Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1909-06-11
THE WALL THAT
WAS NOT,
A Story Of a Girls Treachery to
Her Sister.
BY HELEN RAMSDEll.

ltopS lblittd, i'udt DN hSSttldtcu lleIdTy
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 to
demonstrate.
I'm quite sure, Rachel, that the
seeds are not nearly ripe enough to
gather and that you are only spelling
your next years crop"
"Nery well. In that case I'll buy
some new ones,' answered Miss Ra
chel, "or perhaps we can afford TO build
six foot fence on our side of this
one and grow it over with vines. Any
way. not one Of these seeds is going to
fall on their side"
Miss EnLy roe and walked over to
the fence. speaking very softly.
~ don't want them to hear us, 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 spoken-yes! l should say
that's how she got him"
Miss Emily sighed wistfully.
81 don't see why you hate them sc"
she repeated.
"You don't? Humph Well, you
Just once try being nice and polite to
them. and-you needn't be my sister
any longer!'
At that moment girl some twelve
wears of age came out Of the house
hold thus condemned by Miss Rachel,
and both the sisters grew silent Ihey
had been speaking much too low for
their neighbors to hear what they
said, and in innocent ignorance the
girl called over, though timidly. as II
half expecting one Of the snubs she
so completely failed to understand.
"Aren't you gathering your SEEDS
awful early, Miss Belden? It's better
TO let them get ripe. They're the
finest sunhowers 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 unuttered indignation too 10"
for the girl to hear. ;.
"It'll be six foot fence next year II
I have to live on dry bread"
"Oh, Rachel, how 1t would look!
"ya can cover our side with vines
"Rut IN winter the vines would De
dead. lust the same as the flowers
without reply Miss Rachel gathered
up her apronful of great staring seeu
ems and ascended the stairs 10 hei
room Here she went straight TO al
old fashioned writing desk and' open
| ing it, placed the package OF seeos Ill
one of its many compartments.
Once it was out Of her sight the haro
limos in her comely face relaxed, aho
oraduolly as they faded her natural
oxnression returned, revealing tears OF
sufrering and of genuine Kindness a.
| we'll ~ -,
For long time she sat there ab
sorbed IN her reverie, and as the sun,
lieht died without new light toucheo
I Misc Rocbers face from within, ana
lod nv some touch Of previous mem
orv she opened a small locked drawer
and took out quaint old box of faint
" fragrant sandalwood.
It had grown too dark to see its con
fonts MAINLY. but Miss Rachel did mol
mood TO see them. She knew every
,ino Of the faded letters that lay there
avery detail of the girlish forgetme
NOT ring in its tiny box beside them
ovorv word of the newspaper hotice
of death that lay beneath them' wnl'e
ovorv Feature Of the photograph tha'
law on top was craven deeper IN he'
heart !. ,u opoe
aqain-her joy, her passionate sl'en'
grief then her awakening from mel
own hitter sorrow to find that her SIS
% Tor was suffering also. Then she mao
opened her eyes. so long blinded to TO-. al