Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-05-06

1
force. Look quick out o. the winda.
Here they come and the long-legged
slip of girl almost fell into the cab
in in her eagerness.
| A thin. faded woman. half started
from the bed where she was lying
propped up with pillows. faint
| hush rose in her worn cheeks.
| 20. Vinnia." she said With trem-
bling hands she tried to draw back the
shabby curtain stretched across the
| window by her bedside.
Her 13-year-old daughter was before
her.
There. maw." she said. triumphant
ly. "Look'ee. amt they purty?"
Mrs. Marston did not answer. She
was leaning forward as far as her
crippled limbs would permit. gazing
with look of almost wolfish hunger in
her eyes at two young girls coming
down the road.
An uninterested observer might
never have given the girls second
thought. save to note the pretty pic
ture they made rs they passed along
under the shadow of the tall pines.
Two happy girls in light dresses on
vacation in the Colorado mountains.
Their merry voices and light laughter
noated back on the clear air to the
| hungry-eyed woman at the window.
Long after they had passed a bend
in the road and were out OF sight Mrs
Marston lay gazing at the spot where
their pink and yellow dresses had last
appeared. But she was not thinking
OF the wild rose prettiness of the one.
nor the primrose serenity of the other.
Her thoughts had turned inward.
A fierce rebellion against her fate
rose within. She loved beauty. and
her life was so barren. "Why?" she
| said; Why" and like the Psalm.
ist of old her heart went out in a de.
spairing cry: How long. o, Lord.
| how long?"
She had known happiness once Her
eirlhood spent In far-off Canada had
known no lack. AS she thought of
the long ago the hideous present slip,
ped away from her and she was once
more an inmate Of her fathers house
| They were all there In the dear old
nome Sturdy father, dainty mother
manly brothers, bright-eyed sisters
and she the youngest and the beauty
OF them all. What gatherings OF Ca
madam beaux and bellies the old farm.
house had seen! The sleighing. to.
bogganing and skating: the dancing
In the long parlor with its waxen
1oor. In summer there had been ca.
noeing and riding and driving.
| When she was 10 she had met Ralph
Marston. the young American" an
they called him. With n thrill of
pride she lived over again the sweet
time when they were lovers. Her
father had objected strongly to the
marriage on account of her age as well
as through doubts as to Ralph's stabil
ity. But in the end she carried this
day.
Twenty-Five years age she walked ou.
OF the little church as Aimee Marston
Although she did not know 1t then
sue closed the door on her own hap
piness. No fears for the future op
pressed her, however. With her hant
in her husbands she waved farewell
to father, mother and brothers Shs
never saw any OF them again.
Her mind sped on along life's path
way. passing one by one those frs
years OF her married life. She saw
her husband as she had seen him ther
kind hearted. genial. sweet temper
ed. Then she had not recognized
the weakness and Incidence of his ma
ture or his utter inability to continue
at one thing long enough to make Il
u success.
She saw his own adequate fortune
ish project after another-she hat
trusted him 80 completely-save a few
hundred dollars. This sum he after
wards persuaded her to invest In {
ranch in southwestern Colorado, II
the very heart OF the Rockies.
Remembering her fathers broas
acres and prosperous career. witt
high hopes she followed her HUSBAND
to the solitudes OF the Upper Flo
rida. Perhaps now things will b.
better. she had thought. Ralph wa
so enthusiastic, and when he was in
terested he worked hard.
Then she saw the few acres Of vii
gin forest with a wretched leant
bult on it for a dwelling, and he
heart sank 1t would take years o
unbroken toll to make more than
bare pittance. Knowing the charat
ter OF the man at her side she kne'
her hopes were vain. Still she sal
nothing. She clasped her baby t
her breast and began to get supper.
o. the struggles OF those twent
years, With her own hands she ha
helped her husband to build an add
, tion to the cabin. They had no moi
ey and lumber was dear. She ha
/ spent weary days in building fence
: hands and form gave evidence this
n she bore the burden Of incessant toi
When her children grew larger the
G helped So did her husband at time
More often he went of with his DC