Page:Zodiac stories by Blanche Mary Channing.pdf/101

84 it; and two tears ran over his thin cheeks and blotted the black-edged page.

For the letter told that his only sister—his dear sister Annie, had gone out of this world, leaving her two little boys alone.

His sister had married an Englishman, and had lived in England, and the minister had not seen her for a number of years, for he was not fond of taking journeys, and he had never seen her boys since they were small babies in arms. He remembered that Annie had begged him to visit her, many times, and he was very sorry now that he had put off doing so. Dear Annie! What merry times he and she had had together in the grim old Manse! It had never seemed empty and still when Annie was there; when her sweet voice was singing upstairs and down, and all the dark corners were lit up by her sunny presence!

The minister sat in the quiet room a long while; sometimes his lips moved