Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-01


And down the Bingham vista you saw
face a. sweet as rose itself, but faded,
a wfthered rose For Sally Lavendar, with
the long pressure of her troubles, had
fallen into the sere leaf. But If not niue.
of the beauty of her youth was left. as l
heard my mother say. there had grown III
her face another sort of beauty that even 10
the eve OF a child was lovelinsss
She used TO come down to the port, from
the shore above. every now and again.
sometimes on the milkman's wagon, some
times in a boat that CHANGED to be rowing
by, and that gave her a breath OF cool re-
freshment on the slipping tide. with SAT-
smells from the bar beyond and feeling or
remoteness from all her cares, making calls
presently on certain customers who rarely
failed her. The basket that she prous sn
was always store of delight to the chill
dren who knew her gentle ways and loveo
the odors that her wares diffused When
Terry Johns the burly Scotch peddlef. lum-
bered along with his luSterS and bomba-
zines and smuggled laces naughty children
hid where they might. lest they should De
sent off in his pack, but not TO the hau n IL
test child of us all. my Cousin Lester TOT
instance. would Sally LaVendar BASKET
have been any sort of threat
There were wonderful things in that bas-
ket There were not only the diavolo OF
the chicken bone dressed in red and skip
ping across the table. and the doll made Of
q hickory nut. and boxes made OF burdock
burrs and choice bits of spruce gum, ana
tiny pitchers carved from cherry stones ana
peach pits, but there were the most de-
Ifciously perfumed cordials and dried rose
leaves ready for Jars of potpourri. and lit
tie glasses of strange jam made from sea
moss and winter berries. and there was
candy. a connection of sugar and cider, that
made the mouth water beforehand. stand
ing at her side and peeping into her basket
as she sat down with it on her knee, whiIe
your mother brought her a cup of tea,
was like making acquaintance with far FOR
eign countries, so rich and oriental TO the
childish fancy were the scents.
OF them all, however, the rosewater
might be called her speciality; she had the
most Of her little revenue from that, but
she often gave a tiny flask of 1t, that
made our upper bureau drawers sort or
Garden of Eden for months, and we put
drop or two OF It ON our handkerchtefs sun
DAYS or gave the flask to one another on
birthdays and received 1t back when our
own birthdays came.
a distilled it myself, ma am" said Sally.
~ her pretty breathless way Every drop.
And It's fresh And | think it's sweeter
that 80 much of It's from the wild roses or
the wayside and the new buds of the sweet
br;er leaf-that gives it tang you don't
often find in rosewater. ] don't know
what I'd do without my Still. Twas grand
mothers. and hern afore her. I've used
the bottles you give me. ma am. ana We
stretched a bit OF bladder over the mouth.
Il =
and It was kind Of you, maam-and I've
tied it with little missy's ribbons. An don't
you think il looks real tasty? | guess it'll
bring me IN quite a tidy bit of money. may
be enough for the winter s coal For you
know ma am. i can't expect can't let
oh he's so poorly. But he's as quiet now
as a baby He's like a dear child And
she paused. lifting her beautiful brown eyes
70 nv mothers face And my mother knew
that then she was thinking OF Polly, the
little sprite who had seemed more elf than
child and who. If she had not developed
H. her brief life all of Humphreys mad
ness had vet shown something like the
ethereal flame of that strange insanity OF
his and Of his mothers before him. l sup
pose all the shore people thought. as
knew my mother did that 1t was fortunate
for Sally that her Polly was at rest. But
Sally never left off missing those ardent
embraces Of the little arms, that passion OF
tears and kisses after the wild freaks; ana
che always felt as II Polly had been de-
fraudei OF her share of life, and in some
blind way as If she had herself defrauded
her-perhaps IN giving her birth, since
Humphrey was her father.
But Humphrey himself was quite enough
in those days for Sally's hands, with the
dfsordered blaze of his brain burned down
into irbecility. Now. his old RACES over.
he followed his wife round like some house
bold animal. forgetting TO eat unless she
fed him. forgetting his speech. forgetting
everything but his love for her. He went
out with her on ranbes through wood and
lane In quest OF her smples protecting her
from any chance trouble by the mighty
strength with which he would have fallen
Ike n wild beast on any one who annoyed
her. reaching things beyond her, and carry
ing bags and baskets filed with the ber-
ries and herbs and flowers that she used
In her little still
''It is like Una and the Hon said my
mother. when down woody way one sum-
mer day We met her and her shaggy COM
pan,on. But. oh such SAD ana sorry
such an old and faded Cna"'
She had signed for US to pass her without
notice fearing perhaps, an outbreak from
Humphrey, for she had long since expert
enced the hot pang OF seeing that aii her
little world knew of Humphreys condition.
and although the pang had hardly grown
dull with time yet she had at last the re-
lief of no longer trying TO conceal II:
Though the dear Lord knows. she said
once with a gush Of tears. when she and
nv mother were alone together, I'D have
died 70 keep It dark"
well. we'll" said Try Hodge. as he sat
az the open window and saw them going
home in the warm sunset, what lifetime
yes a lifetime of-Of sorrow. as you may
say Humphrey Lavendar made for Sally
when he married her.
Am married her bein' KNOWN to it, said
KNOWN to what?'' said little Mather so
named in noble defense to a predecessor.
the boy having just come IN from driving
home cow.
KNOWN his mothers son hadn't no right
10 marry no one"
ANY one my dear. That Is to say
ANY one or no one, it's all the Same
thing, There, sonny, do run alongi II you
wasn't allus askn' questions YOU'D know
much as your father some day.
But all the same" continued Try, ignor-
ing his wifes irritation, II can't no, I can't
really say that Humphrey was toto blame.
that is a little dry cough punctuating his
words for him. For the doctors, yes, the
doctors / suppose II Is hadn't then come to
the-the conclusion"
"Oh. well. he knew he'd gone wrong
moren once. an might again. But good
ness me It don't matter for Saliy'd ruth
srn not. What's that you got. Mather2''
Salt. Humphrey give it TO me 10 put on
the birds tails to catch EN-. He done II up
in papers for me II I'd be good an not miss
school But I'm goin' to give it to Dave.
'Tain't no good
What's the reason you're goin' to give it
to Davy?'
You can't get near enough, you know"
said the rosy urchin, looking up In q Won
dering simplicity, and opening his red
pudgy fist, that. with all It's hot moisture
and CRIME. Ann could have kissed, always
ashamed though. she was of the passion Of
tenderness in her heart, and hiding IL I'M
der tart tongue.
You never do" said Try, rather solemnly.
You amt the first one, my son-hm-to
IND out that you never do--as II were--get
quite near enough to your birds toto catch
them HIN"