Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-01-02
A MiSer Of Years.

Rachel was dead. Curiously the viii
layers eyed the door, whose Grape
streamers told the tale-this ancient
crone, familiar TO their streets for
years so many that none but the aged
remembered her as other than old.
touch, back into the youthland. And
in their eyes curiosity and awe mingled
strangely with something like triumph
Neighbor women who had long
looked askance at Rachel and her ways
now freely entered her poor cottage.
with scrupulous conventionality turned
face to the wall its rude pictures.
With no ungentle hands they robed
old Rachel for her burial. smoothed
the white locks above her worn face.
and folded spray of autumn bloom in
her weary hands. Yet, even as they
worked. they said. one to another. in
such subdued whispers as befitted the
occasion, that now, at last, they should
know how old Rachel was.
For this had been the mystery by
which the woman, reputed half witch.
whole soothsayer. held her small world
at gaZe-that none knew her exact age
The Oldest men and women in the viii
lage could just remember going to
school to her. eomely, merry girl
There fingered a half-forgotten tale OF
q girl at first saddened, then grown
queer" and queerer yet. withdrawn
from life. and dwelling TO middle age
. recluse in the cottage where she now
lay.
AS the years rolled on, and her con-
.emporaries, with their memories,
nrooped away, Rachel's life habit had
again changed; she began 10 go about
among the younger generation. gather
ing into an unfailing memory the his
.ory, traditions and gossip of the coun-
", retailing il to any chance listener
with all the gusto of self-constituted
authority. Her methods OF knowledge
gathering were various, and were com
monty indirect. Soft-footed, swift of
movement, she seemed omnipresent
Turning at rustic, you might see Ra-
thel's bent figure well down the street;
but she had heard your slishtes; word
and had stored IL IN a mind where two
and two made often more than four.
Ir-Those VINO most resented her intru-
;ions were loathe to anger one of her
reputation. Her skill as fortune teller
and herb doctor combined to give her
privilege and authority in her commu
1ity-privilege, albeit. without love
and without the desire for it. authority
rs hard to gainsay as TO explain, root
ed deep in the credulity of an obsti-
aately superstitious and pious people
with whom blessings and curses were
held in equal respect.
But with all her garrulity in the af-
fairs of others. in the matter of her age
Rachel had kept her own counsel. No
records and no memories betrayed her:
she had contrived to destroy the one
and had outlived the other. She
:lutched her boarded jewels in closed
bands. very miser of the years. and
gloated over the curiosity of her towns
people.
Hence the satisfaction with which
The villagers. old and young, now re-
1ected that at last Rachels carefully
guarded secret would soon be theirs.
Had she not long ago set her affairs in
,rder, provided for a tombstone, and
Junk the balance of her small means
n a smaller annuity? Upon that Tomb
stone hung the hopes of the curious;
here they should read her untold
gears.
At Rachel's funeral there were nc
nourners. The church elders bore her
ight-weighted coffin through the fall
ng leaves to its place in the grave
lard on the hill and the villagers fol-
owed.
Two days later heavy team toiled
Up the road dragging a Grated granite
,belisk. Rachel's tombstone. As word
pread through the place the folk
gathered again; crowd not so large
vs. had followed her funeral, neither
70 compassionate nor so respectable
aut OF curiosity all compact they
,oured along the graveyard road. eager
% gather the first crumb of their her.
LaBe ohiiy l$unuy. Tue tnTee weeks
bride. elbowed the octogenarian grand
mother Simms for a place in the van
aalf-witted Sam Bones shuffled TO tn,
ront with a leer of anticipation OF
ais uncouth face. Boys sent by toe
busy mothers raced with boys who haC
some on their own account Catching
Up with the wagon as it drew neal
Pachels new-made grave. they strov,
aoisily for the front rank; little girl;
straggled of to the edge, the Grove
immed in behind. and all waited. cor
norant-like, for this last withheld,
scrap of Rachel's life.
Slowly the heavy stone was role,
INTO place. laboriously it was set OF
md, and the workmen began TO knocl
he protecting cleats from the inscrip
ion. There 1t came-"Rachel Nor
'is-:" AS they loosed the loves