The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1902-09-04

Mortimer Bsrbour's father embezzled
and killed himself. Mortimer lived Win
his mother, Mslvins. and iarmed an1
wrote books about insects. When bis
mother died. he planted her grave WITH
yiols.s and psnsies. and st the head was
4 white marble monument, but be didn't
display sny taste nothing on II but the
old lsnd's name and the date she died.
Now, be was the last man In the wi
lsRe I'd ever have imagined would have
msrried. Bat when the little milliner,
Melinda McAIlister. came into the place
be was struck. Everybody warned her
and told her about bis father hanging
bimstlf In Prison, and how queer bis
mother was, and that Mortimer was odd.
too, and wouldn't come TO any good
She listened, with her eyes big and cool
and a little bot patch Of red on her cheeks
likss dsub Of paint, bat she never SAID
q vcrd. Bat we we're rot prepared for
tho worst. A day or two before the
wedding 10 comes Mrs. johnson md
ssys, Shut up The doors tight and The
windows. I've got something to tell you
thstll make your bair rise up, she says
whispering like. 30 shat the door, she
olsspiug her hands together like one pos
ssssed,
It's about Nslinds, she went on. Ne
hss got . tombstone for her.
Who? asked !, % II didn't know, but
my knees knocked together. and ielt
queer.
Mortimer Barbour, says she. MY
nephew Johnnie was after bird's nest
iu . tree that stands in bis garden. The
limb broke, and down be went right on
10 the roof OF tbs old clubhouse ths. hasn't
been used for yssrs' II went in under
MIN like tinder, aud Is soon IS be conld
pick himseli up and found no bones brok
ca what should he sse but . new white
grave stone standing in the co:ner against
some rsbbish. He went up TO 1t and
saw "Melinds Barbour" cat on II aud
the date she Is 10 die.
/ don't believe II. said /. bot l ielt
faint st hear,
As soon ss 1 said l didn't believe 1t
Mrs johnson ssid We would 60 ourselvt
and see. And We did 90, Mortimer
being sx.y in the fields. snd entersd
the oo-nhouse. We ns the stone. Iuss
ss Johnnie said. 9 real srsvsstone oi
white marble. and on II the name Aelin
ds Barbour with the date Sept. . b'low
II. Bat the rest We could not make eut.
Hes soipg 10 let her live three months.
Msy heaven forgive himl ssys Mrs. John
500. mesniDg nsront from ubss she
said.
The next dsy I vent TO Melinds aud
told her the .bole tiu,b. And, would
you believe e.. she said che thought MRS.
Johnsan s9a Lai 20 bnsiness pfyine
sbont other p, oplss business. lfhe bsd
boa sh. me . thousand gravsstones Ia
bsvs him jast the same, said che,
50 they we're married The nsIt day Ia
tue chspel, bot Mslinds Was white S
ghost. aud she lrsmbled go tbst she GOULD
! hardly walk. They vent awsy by trsit
spd We threw some old hoes st then
bat oil the wisbitg oil 10y was nske b.
lievs, srd 1 never raw . bride With tuef
: white face.
They we're away nsirly three months
Then they came back TO The old house
bat folks ssit the! we're rot hsppy, snt
ths, abe sss o. eoll a ,tone, aud b.
Yrs slssys 81 h, bScka aud old iasses'.
i ose Day | tsi Letter sssins me Y
come .nd zee Lef Bae vas iJipe dosr
ou loanss wbeb got thsre. white ssd
90 THO. hsr BIZ eyes with ssorry hut
ery look 10 ID @. bal she bad on smsr
eeyp sol wss ss prsl.y ~ pietors. A.
econ ~ We bad shsten hands she ssid:
Do you tnou whs. dsy 10 morrow isl
| thouebt for INMATE aud said II y" tbs
Ord. OF September. The day en- soips
10 die, chs ssid Ia sois qaist tone. Tsss