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Love； and so live that you may be lovedthe world will turn sweet
for you； and you shall rest like me by the Waters of Paradise。
From 〃The Play…Actress and the Upper Berth；〃 by F。 Marion Crawford。
Copyright； 1896； by G。 P。 Putnam's Sons。
Mary E。 Wilkins Freeman
The Shadows on the Wall
〃Henry had words with Edward in the study the night before Edward
died；〃 said Caroline Glynn。
She was elderly； tall； and harshly thin； with a hard colourlessness
of face。 She spoke not with acrimony； but with grave severity。
Rebecca Ann Glynn； younger； stouter and rosy of face between her
crinkling puffs of gray hair； gasped； by way of assent。 She sat in
a wide flounce of black silk in the corner of the sofa； and rolled
terrified eyes from her sister Caroline to her sister Mrs。 Stephen
Brigham； who had been Emma Glynn； the one beauty of the family。 She
was beautiful still； with a large； splendid； full…blown beauty； she
filled a great rocking…chair with her superb bulk of femininity；
and swayed gently back and forth； her black silks whispering and
her black frills fluttering。 Even the shock of death （for her
brother Edward lay dead in the house；） could not disturb her
outward serenity of demeanor。 She was grieved over the loss of her
brother： he had been the youngest； and she had been fond of him；
but never had Emma Brigham lost sight of her own importance amidst
the waters of tribulation。 She was always awake to the
consciousness of her own stability in the midst of vicissitudes and
the splendor of her permanent bearing。
But even her expression of masterly placidity changed before her
sister Caroline's announcement and her sister Rebecca Ann's gasp of
terror and distress in response。
〃I think Henry might have controlled his temper； when poor Edward
was so near his end；〃 said she with an asperity which disturbed
slightly the roseate curves of her beautiful mouth。
〃Of course he did not KNOW；〃 murmured Rebecca Ann in a faint tone
strangely out of keeping with her appearance。
One involuntarily looked again to be sure that such a feeble pipe
came from that full…swelling chest。
〃Of course he did not know it；〃 said Caroline quickly。 She turned
on her sister with a strange sharp look of suspicion。 〃How could
he have known it？〃 said she。 Then she shrank as if from the
other's possible answer。 〃Of course you and I both know he could
not；〃 said she conclusively； but her pale face was paler than it
had been before。
Rebecca gasped again。 The married sister； Mrs。 Emma Brigham； was
now sitting up straight in her chair； she had ceased rocking； and
was eyeing them both intently with a sudden accentuation of family
likeness in her face。 Given one common intensity of emotion and
similar lines showed forth； and the three sisters of one race were
evident。
〃What do you mean？〃 said she impartially to them both。 Then she；
too； seemed to shrink before a possible answer。 She even laughed
an evasive sort of laugh。 〃I guess you don't mean anything；〃 said
she； but her face wore still the expression of shrinking horror。
〃Nobody means anything；〃 said Caroline firmly。 She rose and
crossed the room toward the door with grim decisiveness。
〃Where are you going？〃 asked Mrs。 Brigham。
〃I have something to see to；〃 replied Caroline； and the others at
once knew by her tone that she had some solemn and sad duty to
perform in the chamber of death。
〃Oh；〃 said Mrs。 Brigham。
After the door had closed behind Caroline； she turned to Rebecca。
〃Did Henry have many words with him？〃 she asked。
〃They were talking very loud；〃 replied Rebecca evasively； yet with
an answering gleam of ready response to the other's curiosity in
the quick lift of her soft blue eyes。
Mrs。 Brigham looked at her。 She had not resumed rocking。 She
still sat up straight with a slight knitting of intensity on her
fair forehead； between the pretty rippling curves of her auburn
hair。
〃Did youhear anything？〃 she asked in a low voice with a glance
toward the door。
〃I was just across the hall in the south parlor； and that door was
open and this door ajar；〃 replied Rebecca with a slight flush。
〃Then you must have〃
〃I couldn't help it。〃
〃Everything？〃
〃Most of it。〃
〃What was it？〃
〃The old story。〃
〃I suppose Henry was mad； as he always was； because Edward was
living on here for nothing； when he had wasted all the money father
left him。〃
Rebecca nodded with a fearful glance at the door。
When Emma spoke again her voice was still more hushed。 〃I know how
he felt；〃 said she。 〃He had always been so prudent himself； and
worked hard at his profession； and there Edward had never done
anything but spend； and it must have looked to him as if Edward was
living at his expense； but he wasn't。〃
〃No； he wasn't。〃
〃It was the way father left the propertythat all the children
should have a home hereand he left money enough to buy the food
and all if we had all come home。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And Edward had a right here according to the terms of father's
will； and Henry ought to have remembered it。〃
〃Yes； he ought。〃
〃Did he say hard things？〃
〃Pretty hard from what I heard。〃
〃What？〃
〃I heard him tell Edward that he had no business here at all； and
he thought he had better go away。〃
〃What did Edward say？〃
〃That he would stay here as long as he lived and afterward； too； if
he was a mind to； and he would like to see Henry get him out； and
then〃
〃What？〃
〃Then he laughed。〃
〃What did Henry say。〃
〃I didn't hear him say anything； but〃
〃But what？〃
〃I saw him when he came out of this room。〃
〃He looked mad？〃
〃You've seen him when he looked so。〃
Emma nodded； the expression of horror on her face had deepened。
〃Do you remember that time he killed the cat because she had
scratched him？〃
〃Yes。 Don't！〃
Then Caroline reentered the room。 She went up to the stove in
which a wood fire was burningit was a cold； gloomy day of fall
and she warmed her hands； which were reddened from recent washing
in cold water。
Mrs。 Brigham looked at her and hesitated。 She glanced at the door；
which was still ajar； as it did not easily shut； being still
swollen with the damp weather of the summer。 She rose and pushed
it together with a sharp thud which jarred the house。 Rebecca
started painfully with a half exclamation。 Caroline looked at her
disapprovingly。
〃It is time you controlled your nerves； Rebecca；〃 said she。
〃I can't help it；〃 replied Rebecca with almost a wail。 〃I am
nervous。 There's enough to make me so； the Lord knows。〃
〃What do you mean by that？〃 asked Caroline with her old air of
sharp suspicion； and something between challenge and dread of its
being met。
Rebecca shrank。
〃Nothing；〃 said she。
〃Then I wouldn't keep speaki