Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1901-08-15
BY MARY J. HOLMES

| the morning Of the wedding, when she
was told that she was not to return to
| the poorhouse again.
And verify, have this day met with
a great deliverance." said she, and tears,
the first shed in many II year, mingled
with the old creatures thanks for this
unexpected happiness. AS Mary was leav-
ing she whispered in her ear. IF your
travels lead you near my Willie's grave
drop tear on 1t for my sake. You'll
find it under the buckeye tree, where the
tall grass and wild flowers grow"
George had relatives in Chicago. and,
after spending short time in that city
Mary. remembering Sally's request, ex-
pressed desire to visit the spot renown-
ed as the burial place o. willie and
Willie's father" Ever ready to gratify
her slightest wish, George consented, anu
toward the close of a mild autumnal day
they stopped at small public house on
the border of a vast prairie. The arrival
of so misunderstanding people caus-
ed quite cOmmotion, and after duly in
specting Mary's handsome travelling
dress and calculating its probable cost,
the hostess departed to prepare the even
ing meal which was soon forthcoming.
| When supper was over and the family
had gathered into the pleasant sitting
room, George asked il there was ever a
man in those parts by the name Of Fur
bush.
What. Bill Turbush? 2" asked the land
lord.
George did not know. but thought like
| ly that might have been his name, as his
son was called William.
"Lud, yesw returned the landlord. 81
knowed Bill Furbush well-he came here
| from Massachusetts, and l from Var
mont; but, poor Teller, he was too weakly
| to bear much, and the first fever he took
finished him up. His old woman was as
clever a creature as ever was, but she
had some high notions"
did she die too?" asked George.
mo. but it's pity she didn't. for when
Bill and the boy died she went ravin'
mad and never felt so like cryin' as
did when l see her tearn' her hair and
goin' on so. We kept her u spell. and
| then her old mans brothers girl came for
her and took her off; and the last heard
| the girl was dead, and she was in the
pOorhouse somewhere East. She was
born there, blieve."
mo, she worn't, either" said the land
| lady, who for some minutes had been
| aching to speak. NO she warn't, either;
| | knox all about it. She was born in
England, and got to be quite a girl be-
| fore she came over. Her name was
Sarah Fletcher. and Peter Fletcher. who
| died with the cholera, was her own un-
| Gle, and all the connection she had in
this country; but goodness. SUI, what ails
you?" she added, as Mary turned white,
while George passed his arm around her
| to keep her from falling Here, 80
phrony, fetch the campfire; she's goin'
| to faint"
But Mary did not faint. and after
smelling the camphor, she said. go on.
| madam. and tell me more Of Sarah
Fletcher"
"She can do It," whispered the land
lord, with sly wink. "She knows ev-
erybody's history from Dan to Beer
shelby"
This intimation was wholly lost on the
good-humored hostess. who continued
| mr. Fletcher died when Sarah was
small, and her mother married Mr..
don't justly remember his name"
"Temple?" suggested Mary.
Eyes. Temple. that's 1t. He was rich
and cross, and broke her heart by the
time she had her second baby. Sarah
was adopted by her Grandmother Fletch-
err. who died. and she came with her
uncle to America"
did she ever speak Of her sisters!'
asked Mary. and the woman replied:
Before she got crazy she did. One
, of 'em. she said, was in this country
somewhere, and t'other. the one she re-
nembered the best, and talked the most
about, lived In England. She said she
wanted to write to 'em, but her uncle. he
hated the Temples, so he wouldn't let her,
and as time went on she kinder forgot
'em, and didn't know where to direct,
and after she took crazy she never would
speak Of her sisters, or own that she had
any"
"Is Mr. Furbush buried near here?"
asked George. and the landlord answered:
Little better than stones throw.
can see the very tree from here. and may.
be your younger eyes can make out the
graves. He ought to have a gravestun.
for he was good Teller"
The new moon was shining. and Mary,
who came to her husbands side, could
plainly discern the buckeye tree, and the
| two graves where willie and Wilie's
father" had long been sleeping. The
next morning before the sun was up Mary
stood by the mounds where often in
years gone by Sally Furbush had seen the
moon go down, and the stars grow pale
in the coming day. as she kept her tire
less watch over her loved and lost.
willie was my cousin-your cousin. "
said Mary. resting her hand upon the bit
Of board which stood at the head Of the
little graves. George understood her
wishes. and when they left the place a
handsome marble slab marked the spot
where the father and his infant sou were
buried.
CHAPTER XIV.
Bewildered. and unable to comprehend
a word, Sally listened while Mary told
her of the relationship between them;
but the mists which for, years had
shrouded her reason were too dense to
be suddenly cleared away; and when
Mary wept, winding her arms around her
neck and calling her AUNT" and when
the elegant Mrs. Campbell. scarcely less
bewildered than Sally herself, came for
ward. addressing her as SISTER" she
turned aside to Mrs. Mason. asking in u
whisper what had made them crazy!"