The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1901-03-09
LEMU-EL
by Leigh North.
,0cooc,O9e0 oScoaocct

| A CROSS the fields floated the trem
"A bling voice: "Lsmu-el! Lemu-ell
On, Lemu-ell" Fioated softly, YET
far, with half musical, wholly pathet.
ic cadence, and seemed to nestle and die
away at the foot Of the low hills which
the village folk politely called "the
mountains"
A little old woman with a snowy cap
a small shawl pinned over her Shout
ders and dark dress, stood at the door
Of cottage. The smooth silvery hair
and the soft withered cheeks seemed
to suggest the charm OF an earlier day I;
perhaps she had even been very fair in
her long-ago youth. But the large
dark eyes had strange, restless look,
and the hands twitched nervously.
A younger woman stepped up beside
her, from within. She was taller, larger
and less comedy. but the resemblance
between them bespoke near relation
ship.
"Yes, yes, mother" she said, sooth-
ingly, laying her hand on the others
shoulder. "Some other day he'll come.
woulont call MIN any more now
"some other day ?" the queried,
faint color tinging her cheek
Eyes, yes some other day; come and
get your cup of tea" and she led her
mother to the table and seated her be-
side it.
MARY, put plate for Lemuel, he
might like bit, too, and why do you
forget?" she added, half fretfully.
With patient sigh the daughter
obeyed. How many weeks, months and
years was it she had gone through her
useless task?
Hell come tomorrow" the old
woman murmured, half to herself
''Yes, tomorrow he will come, sure
ly," Mary answered cheerfully.
1t was almost stereotyped, their brief
talk, repeated daily. For years the
mothers heart had yearned and waited
for the absent or the dead. But each
morning life renewed itself and hope
sprang up again in the clouded mind.
Each morning of all those long years.
tomorrow he will comet"
Tn the meantime the hamlet had
grown from n struggling settlement to
almost the proportions of town. The
narrow. congested main street, where
butcher and baker had huddled togeth-
er. in confused proximity, had been
widened. and more pretentious stores
and Offices had taken the place of the
mailer wooden structures Of 20 years
since. Factories and mills had their
shops, and workmen's DWELL
ines and long fringes Of outlying streets,
With more or less ornate villas and cot
tARes. had succeeded to rural lanes or |
short cnts across the common.
The street on which our cottage was
situated had been graded and eurbed to |
the foot OF the hills which it was meant |
10 climb. but had fundamentally given
out. and though approached on the 9TH
n side by many more snowy residences
he cottage still held lite own and looked
,ut across the Aelde as it had done
when first built on what thsn seemed
.lmost a prairie. 1t and the ineIosed
blot on which It stood was pattern Of
,eatpess which brought no. shame and
wen set worthy example to It's larger
,eirhbors.
Trees and vines had grown about 1t,
mt thrv vera kent sharply trimmed.
Nj necessary yspairs were promptly
,ttended 70 and each new coat Of paint
as nearly as might be. ito
,reaacasuor No chances within or
.;thou. shcwea themsAixnss No added
uxur,es or a5ornments erept into any
. ~. fopr roona or the little mother
rev restless and unhappy. and what
.emained for moor Mary but 70 guard
~ neace
vao.,w On x..r. 80 sath., moth.r
a.y aa.uht.r haa oee,ni.A ~.
~. ee.h.r s,a.,..h.t ta.,t,,,.
- oo,a ha,, n,h.n. Ttt,. q NJ eh,l.l
- 40 fro,,naA ,nop maj h. con.
;arred youthfnl folIies. whes IN TIE
~. ~ tbn sou h;s eldest horn follv
o..ai,,as aas.rvnA : stronsA- nawe
:. -, .an go aaraalv ana u.rb . nc ,nr.a.
orah,v tn. nov Nred win the inSe.
.n5an,s ~ routh r.secte6 and va.
slIes ana onarrels ensued till II end /
i n ~. father's tnrninr his SON ont /
Z doors wifi the iniupe,ien never 70 |
= Nm ses or hear srou him ava;n
- litaral1x Nod Me bebaSt i,een to,.
We'd Tbe mother ;dol;zed her boy
~ nnd.r tbs stva;n ~ silent or;ef her
ind gradually rave way yo word
~ .o1ne l,ock frou, the wana.rer He
al ,yritt.n toh;s moth., sgvsraI +;mas /,
y, ~. fatbey had srstpoyeS The Ia.
: re witbout handing them 10 her and
.heo finally one was returned 10 Tenn :
! unonaned no wrcte NO more he !.
led 70 drown the memories Of bis