Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-11-18
wiped away the moisture that had
gathered in them.

A little smile of happiness, too
great even to give itself full ex
preston, curved her trembling
lips. and as she climbed the from
STAIRS and went along the hall t'
the door on the right, at the end
she murmur ed to herself SO softly
that the words were lost IN the
nOlse or her footballs: 'Jim'il b,
here tomarrer. How wish Ezry
had a.llyed inl meow, to see bis
GOV a comm. home from IT, war I
me like he come Z me more'n thirty
year ago.
She hesltated an iuStant before
opening that last doo". and then,
as though 1t wee an effort. sue
turned Ihe knob and stepped toto
the room. Everything was just -
had le It 1t. The pin cushion top on
the dresser was a little dusty, aOn
there were fleckS also on the wool
wo k of the old bed and on the
commOde top. His brush and comb
Law on the bureau. inst where he
had left them when he went away
with the TbOmpsonviiIe company
A vest, even, hung over the back
OF aclne seated char, aud at the
head of the bed on the floor three
pairs of shoes and one of rubber
boots were rangeI in straight
line.
The September sun entering The
room through the east window teli
upon the face OF Mrs. Springer. 1t
was not the old face that had
hung over the dough downstairs
1t was younger face now. The
ewes weie not so ti' ed. MavDe 'nt
moisture made them look hrighter.
And she smiled sweetlY though
the gathering tears as she looked
around that rOOm-Jim's 'oom.
She stood there by The head O.
the bed for a moment. silent Sul
uumOyed. tben sac laughed aloHd
and gong to the closet dOoT n'ew
il open and pee;ed INSIDE. From
the pegs she TOOK down q plack
cashmere suit, Jim's best su't-
He'll need it meow. Tdiu't notu q
but uomeslckness, I'll bet, an hell
oe All yight u a day or two
Sne laid aud brushed Them with
he stub0y whiskbroom that mad
hong on The wall. over the wash
stand. IT. was a labOc OF love
When busted, the clothes we
folded and laid on the spread at
the foot of the bed.
Mrs. Springer covered them with
a newspaper and goIug down
stairs for the broom, stopped d"
minute IN the doorway 10 smooth
the sham that hung from a frame
over one pillow.
Returning, she swept the room
thoroughly, then nuSted it aud
OPENED the window aud Onlied
back The chIntz curtains.
Then sue went back downstairs
All the rest or that day there was
no sharp word sDoken to Jaue
aud an a consequence the gu
walked even slower than was heI
usual custom. Dudd came up tfOn
the spring tot before the biscuits
were ready to be slipped INTO th'
oven. aud nls mother met him Il
The Kitchen doorway. 'Jlm''
comin',' was all sue said.
'WnO iol yeF
.Zeke Droughta telegram Z ne
beout an hour ago. 1t SAID Jin
was sick an two soldiers WI
comm NTH him au' thai oe'd d
here on lnat slx lbirty.elgbt tra''
P in tn morniu'.'
Tue Younger OrOIner OF th
l soldier thereuDDn relansed into
, dream of I be stories that would u
told him ere aDotber week hat
f passed. Dew vew suppose be-
! bring any Spanish bulletsP he ask
ed, finally.
That night when the rest OF tn
family aud all the help were aslre
MaIlja Springer lay in her be
and dreamed awake.
, In ber mind the year unro'le
f before her like a panorama. cn
thought of the day Ezra Syringe
/ had asked her to be his wife,
r her acceptance. IL was under tn
big shag hickory tree down bv I'll
/ ,priug lot, and they bad gor
d nutIng together. Aud then u
II war and bis return. Aud the
their marriage and their lon
% happy life thereafter. And jim
Ie the by who twenty-five years a.
D. had come to them.
4. And then the war-she though
= i'm uaaf of that. FOur mouths d