, into his lunch
basket, for II surprise and the time
Diantha Berry drew in her breath
sharply, with the pain Of remember
ing the time when, in his brave sol
dier clothes. be marched away to war.
10 the tune OF the Red. White and
Blue" That memory hurt her. sh,
wondered, In duh misery, II mothers
could feet worse than that II Little
Bcnjie's mother-but she would not
finish that thought out. Her thin
lips clrnched. What had she to do
with Little Beniir's mother? II waS
only Little Brniic that mattered ia
her.
"But I'd pity hcr-Id 40 that, II
'twdrn't for the way she irrPied me
when they brought home leo jic'H body,
I'd have forgot all the nest then
wasn't ready to? Wasn't | the first
one TO give in? DO you suppose I'd
have let miserable little quarrel
stan between us then, when Little Ben
lie lay dead In the house2 But Leah
felt different. She wouldn't make un
even then then! II 'twarn't for that,
I'd pity her, scttin' acrost there, all
alone. I'd bc sorry for the mother o
Little ncnjie, I'd go acrost aud see how
her rheumatism was, and I'd run down
the street where the bands practicin'
and make 'em stop goin' over that tune
Of Little Benjie's. I'll tell 'em to have
pity--it hurts his mother 30 to henT
II. But now"
She turned the pages Of the diary
In her hand, searching for something
It was not thereof course notl 1t
was In the next little book further
along In the rom She took Il down and
found the page she wanted.
They brought little Benjie home
dead, to-day. Little Bcniic dead!
saw 'em take the box ont Of the hcarss
and carry Il in 10 Leah-p0or Leah
My heart is achin' for her. She's feclin
the way would have II they'd brought
my hoy home to me dead, wraTin' his
worn-out soldier clothes. | know how
Leah feels poor Leah! I'm goin
acrost to comfort her I've got To.
can't help It. You wouldn't expect q
quarrel 20 held good when Little Ben
jie was layin' dead?"
The next days entry WIS short
enough. Hurt pride aud sensitivcness
Iurked between the lines Of II.
II eonldn't make up my mind 20 go
uninvited, and so KEEP waitin' foi
Leah TO send acrokt for me. made
certain she would, hut when she
didn't. even then couldn't give Il
up. I was 40 sorry for Leah. and
my heart was so sore 10 look nj Lit
tic Benjic'e faee again. eouldn'l
stan il. so | wrote . note to Leah
aslSin' II | could come--if she'd for
get the quarrel as l would. and lei
uz begin again beside Little benjic
CO, the Lord In Heaven knows tried
10 say II right He knows | WARM
nppish mite. nor anything bnt hum
bile and sorrowln'. said: Forgive
me. Leah. and not p word about m,
forgivin' her--not wcrd, though
'twasn't me began the quarrel. Well
! ssat tbe snss sesssl ~ &!s' Dsx