Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-07-06

=--==--=-- -
half-comic gesture, and she smiled back
at him as he intended she should. In the
Kitchen he spent a few hasty moments,
putting in order the room, the stove, the
dishes that Donald had washed, adding
to these last some much needed strokes OF
the drying towel.
Ready for school, my MANI"
In a minute, papa, soon as l put up
my lunch; and 1 must kiss mama good
by" A strange apprehension thrilled him
a little later when ne looked into MS
mothers eyes.
Good by, my Donald. my son. Will you
be a good, a truthful boy today and al
Ways"
/ Eyes, Mama Althea, I'll try to be-" he
answered softly, feeling that he had made
a solemn promise for all his life.
! The clock struck eight. They all went
out. little Lou following her father to the
barn; and the house was still
| A California spring. The BIRDS
/ fields, the odorous air proclaimed 1t.
Under the apricot-trees a -and-white
carpet spread far out in long lines, broken
| only by the brown burrows turned by
silent creeping plows. The grapevine
skeletons were just feathering out in tiny
pale-green tips, lifted to the sun. And the
| voice Of the farmer calling to his team
rang from field to field.
Good morning. Maggie" said Hugh as
his horses came to a standstill at the end
| Of a long furrow near the line-fence.
Maggie Dunbar. tall, strong. and brown,
was planting summer vegetables seeds.
She turned at his words, trowel in hand.
"Good-morning, Hugh. How is Althea?"
He took of his hat and wiped his face.
"She isl hardly know think she feels
gloomy this morning. You know it's three
years today" He turned away.
Yes remember the day too" she re-
piled sympathetically.
II link I could endure it better II she
hadn't been doing my work-work that
no woman ought to do" His somber eyes
were downcast.
Nonsense. Hugh! You didn't have the
grip that spring because you wanted 1t,
did you? And as for feeding the stock.
don't do that all through the slack sea-
son when mother keeps no men?'
"Oh. yes. 1 know all those arguments
by heart and also the excuses for leaving
the hay-shoot open for her to fall through.
But all that doesn't make the trouble any
less" He slipped his hand back and forth
over the polished plowhandle. the work
tyrant impelling him to constant move
ment. even while resting; but unconscious
OF this. and even of Maggie he was gazing
into the suniit distance
II saw DIR. Taylor drive up yesterday
What did he say?'
; ''The same thing-the case is bafiing
shock might help her. and again it might
I kill her"
Hugh did not know that the doctor hat
said that blindness also threatened Il
Althea continued to use her eyes for thu
I fine work. After a pause he asked: "Ar,
: you going to town today?"
Yes, this afternoon"
1 ''She has another lace order finished
: for Mrs. Parker, l think. Will you talk
5 it to her?"
Indeed. I'll be glad to. What a lot o
i work Altnea does!"
Eyes; she has earned over two hundre,
dollars this year, besides doing the chill
n dren's sewing; and yet she calls hersel
a dreadful burden"
d He spoke to his team. at the same tim
pulling back mis- pillow and setting it for
new furrow. well, good-by," he sal
n more cheerfully.
e Long after Hugh left her that morning
-. Althea reclined motionless on her pillows
II In one of those inexplicable day-dream
I her life passed before her. she saw her
K self a happy, carefully nurtured child.
q friendless orphan, a student and finally
u teacher Then brighter picture: Hugh
o love, a home, and little Donald. Lon
minutes passed crowded with hundre
. sweet memories Of that time. Yet tn
!. vision drifted on to the time, a little latei
p when they had entered upon a differeu
u life, casting in their joint savings sma
ShAl CiiOuSh-hhdl lliSy i've upO
= and from the earth. Together they ha
labored, that they might the sooner pa
OF the mortgage and own the small rancl
o Baby Lou and failing crop had come tn
II same year; yet they were undaunted; ha
they not health and one another?
She closed her eyes and shuddered as I'll
:. last picture grew in her mind, the dar
= night, the terrible fall, blank. and-tS
!, bed. For three long years the bed
81 she whispered. And it may be tel
twenty years, perhaps longer before-tt
L. end Summer and winter, autumn an
spring, always must lie here. And Hug
le and the children!" The thin hand graspe
Is the spread under it and closed hard, unit
's the knuckles were white
10 At length she took up her Bible ar
turned the leaves nervously. It was wol
and opened fiat at many places. and {
T. each Of these pages were markings. IL
l. everything that hath breath praise Il
Lord" she read. Let the saints be 10,
= full in glory; let them sing aloud upon the
beds" She paused. and repeated faintl
y Sing aloud upon their BEDS
= Father, forgive mel cannot SING
my bed" she whispered, and turned II
leaves feverishly. All the listlessness
the early morning was gone. and a grow
ing purpose Illuminated her features
" For the Lord had appointed to defe
a the good counsel OF Anithophel al
- he put his household in order and hang,
4
The soul that sinneth, it shall die ,
she read. Yes, 1t must be so, am sur
he and / am willing"
CO Out of the window she could see Bal
Sc Lou in the field, trotting merrily after h
CHI father. her chubby fists full of wi
IA flowers. win Baby Lou remember? w
~ Donald-oh, how sweet is life!"
- Her eyes dropped to the book before he
y" " For we must all appear before the jud
ment seat OF Christ. that everyone mi
We receive the things done in his body, a
cording to that he hath done, wheth
NO 1t be good or bad. Good or bad" she +
peated. will he judge me good, or bad
or DadT But oh Christ, my Savior TIL
hast also said: Greater love hath no M
than this; that man lay down his II
for his friends"
The leaves fiuttered under her trembli
i'd fingers. Her cheeks burned. and her ey
an were deep and dark. She turned to t
&c. bureau and reaching the nearest drawe
70 handle, pulled with all her small streng
va until the drawer opened. With the rul
,ev she managed TO drag from the Earth