The Afro-American advance., 1900-04-14


EAS narrow horizon
that this was the
chief event Of her day. She then tool;
time TO look up and down the long vii
lage street, TO exchange greetings with
pasacrs, TO inquire about the sieA. and
60 receive the latest bit of village news.
She and her mother lived like two
sparrows in the small, weather.brown
house with the $500 mortgage On II.
The debt had been incurred In poor
fathers" time; ard after his death the
two patient, toiIing women strove vain.
ly 20 reduce IL. Whenever they had
saved few dollars of the principal
sewing would be slack, coal and pro-
visions higher. taxes increased. or Mrs
Hiil would have one OF her poor spells, "
md the money would melt like spring
snow. leaving the debt no smaller.
Thusa had tried working In the silk
mill la the next village; but she was
far past youth, her finger were too
rough aud awkward for the delicate
winding and spoollng, and her apprc-
hension was slow. Her place was want.
ed for younger. swifter worker, aud.
with humiliation and secret tears. Ehe
took up ngaln the making of sheets aud
pillow caHes. or the fashinning of sim.
pie garments for children and unfas
tldious help"
Standing at the gate, her faded blue
eyes gazing into the perspective Of the
quiet street, Thusa Hin did not loak
like q subject for romance. Tie
straight, scnnt folds Of dark blue cal.
ico fell stifily about her thin little fie.
urc, the sun Of early April east chilly
CLEANS on the plain bands of ash-col.
ored hair done up Ia n small knot, her
shoulders were curved aud her chest
was hollow. Yet. in the years gone by.
q lovers voice had whispered 10 her nn
long. sweet summer evenings. and a
tender hand had stroked her brown,
abundant hair,
How different life might have been.
II Henry Gleason had not mlaunder.
stood that ride with Nathan Burnside!
True. she had promised Henry that
she would he az home thrt evening:
end when he met her driving with
Nathnnlu answer to- a sudden aud
urgent appeal from Nathans sister
Henry had given her one swift look.
proud and stung. and had turned ON
his heel, following In the dust at Ma.
than's wheels.
Hislook had aroused her defiance, and
che would not send word Of self
Qualification. He might have had more
faith In her-shc had expected 20 be
home long before IL was time for his
visit. And so, as young hearts are
prone 60 pride, the note was never
written, the word was never spoken
Justly ns Henry was entitled to II aud
weeks and months glided into years. tlll
Thusa was 40.
Henry had married his cousin.
feather. Drained, selfish creature. whose
own folly and vanity brought on her
death n few years later, Now he lived
in his ehildlcSs home, with hired farm
boy and bustling houSckecprr. On
winter evenings, sitting alone by the
fire. the thought of his early love some.
times fitted across his mind, and he
felt sorry for her struggles. both be-
fore and after the death of her father.
but mans pride Is u hard possession
say what you may about the obsti-
macy OF a womana and Henry Gleason's
was like the granite of his native New
England hills
ThuSa went into the house, stirred
the fire and filled the kettle. Her
mother Was hemmlng pilloweases in
the tiny sitting room beyond aud
called out. as shc heard her daughters
movements:
There's few of those stewed
pruncs in the buttery. Thusa. Couldn't
we have them for supper instead of In
pies seem TO crave something besides
tea and bread aud butter. hut It's just
as you say"
''Of course We will have them for
supper, II you want them. mother"
said Thuka, II don't know as want
60 spend time tomorrow rolling out
pie. anyway. There's that nightgown
Of sally Myers TO he finished. for We
need the money right away; and |
promised TO go aud watch with Cynthia
Warner tomorrow night, She's very
bad. they say"
lfer mother looked at her doubt.
ingly.
"You don't look amy too well your.
self. ThnRa. I don't believe you're
strnng enough 10 watch with the sick
FOLKS that work hard's you do can n,
broke os their night's rest without pay.
Ing for II"
II know e." was the answer. hat
Cynthia would come and xateh with
me. IL I sSns in her place"