Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-10-22

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face and hair were % white that hs'
dark eyes seemed burned into thsa,
setting. Silently she stared at the wo
man before her long time.
Il might have saved myself TIE t1ou'
bic Of cQping." she said st last II -
you are guilty - sin."
"What has Mag Einton bssa taiiins
your painted the miserable woman,
gripping the fence
-The TRUTH" answered Mn. Com.
stock succinctly. Guilt is In every
line Of your face. in your eysA al oves
your wretchsd body"
III you knew what I've su1sred~
'suneredr jeered MrA Comstock.
That's interesting. And pray. what
have you sufferedr
"All the neighbors have suspected
and been down on me. I amt had q
friend. I've always felt guilty Of his
death! I've seen him 60 down q thou
sand times, plain ss ever you did
Many's the night I've stood on the
other bank Of that pool and listened
to you, and tried to throw myself In
to keep from hearing you. but I didn't
dare. I knew God would send me to
burn forever, but I'd better done Il.
for now be has set the burning on my
body. and every hour It 10 siowiy eat
ing the life out Of me. The doctor
says It's a cancer
Mrs. Comstock exhaled q long breath.
Her grip on the hoe relaxed. and her
stature lifted to towering height
II didn't know or care when I came
here just what I did," she said. But
my way Is beginning to clear. II the
guilt Of your soul has come to head
in a cancer on your body. It looks a.
II the Almighty didn't need any Of my
help In melting out his punishments.
I really couldn't fx up anything to
come anywhere near that II you are
going to burn until your life goes out
with that sort Of nre. you don't owe
me anything.
III sou will gather a lot Of red clover
bloom and make tea strong as iye OF
It and drink quarts I think likely Il
will help you. II you are not too far
gone Anyway, 1t will cool your blood
and make the burning easier to bear"
Then she swiftly walked home. En-,
ter the lonely cabin she could not
neither could she sit outside and think.
She attacked a bed Of beets and hoed
until the Perspiration ran from her
face and body. then she began on the
potatoes. When she was too tired to
take another stroke she bathed and
put on dry clothing. In securing her
dress she noticed her husbands care
fully preserved clothing lining one
wall. She gathered It In a great arm
load and carried It out to the swamp.
Piece by piece she pitched into the
green nav Of the quagmire all those
articles she had busted carefully and
fought moths from for years and stood
watching as It slowly sucked them
down. She went back 0-her m Z
and gathered every scrap that had In
any way belonged to Robert Com
stock, excepting his gun and revolver.
and threw 1t into the swamp. Then
for the first time she set her door
wide open.
She was too weary now to do more.
but an urging unrest drove her. She
wanted Elpora. It seemed to her she
never could wait until the girl came
and delivered her Judgment At last
in an effort to get nearer to her. Mrs.
ComstocK climbed the stairs and stood
looking around Elnora's room. It was
very unfamiliar. The pictures were
strange to her. Commencement had
filed It with packages and bundles
The walls were covered with cocoons.
moths and dragon dies were pinned
about.
Under the bed she could see q half
dozen large white boxes. She did not
know what they contained She pulled
out one and lifted the lid The bottom
was covered with sheet Of thin cork.
and on long pins sticking in It wero
dozens Of great. velvet winged moths
Each one was labeled, always there
were two Of kind. in many cases
four. showing under and upper winga
Of both male and female. They were
Of every color and shape.
Mrs. Comstock carefully closed and
replaced the boxes and again stood
looking around the room. This time
her eyes rested on some books she did
not remember having seen before. 30
she picked up one and found that II
was q moth book. She glanced over
the Hrst pages and was soon eagerly
reading. When the text reached the
Of species she laid II
down. took up another and read its in
chapters. Then she found
some papers and studied them.
She went downstairs thinking deep
ly. Being unable to sit still and hav-
Ing nothing else to do, she glanced at
the clock and prepared supper. She
went out and sat ON the front door
step watching night creep all around
her. She started eagerly as the gate
but It was only Wesley Sin
ton coming down the walk.
"Katharine. Margaret and Elnora
passed where I was working this after
noon, and Margaret got out Of the car
riage and called me to the fence. She
told me what she had done. I've come
to say to you that am sorry. She has
heard me threaten to DO It q good
many times, but I never would have
got It done. I'd give q good deal II l
could undo Il, but ! can't 20 Eve come
to tell you how sorry am"
You've got something to be sorry
eor," said Mrs. Comstock, but likely
W ain't thinking Of the same thing.
L hurts me less to know the truth than
10 live In ignorance. Now. II Elnora
will forgive ms We win take Q new
start and zee what w can mako out OF
what is left Of Life. II she won't then
L Will be my time TO learn what suf-
tering really means."