Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-07

upon Inc 1oor, overcome by the horror
OF the scene. No sound came from the
bed. Was she dead? Alice CROPPED
her way back to the chair in which she
had previously sat; she leaned over
and listened. Mrs. Putnam was
breathing still-faint, short breaths.
Alice took one Of her hands In hers
and prayed for her. Then she prayed
for the unhappy girl. Then she
thought of the letter and the promise
she had made. Should she keep her
promises to the dying woman, and thus
be party to the wronging of this poor
girl
'Mrs. Putnam! Mrs. Putnam!
Aunt Heppy!! J" she cried; "take your
fortune, do not want it; only release,
me from my oath. Oh, thot could
send for that letter and put it back in
to her hands before she dies! If Mr..
Sawyer were only here; but I do not
know where to find him"
For hours, it seemed ages to Alice,
she remained by the bedside Of the dys,
ing woman, Seeing nothing, but listen;
ing .intently, and hoping that she would
revive, hear her words, and release her
from that horrid oath. s
Suddenly, Alice started; the poor
old wrinkled, wasted hand that she
held in hers, was cold--so coId--she
leaned over and put her ear above the
old woman's lips. There was no sound
of breathing. She pulled down the.
.bedclothes- and placed her hand upon
her heart. 1t was STILL. Mrs. Putnam
had gone to meet the boy she had
loved and lost. 80 i
Feeling; her way along the wall she
reached the door. Flinging it, wide
open, she cried, @Samanthy! Lindy!"
samanthy came to the foot Of the
STAIRS, ~ s. Ak ~,
"what is 1t, Miss pettengill?" asked
she. s.s,
"she's dead" said Alice, and she
sank down upon the stairway. 4
ii Samanthy ran quickly upstairs. She
went first to, Miss .Lindy's room and
told that all was. over; then she came
back, went into Mrs. Putnam's room,
pulled down the curtains, went to the
bed and laid the sheet over Mrs. Put
MANS face. She looked at the fire to
see that 1t was safe, came out and
closed the door. Then she helped
Alice down stairs, led her into the par
lor and seated her In an easy-chair
I'll bring you nice cup of hot tea"
said she; 1--WE just made some for din
|ner."
Indy came down stairs and went to
the front door. Hiram was there,
smoking cigar, and beating his arms
to keep warm. He had been waiting
outside for a couple Of hours, and he
was nearly frozen. s'ss Is
'fMr.e, Maxwell" said Lindy; and Hi
ram came up the steps. "Mrs, Put
nam. is, dead" said She. "She expired
just, a few moments ago, about one
O'clock, she continued looking at her
watch. II want you to 60 right down
ito Mrs. Hawkins and bring Betseyl
Green back to stay with her sister;
then tell Mr.. Stiles to come UP at once
with the buggy and wagon to carry
my trunks to the station. Tell Mr..
Stiles am going to Boston on the
next train. When you come back you
can take Miss PettengiH home. She
will be through her lunch by the time
you get back. After you've taken her.
home, want you to go and get Mrs..
Pinkham, the nurse; tell her. Mrs. Put
nam is dead, and mat 1 want her to
come and lay her out. Then drive
over to Montrose and tell Mr.. Tilton,
the undertaken, that want him to
make all the arrangements for the
funeral. And take this for your trou-
Bile, y said she, as she passed him five
dollar bill.
ooh, that's too much" cried Hiram,
drawing back.
"Take it," said Indy, with smilei
81 have plenty more-more than I
need-more than / know what to. do
with" - i
AS Hiram drove off he said to him
self, Lucky girl; she's mighty putty,
too, I wonder that city Teller didn't
shine up to her. I s'pose she's comm
back, to the funeral"
AS Indy turned to go upstairs she
looked into the parlor, and saw Alice
sitting with her head bowed upon her
hand. Her first impulse was to go in
and try to justify herself in the eyes
of this girl, with whom she knew that
Mr.. Sawyer was in love; but no, she
was but waif with no name, no birth
right, no heritage; that woman had
cut her off from her people. Truly,she
had avenged her fancied wrongs.
So Indy went upstairs to her
room, and remained there until after
Alice went home.
When Abner Stiles returned from
Eastborough, after having seen Indy
Putnam and all her belongings safe on
board the Boston train, he stopped at
the Putnam house to see if he could be
of any further service Mrs. Pinkham
had arrived some time before, and had.
attended to those duties which she
had performed for many years for
both the young and old of Mason's
Corner, who had been called to their
long home Mr.. Tilton, the undertake
er from Montrose, had come over i'm
mediate1y, and had given the necessa-
ry professional service which such sad
occasions demand Mrs. Pinkham
called to Mr.. Tilton, and he came to
the door.
= No; there is really nothing you can
do, Mr.. Stiles, unless you will be SO
kind as to drive. around to Deacon Ma
sons, Mr.. Pettengill's, and Mrs. Haw-
lkins' and inform them that the funeral
will be from the church, at Q o'clock
Friday afternoon. l will see that you
are paid for your services"
Undertakes are naturally polite and
ri q ,{<,,S @1r,