Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-03-21

| reSemDleu MS Idbntr. his ldtucIl
She thought of that letter in the
drawer of the hall table.
"He always called me Matte" She
shivered. II was younger than
| Martha"
All at once the light from under
her cousins door was quenched. Was
it possible Martha could go to sleepf
But Miss Martha had not gone to
sleep. AS she sat there hemming her
towels she suddenly threw the sewing
from her and raised her hands aloft.
"Send the dog back" she said,
wildly; che is so much to me be-
cause" She reached forward with
her right hand and put out the light,
and sat there in the dark.
AS early as he could get there in the
morning Jimmy Jones reported. He
was rewarded for his alertness. Then
he remembered dream he had over
night-a dream which disclosed to
him the very place where he might
discover Towser. He was dispatched
to verify the dream.
"I'll give him dollar if he brings
Towser" Miss Martha said to herself.
'To think of him dreaming of the
dog!" mentally observed Miss Matil-
da. "Ill reward him we'll"
Feeling faint, she brewed herself a
cup of tea, and hoped that Martha
would do likewise, for she was sure
that Martha, like herself, had taken
little sustenance in the past "a hours.
Miss Martha smelled the brewage in
the opposite parlor.
Teal she said. "She always was
romantic!" And she ate a sandwich
and drank a glass of milk.
Then here was Jimmy Jones. His
dream had been delusive, dreams 60
ing by cOntraries.
The eyes of his patrons were hard,
for their thoughts had become bitter.
"But for her." Miss Matilda had said
over her tea-cup, 81 might have been
7 happy woman" while Miss Martha,
throwing the crumbs of her sandwich
out to the sparrows, became impressed
by the absurdity of the situation.
at is her fault" she said; "she has
made me act the Ounce all my life;
1 even let her steal my name"
Thus the searcher after Towser
came upon them.
"Find the dog" Miss Martha said,
uncompromisingly, "and l will give
you dollar Dead or alive, find him. "
Miss Matilda heard the raised voice,
and called the boy. Find him." she
said, dead or alive, and do not come
back till you do find him."
A half hour later the hall resound-
ed with a sprightly tread. Jimmy
Jones had solved the problem.
"Towser's there" he called out,
loudly; "he's in the river"
Miss Matilda, in her doorway,
grasped at the jamb, Miss Martha
glanced toward her.
"He's in the river" repeated Jimmy
Jones.
Miss Matilda slid down the Intel to
the floor. Miss Martha crossed slow
ly to her.
With difficulty Miss Matilda righted
herself and shook her head negatively
NO" she said no." then gave a
lurch forward, and would have fallen
but that Miss Martha's arm stayed
her.
"He is dead" gasped Miss Matilda
Gin the river!"
"Yes'm," Jimmy Jones took up the
word, Gin the river"
Miss Martha frowned. "Go away!'
she said.
Jimmy Jones' countenance ex'
pressed alarm. "You said you'd give
me dollar" he reminded her, "alive
or dead"
A disk of silver sped from Miss
Martha's hand. go away!" she or
dered: and then she and her cousin
were alone.
She frightened her hold on the limp
woman at her side. Surely" she
said, "you will be better in your par
lor;" and she led Miss Matilda thither
1t was the first time Miss Martha
had been in that room since the alter
ing of the way of the house. She
placed Miss Matilda on the hOrsehail
sofa between the windows.
"Have you had any food?" she asked
her.
'"Tea," family murmured Miss Ma
tilda.
"Wait," said Miss Martha. She
passed to her own side of the hall
and came back with a roll and a glas,
of milk. "Take these" she said.
Miss Matilda put out trembling
hand, which speedily dropped agar
10 her side.
81, can't" she said "He is dead
Martha"
Everybody dies" she replied, "onc'
in their lifetime"
"He was such a dear" Miss Matilda
said, with quavering lips, land h.
seemed to take me out of a lonely
feeling"
Miss Martha blinked.
"Hhe loss of him made me think s.
much last night" Miss Matilda wen
on, in tears; 81 thought of him. l
frightened me-"
Miss Martha's lips thinned. Grin
your milk" she said; you'll fee
stronger"
mo-" sobbed Miss Matilda; 81 don
want to feel stronger. 1 want to tai
while 1 feel this way. 1 feel chastenec
This has been providential; the los
of this dear creature is meant to shoN
me what hard woman l have beer
l thought of Tom Gordon last nigh
l thought of that letter"
Miss Martha cleared her throat
81 suppose" she said, grimly, 81 am
rather unbending woman. But l bC
lieve l think once in awhile, too.
also thought of him last night, and
thought of that letter"
J Miss Matilda freed one eye fror
, her handkerchief. did it make yo
feel weak?" she asked.
Miss Martha shook her head. "No