Part 24 (1/2)

Sarah Ellen spoke with bitterness, but Mrs. Crane was reminded instantly of her own affairs. ”I feel condemned that I ain't begun my own fall cleanin' yet,” she said, with an ostentatious sigh.

”Plenty o' time to worry about that,” her friend hastened to console her.

”I do desire to have everything decent about my house,” resumed Mrs.

Crane. ”There's n.o.body to do anything but me. If I was to be taken away sudden myself, I shouldn't want to have it said afterwards that there was wisps under my sofy or--There! I can't dwell on my own troubles with Sister Ba.r.s.ett's loss right before me. I can't seem to believe she's really pa.s.sed away; she always was saying she should go in some o' these spells, but I deemed her to be troubled with narves.”

Sarah Ellen Dow shook her head. ”I'm all nerved up myself,” she said brokenly. ”I made light of her sickness when I went there first, I'd seen her what she called dreadful low so many times; but I saw her looks this morning, an' I begun to believe her at last. Them sisters o' hers is the master for unfeelin' hearts. Sister Ba.r.s.ett was a-layin' there yisterday, an' one of 'em was a-settin' right by her tellin' how difficult 't was for her to leave home, her niece was goin' to graduate to the high school, an' they was goin' to have a time in the evening, an' all the exercises promised to be extry interesting. Poor Sister Ba.r.s.ett knew what she said an' looked at her with contempt, an' then she give a glance at me an' closed up her eyes as if 't was for the last time. I know she felt it.”

Sarah Ellen Dow was more and more excited by a sense of bitter grievance. Her rule of the afflicted household had evidently been interfered with; she was not accustomed to be ignored and set aside at such times. Her simple nature and uncommon ability found satisfaction in the exercise of authority, but she had now left her post feeling hurt and wronged, besides knowing something of the pain of honest affliction.

”If it hadn't been for esteemin' Sister Ba.r.s.ett as I always have done, I should have told 'em no, an' held to it, when they asked me to come back an' watch to-night. 'T ain't for none o' their sakes, but Sister Ba.r.s.ett was a good friend to me in her way.” Sarah Ellen broke down once more, and felt in her bundle again hastily, but the handkerchief was again elusive, while a small object fell out upon the doorstep with a bounce.

”'T ain't nothin' but a little taste-cake I spared out o' the loaf I baked this mornin',” she explained, with a blush. ”I was so shoved out that I seemed to want to turn my hand to somethin' useful an' feel I was still doin' for Sister Ba.r.s.ett. Try a little piece, won't you, Mis' Crane? I thought it seemed light an' good.”

They shared the taste-cake with serious enjoyment, and p.r.o.nounced it very good indeed when they had finished and shaken the crumbs out of their laps. ”There's n.o.body but you shall come an' do for me at the last, if I can have my way about things,” said Mercy Crane impulsively. She meant it for a tribute to Miss Dow's character and general ability, and as such it was meekly accepted.

”You're a younger person than I be, an' less wore,” said Sarah Ellen, but she felt better now that she had rested, and her conversational powers seemed to be refreshed by her share of the little cake. ”Doctor Bangs has behaved real pretty, I can say that,” she continued presently in a mournful tone.

”Heretofore, in the sickness of Sister Ba.r.s.ett, I have always felt to hope certain that she would survive; she's recovered from a sight o'

things in her day. She has been the first to have all the new diseases that's visited this region. I know she had the spinal mergeetis months before there was any other case about,” observed Mrs. Crane with satisfaction.

”An' the new throat troubles, all of 'em,” agreed Sarah Ellen; ”an'

has made trial of all the best patent medicines, an' could tell you their merits as no one else could in this vicinity. She never was one that depended on herbs alone, though she considered 'em extremely useful in some cases. Everybody has their herb, as we know, but I'm free to say that Sister Ba.r.s.ett sometimes done everything she could to kill herself with such rovin' ways o' dosin'. She must see it now she's gone an' can't stuff down no more invigorators.” Sarah Ellen Dow burst out suddenly with this, as if she could no longer contain her honest opinion.

”There, there! you're all worked up,” answered placid Mercy Crane, looking more interested than ever.

”An' she was dreadful handy to talk religion to other folks, but I've come to a realizin' sense that religion is somethin' besides opinions.

She an' Elder French has been mostly of one mind, but I don't know's they've got hold of all the religion there is.”

”Why, why, Sarah Ellen!” exclaimed Mrs. Crane, but there was still something in her tone that urged the speaker to further expression of her feelings. The good creature was much excited, her face was clouded with disapproval.

”I ain't forgettin' nothin' about their good points either,” she went on in a more subdued tone, and suddenly stopped.

”Preachin' 'll be done away with soon or late,--preachin' o' Elder French's kind,” announced Mercy Crane, after waiting to see if her guest did not mean to say anything more. ”I should like to read 'em out that verse another fas.h.i.+on: 'Be ye doers o' the word, not preachers only,' would hit it about right; but there, it's easy for all of us to talk. In my early days I used to like to get out to meetin' regular, because sure as I didn't I had bad luck all the week.

I didn't feel pacified 'less I'd been half a day, but I was out all day the Sabbath before Mr. Barlow died as he did. So you mean to say that Sister Ba.r.s.ett's really gone?”

Mrs. Crane's tone changed to one of real concern, and her manner indicated that she had put the preceding conversation behind her with decision.

”She was herself to the last,” instantly responded Miss Dow. ”I see her put out a thumb an' finger from under the spread an' pinch up a fold of her sister Deckett's dress, to try an' see if 'twas all wool.

I thought 'twa'n't all wool, myself, an' I know it now by the way she looked. She was a very knowin' person about materials; we shall miss poor Mis' Ba.r.s.ett in many ways, she was always the one to consult with about matters o' dress.”

”She pa.s.sed away easy at the last, I hope?” asked Mrs. Crane with interest.

”Why, I wa'n't there, if you'll believe it!” exclaimed Sarah Ellen, flus.h.i.+ng, and looking at her friend for sympathy. ”Sister Ba.r.s.ett revived up the first o' the afternoon, an' they sent for Elder French.

She took notice of him, and he exhorted quite a spell, an' then he spoke o' there being need of air in the room, Mis' Deckett havin'

closed every window, an' she asked me of all folks if I hadn't better step out; but Elder French come too, an' he was very reasonable, an'

had a word with me about Mis' Deckett an' Mis' Peak an' the way they was workin' things. I told him right out how they never come near when the rest of us was havin' it so hard with her along in the spring, but now they thought she was re'lly goin' to die, they come settlin' down like a pair o' old crows in a field to pick for what they could get. I just made up my mind they should have all the care if they wanted it.

It didn't seem as if there was anything more I could do for Sister Ba.r.s.ett, an' I set there in the kitchen within call an' waited, an'

when I heard 'em sayin', 'There, she's gone, she's gone!' and Mis'

Deckett a-weepin', I put on my bunnit and stepped myself out into the road. I felt to repent after I had gone but a rod, but I was so worked up, an' I thought they'd call me back, an' then I was put out because they didn't, an' so here I be. I can't help it now.” Sarah Ellen was crying again; she and Mrs. Crane could not look at each other.