The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-07-23

M DIV FA ~ 'tE
70 reach the honey stored in the
shrunken trumpet of the morning
oInrv flower. A few chickens strut
ted indiferenHy about the door-yard'
while a dog, old and lazy, lay blink
ing in the sunlight. Files buzzed IN
The door-stone looked cool ana
damn. as if water had recently been
poured there.
Within the sounds Of busy house
wiferv were manifest AT Intervals q
fat-iron struck the hot stove with d
metallic ring followed by the STEADY
n,sh push. as II glided over the iron
,ng hoard swiftly and dexterously. The
woman at the irOning-tabIe, middle
aged and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, was
hummin9 a happy ar IN ume WIN
the rhythmic beat Of the iron on the
board. Suddenly, with a loud creak'
the gate swung open
Tbe 1op arose. stretched himself,
prowIed sayagely, and drew nearer
TO the open doorway. A man, Wlth d
soft hat well pulled over his eyes
walked slowly up the path, and, hur-
riedly pushing open the sWlnglh
s~creen-door, entered he mouse. me
woman at the ironing-table, her song
hushed on her lips. locke up at the
intruder. As she did so he pushed
the hat away from his eyes and then
deliberately removed 1t. HIS eyes
were fixed, with an earnestneSs thdt
was wistful, on the face of the woman;
For a moments brief space she stood
IKE one dazed. No sound escaped
har Tins no motion came to the arm
noised in air with the heated iron
In its grasp.
Then suddenly, the iron fell to the
noor with a LOUD thud, her hands
dropped Imply to her sides, ana
like one IN an ague, she
f1v n chair sink
Ing into the nearest one, covered
her face with her hands and rocked
herself to and fro, shivering and moan
ing
Don't yer know me?"
The sound Of his voice restored her
TO reason; but she put out one mana
rs If horror-stricken, saying, hurried
". 'Don't-don't come anear me, L
cavn't bear it! Who be you? You
IooL Hke-lfke-" Here her words
died away in a husky murmur and her
Inns met with a dry, choking sound.
The man reiterated to a stand by
the stove and remained there, one
hand resting " the mantel, surveying
The woman with not unkindly eyes.
II De" he repeated; my names
John Stearns.'
For reply, the woman turned in her
chair and essayed to speak; but she
shiver>d horribly and the words would
not come.
FOUR
you needn't be afeard of me,
the same voice hat had addressed her
went on. I'm flesh an blood an
| kin explain the whole business
mo, no"
Still she shrank from him with an
unmistakable aversion.
ra,,p,t hoor tn hear We saw so WnV.'
and she lifted a pale, norror-stricken
countenance to him, John Stearns
is dead"
A grewsome silence filled the over
heated room for a The flies
buzzed ~monotonously on and the
chickens "cheeped, cheeped" in the
John Stearns is dead" the woman
repeated, mechanically. IAN who be
your"
I'm John Stearns," insisted the
man, stubbornly, an to prove 1t l
kin tell We the names of his wien
children. Wlfe'n names Nancy, an
the children. two on EN-, Mary Jane
an 'Lijah. 'Lijah he's bout thirteen
an Mary Jane she'll be-
But the woman interrupted him.
Putting out one hand, she raised the
other to her forehead and moved it
back and forth distractedly.
uOlllo, Nv Sdlus HUlNhls, ny
heads all wrong. l don't believe yer.
You cayn't be John Stearns because
- and she hesitated, then contin-
ued, tremblingly, because he's a
He amt now"
The man impulsively dropped his
arm from the mantel and approached
her.
Nancy" he said. don't yer know
me? OF course We do. / was dead an
you see me buried-but l amt now.
It's a long story an soon's We git
Strengthened out I'll tell We all about
it"
With an effort the woman raised
her eyes slowly and regarded him
fxedly.
"oh. my Sod" she whispered.
hoarsely, what hev 1 done?" Then
the utter improbability of what he
mad said Knocked her credulity and
she continued, hurriedly. NO, you
ain't-you cayn't be John Stearns.
Why, I seen him dead and buried,
with my own eyes"
The man put his hand on her
shoulder.
You see.' said he. Tn flesh an
blood, on We? It's all a mistake, I
tell ye, Nancy. You thought 1 was
dead, but I wasn't"
Il don't see
She was beginning to be less afraid
no" anu curiosity replaced the super
stftious horror she had experienced on
seeing the husband she had buried
two years ago walk IN, still in the
flesh and apparently as well as ever.
Yet, mad she not been present at his
funeral? Had it not taken place in
this very house, in the dim front room
held sacred for such occasion? Had
he not been brought home from a
neighbours, where he had expired
from heart disease, and had he not
lain dead in the house for the three
days required by custom? Her brain
Wh1rled. Her senses ree1ed. For here
was Jonn Stearns. alive. standing be-
fore her. John Stearns, unless she
was to doubt the evidence of her
senses. How could she dc that? 1t
was his form, his face. his voice. No
other man carried himself in just that
way, and surely no other man was
conversant with the affairs of their
private life. If SO. how had the
knowledge been gained? A sudden
hought sent the blood quickly to her
heart, leaving her face deathly in its
whiteness.
What did We come back fur?" she
gasped.
To git my own was the determ-
1ned reply. L sh'd of come long ago.
put couldn't. I've been half round
the world"
the woman 1onlol how arvio{- 70