Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1936-03-27
Two Days
In May
From The Pioneer)

.(From lhe Ploneer)
(The following story was entered
in the Salisbury Woman's Club
Short Story contest in 1895, and
won the cup. 1t was written by
Miss Boley of the college faculty.)
Henry Street was dying. He
ha.f lay, half sat, on pillows tucked
at his back. His eyes were closed.
lnere was a look of ineffable weari-
ness on his face. The afternoon was
stiflirg, and the curtains at the
windows had been pinned back in an
effort to make him more comfort
able.
Jacob Waymon, his best friend
and neighbor, sat beside the bed,
fannis HIM gently with a palm leaf
IAN Els sister Sarah, forty, angu-
lar, and unmarried, sat on the other
side. She was holding one of the
dying mans hands in hers, as if BY
some miracle she hoped to keep him
from slipping away from her.
Melinda, his wife, occupied an
arm chair near the foot of the bed.
Her blond hair, only slightly tinged
with grey, was carefully dressed,
Her flighty little hands, plump
and white, she c!asped and unclasp-
ed nervously. She sat far forward
in her chair, and there was a deter
mined CLEAN in her eyes.
Sarah put her forefinger to her
lips in an eloquent appeal for sill
ence, but Melinda ignored it and
said, shaking the bed with her
hand, "Henry!"
Her husband did not stir.
Henry, oh Henry, listen to me,
dear!" This time her tone was loud
er, more insistent. Sarah gave one
agonlzed look at Jacob Waymon
and clasped her brothers hand a
little more firmly.
"Henry!" There was a sugges-
ton of hysteria in her voice.
Her husband opened his eyes
slowly, and looked steadily at her.
"Oh, Henry, tell me quickly
what to do about the farm. l
don't know how to manage it.
Everybody will cheat me; I know
they will. And the taxes. When
do they have to be paid? And
Henry, there's Betsy. Shall l send
her to boarding school? Shall
l can't decide by myself. And"
Her husband closed his eyes,, and
his lips moved, as if he were pray
ing. When Melinda noticed it, she
leaned over and caught at his
sleeve. Henry, please listen to
me! What shall l do? And n
other thing, about the money in
the bank. 1 can't write checks!
Oh, oh, poor little mel" Her voice
became a wall and she buried her
face in the bed covers.
Jacob looked across at Sarah and
shook his head. She darted one
look of pure hate at her ~sister-in-
law, reached quietly for a tumbler
on the table near her, and held it to
her brothers lips.
Melinda looked up again. "Oh,
Henry, tell me-" but her sentence
was never finished. Unannounced,
the family physician had entered
the room. He had been standing,
near the door until her
second outburst. He strobe across
to her, lifted her none too gently to
her feet, and started toward the
door again, holding her by one arm.
But before they reached it, she
whirled quickly, shaking herself
loose from his grasp, and ran back
to the bed. She sobbed, Henry,
always looked after things
for me, and now YOU'RE" A
hand closed tightly over her mouth
and a grip of steel frightened on her
A moment later she was
out of sight and hearing of
the the sick room.
Henry forced his eyes open once
more. The lids were so heavy.
Good old Jacob, to keep tanning
him like that! And Sarah's hand
ekRnu r..