Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-12
OLD WOMAN AND THE MILL.

NtA'otS Asu4h "IoAt
OLD WOMAN AND THE MILL.
There once lived a very old woman
down by mill. The mill TOO was old.
us wheels that had once turned SO
steady was now silent. The swal
lows had built their homes beneath
the roof and even in the small win
dows; the water that had once been
which had held it back. was now
merry and frolicsome. II dashed and
.capcd across the ruins. laughing,
SIrsle and murmcring. flowing on.
on. Down on KS banks was "A willow
tree. its dropping braches was bag
ing Into the water Rnd here the creek
stopped gurSlins and laughing; it
M9wed sadly and quietly on. Even
put one to tears long before they
knew that there was a graveyard
there. ]; would put you 10 tears when
YOU read the words on the tombstone
OF one sleeping beneath the. willow
tree. All this would put one 10 tears
long before one had heard the old
woman's story. The Old woman who
has no teeth. whose hands are worked
worn. whose back is aged and bent,
whose steps are aged and slow. Her
eyes carries !ar-awny look of sad
ness: look that Is sad. Her hair.
s!lvery white. The blessed crown Of
life which live to were indeed she
looked more Ike a queen IL she had
mad on royal clothes and hair with not
a gray one in IL. She WAS far more
blessed than queen OF royal breed
ing. For her crown was that which
money can't buy. Hers was the Sill
yer crown OF life. ana ! viii tell you
the story OF the one who sleeps under
that willow tree, jus, as the old wom-
an told i. TO me in the gathering twi-
liGh; down there by the mill. This Is
how IL began:
The one who sleeps beneath that
WHO" only ,hiil Va, yr.na
Vas Alice, a beautiful child she was
always laughing and doing good
Wherever she could. She Was loved
wasn't like other children. always
going TO tho looking glass 10 see II
hcr ha!r was arranged smart!y. or II
her cheeks We're rosy. or her, eyes
curly and bright. her checks were al
ways red. rosy; her rcd lips and
hlue eyes were always smiling, cN
cent at times when she was by her
self, then She was sad always. Alice
nuTScd the sick, She gave TO the poor
and needy. She helped lame dogs and
Kittens. everything that needed help
Here the old woman paused and n
tear coacscd down her lined face and
n large half wolf dog came and lied
down by her side. lie was old, like
near gone. his hair had very near all
fallen out, he had once been beautiful
hut :.g" had claimed him for her own.
ana soon death would claim him and
INC on woman. Just as age had claim
ed them The old woman wiped her
cy"Ss ana went on with her story.
ono day Alice was walking down
n, me road, Woif here was with her.
was mighty fine looking young,
man and Alice and Wolf posed for
MN. ana IT was mighty pretty pic
parents was. Alice and hin, Was 70
be married in December. after they
had Known each other about three
h snpv th .iEe % Tgss mighty sr,y swee, and
accident. Mra. Kingsiey's girl down
the way was. driving horse that
WAS vas mean and brute in every way
Inc morse took notion 10 run away
lie WAS headed straight for cliff
down across that field yonder. Alice
Vas walking along and She saw them
ana lost II. but she succeeded in stop-
ping the horse, saving the Kingsley
G fnrco but .t Alice was thrown against Il
sci9us Jim, my husband. got her
anu brought her home. An odd smile
was on her Inns. She rcgaincd con
5f ors mes That was month he
was smiling and bright M TO two
days before her wedding was to he
Ihen she called us all to her and told
some o sweSt ana anat she she, would mect us
she left us. just as we thought She
would recover. Tho day her we'd
ding was to be we carried her into
the church, not Il happy. biushine
Lride OF lifo and happiness. but Il
bride cold and pale, n sad and gentle
OF DEATH"
Here the old woman paused and
again she wiped the tears from her
eyes, Then she went on.
Rodney, the boy she was to marry
never was the same afterwards In
three years time he bid farewell 10
all. dying with his eyes or the pic
ture he had painted OF Alice. Jim
has died since Then and ali the men
who has fed the old mill has died
since. The old dam has rotted and
gone. All has gone EXCEPT the old
mill. Wolf and I. AS rule dogs
don't live long. but Wolf is here ali
this time" Here the old woman
paused and saw the blue-eycd.
golden haired Alice como from out
Of the twilight. did not sec her n
bride OF life or bride OF death I
Just saw her as she used to he. To-
day all was bright and smiling, but
In less than four months time SHOWS
would he falling, covering earth. and
making Alice's last resting place
again with blanket of white. While
the winds whisper
Sleep on thou gentle maiden
Sleep and take thy rest.
Thou who was't smiling today,
Death bcckons you TO rest
And you heed Its call without delay
ZlTELLE WILLIAMS.