The Democratic advocate., 1909-06-04
THE WALL THAT
WAS NOT.
A Story Of a Girls TreaChery to
Her Sister.
BY HELEN RAMspELL.

BY HELEN RAMspELL.
copyrighted 1909, by Associated Literary
Press.l
In the rosy light Of the setting sun
Miss Rachel. the elder of the two Bel
den sisters, was gathering her sun
flower seed Miss Emily. the younger,
sat on the porch watching her sisters
movements. her sewing lying idle on
her lap. Presently she ventured 10
demonstrate.
'Im quite sure. Rachel. that the
seeds are not nearly ripe enough to
gather and that you are only spelling
your next years crop
VERY we'll In that case I'll buy
some now ones" answered Miss Ra-
cilel, "or perhaps we can afford TO build
a six foot fence on our side Of this
one and grow It over with vines. Amy.
way, not one OF these seeds is going to
fall on their side"
Miss Emily rose and walked over 20
the fence. speaking very softly.
II don't want them TO hear as, Ra-
chel. It's like trying to quarrel with
them, and they've always tried to be
friendly. ] really can't see why you
hate them So You used to like Steve
once, and his wife Is a pleasant. sweet
spoken woman"
Sweet spolten-ycsi should say
that's how she got him"
Miss Emily sighed wistfully.
II don't zee why you hate them 90"
she repeated
"You don't7 lIumphi Well. you
just once try being nlec and polite to
them, and-you needn't bo my sister
any loHeer'"
years OF nge came out Of the house.
hold TINS condemned by Miss Rachel.
and both the sisters grew silent. They
had boen speaking much too low for
their ueighborH o. hear what they
said. and IN innocent ignorance the
girl called over. though timidly. as n
half expecting one OF the Enubs she
so completely failed 10 undcrs,and.
Aren't you gathering your seeds
awful early. Miss Bcldenf Irs better
70 let them get ripe They're tho
finest sunfiowers we've ever seen.
We're sorry they've quit blooming"
| To the girl Miss Rachel was silence
itself To her sister she replied In
tones Of unnttered indignation too low
for the giri 10 hear.
"It1l be a ak foot fence next year n
have 20 live on dry bread"
"0h, Rachel, how II would Iookr'
"Wc can cover our side with vines"
but in winter the vines would DO
dead, just the same as the flowers"
without reply Miss Rachel gathered
up her apronfui OF great staring seed
cups anG assembled the stairs 70 her
room. Here she went straight 10 an
old fashioned writing desk and. open.
ing II. placed the package OF seeds IN
one Of i,a many compartments.
I Once II was out of her sight the hard
lines in her comely face relaxed. and
gradually as they faded her natural
expression returned. revealing tears of
suffering and Of genuine kindness ms
\ we'll
i. For a long time she sat there ali.
eorbed IN her rcycFIc. and aa tho aun.
! Hight died without new light touched
Miss RacheI'a face from within, and.
led by some touch Of previous mem
|, cry, she opened n small locked drawer
/ and took out n quaint old box OF faint.
ly fragnnt aandaiwood.
IL had grown too dark to sec ia con.
tents plainly. but Miss Rachel did not
need 10 see them. She knew every
line OF the faded letters that lay there,
every detail Of the girlish forRctme-
not ring IN its tiny box beside them.
every word Of the newspaper notice
OF death that lay beneath them, Will
every feature Of the photograph tim
lay on top was craven deeper in her
heart
Tonight she went over II all once
again-her Joy. her passionate, silent
grief, then her awakening from her
own bitter sorrow 10 find that her sia.
ter was suffering also Then she had
opened her eyes, so long blinded 70 all
save her own bitter grief, and Iouked
for the cause Of her sisters 10 fnd
that Emily's lover. Stephen L0eang.
came 10 see her sister no more.
Questioned, Miss Emily had replied
proudly. with swift flushing cheeks,
that she did not wish him to come,
and Miss Rachel probed no further.
Scarcely year later Stephen married
girl Of q nelghboring village, and
Emily, growing paler and gcntler day
by day, gave all the love left IN her
heart to Rachel which Miss Rachel
silently but deeply reciprocated. all
the more tenderly that Miss Emily SO
often seemed inwardly shrinking be.
, fore her. as if In shame at her fate.
With true New England reticence.
mingled with inborn delicacy. neithe
, ever spoke OF the others love ana
loss, but when Stephen Loring some
, twenty years later had come 70 live
| beside them Miss Rachers wrath rose
high against this destroyer OF her gen.
tie sisters happiness In life.
"Rachelr'
Miss Emily stood at the door peer
, ing into the now dark room.
. "Old Mrs. Clayton Is dying, and
they want you right away"
Miss Rachel rose at once, not even
, closing the lid on her little box 0.
keepsakes.
) At the door she paused. speaking
gently:
| you won't need to go until morn.
ing. You are too fran for such