Middletown transcript., 1904-07-16

.foilc tuiHcu aHa nCist Vat>A ttit0 tIit
house and hung up the lantern, tIler
she took the frozen geraninm from The
window and drew down the curtain
Weeks heightened into months and
months into years. and the brown col
on the back of Serena Halstead's head
faded to pale yellow and then to white,
l,She kept her own counsel and answered
the comments and questionings of hel
neighbors with a prolonged stare and
a further tightening OF her thin lips.
Time, that wondrous unrayeler of mys-
teries, had revealed the cruel falseness
of her suspicious, but it had never given
her up the secret Of the whereabouts OF
Hiram Halstead. He had disappeared
from all those who had known him as
the easy-going, obliging neighbor of fif-
teen years ago.
Sometimes in the silence OF the night
she would awaken with a start, believing
she heard the slow, familiar step upon
the porch and the rasping brush of the
old stub of broom, which still stood
beside the door. Many lop-sided speei-
mems had finished their career of useful
| ness there, faithful to the last, and Serena
Halstead never took one in her hands
without remembering the last time she
had ever heard her husbands voice.
: She had taken up her burdens with
grim determination, and had never fall
tered, let the winds blow hot or cold,
| until severe attack of rheumatism left
her with one hand practically disabled.
Then she took forlorn-looking boy from
the poorhouse, who acquired the habit
Of starting guiltily at every sharp, rasping
command she gave him, which reminded
her so forciblY of fsimiliar incidents already
far back in the past, that she grew into
the way OF repeating them in softer tones,
and it was seldom of late years that the
old domineering ways asserted them
selves.
Winter was slowly and sullenly giving
way to the seductive south winds and
sunny days of spring. The tiny brooks.
puffed up with pride and melting SHOWS,
tore through cuts and ravines with the
speed and volume of rivers, and greater
streams over-stepped their boundaries,
doing great deal of damage.
Few daily papers found their way from
the village to the Halstead place, and the
Davisburg Star was the only literary
planet which Sized benign rays OF enlight-
enment about the surrounding country
to any extent. So Serena Halstead went
on making preparations for the long,
delayed visit TO her cousin Rebecca Hart,
who lived in an adjoining State.
The severe cold of the winter was a
thing Of the past, and the season for
the planting of crops was still some weeks
distant. Andrew could keep things run
ming as we'll as she could, and--well. she
was growing old, and SO was Rebecca.
A year longer might be too late; besides,
it was useless to deny it, she was lonely.
She longed inexpressibly for the presence
OF some human creature which should, in
some manner, belong to her, to the old
life which seemed so very far away.
There was no one but Rebecca, now that
Hiram had dropped out OF her lie no
kith or kin to interest themselves in her
or her belongings, or TO care whether she
journeyed abroad or tarried at home.
1t was bright sunny day when she
started. True, it had rained furiously all
night, but with the morning the, clouds
had fled away and the warm spring sum
shine lay yellow and golden over the
streaming earth.
Andrew had brought her to the depot
in the green express wagon, and with
difficulty had deposited her rope-bound
trunk on the platform. 1t gave her a
strange sensation to see him drive away |
toward home, almost as If she had gone
out of the. old life. An impulse to call
him back and Chamber into the high seat |
beside him was sternly resisted, and she
went into the depot and sat down. Then |
she went to the little window and pur-
chased Der ticket. She had burned her
bridges; there could be no retreating |
now.
Presently the train came rumbing into |
the station and she climbed the steps,
the proffered hand of the
brakeman with suspicion.
There were but few occupants OF the
cara tired mother with two fretful /
who had evidently travelled all
night. and feeble old lady with very
white hair.
She settled her belongings about her
and looked cut at the sodden fields and
swiftly disappearing patches of woodland,
muddy crossings and across water soaked
with interest. Such rapidity
Of motion gave her a queer sensation,
and she involuntarily gfasped The plush
covered arm of the seat as the train
Numbered over long trestle-work bridge
with water shining far below.
The newsboy came noisily in Will,
i bundle Of papers, decIaiming loudly.
'All about the foods along the 'Hio
liver. Railroad bridge washed out and
fifteen people killed."
Mrs. HaIstead watched his progress
through the car with fascinating inter-
,st. As he drew near she fumbled in |
Ter pocketbook for pennies, and counting
,ut the required number, bought paper
md unfolded it.
Great staring headlines Of black and
white, telling Of floods and washouts,
bridges swept away and submerged farms,
ixed her attention, and she vainly tried
o master the details, but the jarring
notion of the train and her failing sight
her to lay the paper down
With an anxious sigh.
At small wayside station a little old
nan in Scotch ean and hnffor,,,,f 81