The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-03-08

answer.
talking about" said he, land know
nothing. of the circumstances of her
death beyond what you have told me.
But from the very incongruity between
her expression and the violent nature
of her death j argue that there are
depths to this crime which have not
yet been sounded"
what depths? 1t is simple case
of murder, followed by theft. To be
sure. we do not yet know the criminal,
but money was his motive. That is
clear enough"
Are you ready to wager that that is
all there is to it"
That was a startling proposition to
the minister.
You forget my cloth" said he.
The young man smiled. "That is
true. Pardon ne. was only anxious
to SHOW how strong my conviction was
against any such easy explanation of a
crime marked by such contradictory
features"
Two children on the Porchester road
were exchanging boyish condolences.
'Do you know what i think about
it," asked one.
Nav How should | 2"
WALL. ! think old Mrs. Webb got the
likes of what she sent. Don't you know
she had six children once and that she
killed every one of them?"
KILLED 'eln. she?"
Yes. ] heard her tell granny once
all about it. She said there was 4
blight. on her house. l don't know whal
that is. but ! guess it's something biz
and heavy. and that it fell on every on,
, of her children as fast as they camt
and killed EN-"
! '.Then Pm glad bent her child.
Very different were the recollections
/ interchanged between TWO middle aged
dorchester women.
"She was drinking tea at my house
when her sister Sairey came running IN
with the news that the baby she had
! left at home wasn't quite right. Thai
was her first child, you know
''Yes, yes, for was with her wher
that baby came,' broke in the other
and such joy as she showed when they
told her it was alive and well | never
saw. do not know why she didn't eX
4 pect it to be alive, but she didn't, an,
her happiness was just wonderful t,
see"
"Well, she didn't enjoy it long. TIL
poor little fellow died young. But
was telling YOU Of the night when sl
first heard he was ailing., Philemo.
had been telling good story, and W
were all laughing when Sairey cam
in can see Agatha now. She Away
had the most brilliant eyes in the cour
ty, but that day they were superb
dazzling. They changed, though, a
the sight of Sairey's face, and sh
jumped to meet her just as if she kne,
what Sairey was going to say befor
ever a word left, her lips. My baby
q can hear her YETI Something
the matter with the babyv An
though Sairey made haste to tell he
that he was only ailing and hot at a
i'll she turned upon Philemon with
look none of us ever quite understood
He changed SO completely under
just as she had under Sairey's, and
! neither did the old happiness ever +
turn. for the child died within n wee
and when the next came it died ais
and the next. till six small innocen
lay buried in yonder old graveyard"
!. Il 4 Il, IL -,
especially as she and Philemon we
both fond of children. Well, we'll, II
ways of Providence are past lindil
out. And now she is gone, and Phil
mon
"Ah, he'll follow her soon. He CAL
live without Agatha
Nearer home the old sexton w
chattering about the six graveston
raised in Dorchester churchyard
those six dead infants. He had be-
sent there 70 choose spot in viii
to lay the mother and was full of t
shock it gave him to see that line
little stones. telling of past wi
which the good people of Sutherla
town found ii hard to associate Phi
mon and Agatha Webb.
''l'm Il digger of graves" he muse
half to himself and half to his old w
watching him from the other side
the hearthstone. Il spend good qu'
ter of my time in the churchyard. |
u when | saw those six little mour
X and read the inscriptions over then
e couldn't help feeling queer Think
], this. On the first tiny headstone
t. read these words:
e
1. =. STEPHEN,