Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-10-25

HoHuer now mucn Phebe Ann {
husband has gota" said Sarah Cook.
Well. | guess hes laid by a LILLE
something. They must have, with no
'amilyt"
Mebbe he will do something. If Il
ever happens that ne amt under any
body else's thumb.
1t won't make any difference now.
He's laid under the thumb so long that
he's all fattened out of the shape he
was made in. He used to bow kind Of
sideways behind Phebe AIMS back.
when | met aim, but he don't do that
now. met him face to face the other
day, and he never looked at ne. 7
don't know what poor Thomas would
say if ne was alive. I wonder what
Lucy Is picking lilacs for? Lucyl"
What say" Lucy's sweet, thin
voice called back Her smooth. fair
head was half hidden IN a great clump
Of ac-bushes by the gate She was
bending the branches over, aud break
ing off full purple clusters.
What you picking those lilacs for ?"
Il just thought I'd pick few"
What for? amt going to have
any n the house. They're too sweat
they re sickish!"
ain going 10 bring them INTO tho
house" said Lucy. She let a branch
fly back. and went across the yard
With a great bunch of lilacs in her
hands
I wonder what she's up to-" said
her mother.
Lucy returned inst before the pro-
cesslon passed. The cemetery was
little way beyond the house Her
mother art aunt, and a neighbor who
mad come in, stood at the windows lis
tening eagerly to the approaching mu-
sic. Lucy Joined them. The process
sion filed slowly past: The Grand
Army men, the village band, the min
sters and local dignitaries, and the
rear guard Of children, with flowers
IN accompanying crowd thronged the
sidewalks
I've just been saying to Sarah that
phebe Ann won't have Sylvester's
grave decked out much this year"
said Mrs. Kemp. Her voice was pleas
anter and more guarded than before.
L heard PheDe Ann was pretty low"
said the neighbor
Yes, pose she is should have
gone I'D there, but she amt been iu-
side this house for ten years, and
alnJ going to push in where aint
wanted. hear she's got Mis- Baker
with her. 81 she's taken care Of.
couldn't he.n thinking this morning
how much she'd always laid out on
Sylvester's grave Well, mebbe twas
a comfort to her. I amt never thought
so much Of anything Of that kind. be-
cause my husband and all my folks
are buried away from hers. and amt
had any chance to do anything about
their graves Amt that Phebe AIMS
husband now That looks like MS
horse. y
Yes. It's, said Sarah Cook.
I've a great mind to run to the
door and inquire how she isl" cried
5t4e neighbor, excitedly.
Why don't you" said Mrs. Kemp.
The neighbor ran to the door and
called out She was stout woman
with shrill voice
How is-Phebe-Ann? she clam
ored
The horse was pulled up. and an old
mans face peered around the buggy
wing. How Is Pheae Ann this after
noon ~ the woman said again Mrs
Kemp Sarah Cook and Lucy we're
listening at her back.
Sinking. replied the old man. n
hoarse voice Then he drove on. The
woman called something else after
aim, but he paid no attention He had
to ass e..e cemetery. w.Ich was now
thronged with the living, III bright
groups, standing among the flower
streWn graves Of The dead. The music
had eeas ed. A mans voice sounded
out loudly IN the hush. Phebe AIMS
husband. 5ohn Kemp, leaned forward
and shook the reins over his horse,
then drove p2s rapidly. He kept his
face turned away from the cemetery,
and MS forehead was scowlIng dis
tressfuily.
He mad a half-mile to go before he
reached home. He left the horse IN
the yard and went into the house on
tiptoe. through the house 70 Phebe
Ana $ beu4oo a. Ao he peered stealth
tly the nurse. who was sitting beside
the bed. looked up and put her finger
10 her lip There was just a glimpse
of pale. sharp profile among the pill
lows. Phebe Ann was asleep on her
Journey % the grave.
Her husband went out. put np his
horse. and sat down on the doorstep
He looked idly out over the fields.