The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-09-10
Her

nervous" She told herself. Sitting
here In this silent room full OF all these
waiting people makes me feel nervous
about-about nothing. ! shall read
story In The Strand and forget
She resolutely took up the magazine
and read a page slowly and carefully.
then read Il over again with equal care,
but she found herself spelling each
word In turn. and the sense Of the
phrases did not penetrate into her
brain.
Nobody can take 10 The meaning Of
story. she thought. when people whis-
per. and her glance fell upon stout
widow WHO sat opposite. whispering
volubly In the car q girl beside her.
The little lady watched the widows
head bob up and down o. her words
became more and more emphatic. She
noticed how dusty the Grape vas upon
her ven. and that's the worst Of
Grape" she said 20 herself the least
thing makes IL look shabby. ! always
tell Jack won't wear Grape when I'm
widow"
A smile flckcrcd over b. face, and
the shabby woman in q corner.
watching her thought er ,usly how
happy She must De- TO smile Ike that al
nothing
The little lady's eyes turned again to
the clock.
Half an hour now.
Half an hour Tor two clever doctors
20 discuss one tiny lump which looked
Ike almost nothing, How she and Jack
would laugh presently over the slow
ness u these medical men. But II they
kept her much longer she would DE late
Tor lunch. and then Jack would be In
n hurry and wonder what had become
q her.
Oh. why were they not quicker Time
draggrl woefully. There was some
thing aggra yating about that uresome
clock on the mantelpiece, with IT'S per
sistent voice, and the pair Of candle
sticks exactly alike that ianked It, and
the two vases that were such precise
match annoyed her. A wild desire seiz-
cd her TO set them all crooked!
Then she was tired OF looking at that
hideous silver erection on the side
board. She was certain it must be
testimonial. And what an ugly one 20
be saddled with for the rest ot ones
natural life. She remembered with
what dismay she and Jack had received
! some ghastiy odd family plate from a
rich uncle and how thankfully they had
| relecated il 20 little used room. Jack
| saying laughingly that It would come
In as heirloom for their grandchil-
drcn.
4 vision Of herself as a white haired
old lady made her smile again. She
always intended to grow old gracefully
when the time for growing old came!
But II was a very, very long way of,
and she and Jack had only been mar
ried six short months. They had years
and years Of sunny life In front of them
before they
The door opened.
Mrs Ainslie," said the trim parlor
| maid. and the little lady rose and fol
lowed her.
And all al once her heart gave that
frightened leap again, but she was
smiling when she entered the great
doctors room.
Both doctors were standing, and a
queer feeling came over her as She saw
their faces. that they watched her pitt
oner AT the bar and one OF them was
just going 10 put on the black cap.
II was a whimsical idea. Her glance
fell almost involuntarily upon Sir
James gray head, and she smiled
again.
DR.. Bryant leaned against the chin
neypiece.
II struck her that he kept his eyes
averted. She pondered vaguely why
he did so. Possibly he had made some
little mistake In diagnosis and was
rather VeNed about H.
"Wnl you sit down, Mrs. AinslieF
Sir James voice broke IN upon her
thoughts.
She sat down in the big armchair
whore she had sat just now-all those
minutes. or was IL hours agof-wheu
she had first come into the room today
with Or. Bryant. Sir James seated
himself az the table facing her.
This room was brighter than the 9th
er. where she had waited SO long. The
sun came into "a. and little patches of
light danced upon the carpet and upoa
the table that was strewn with letters
and upon the great mans kind, quiet
face
Outside the window there was actu
ally a tree. IL was April and the leaves
were beginning 10 grow green and
waved gently 20 and fro in the soft
spring mir.
Looking al the tree I'm the sunlight
the little lady sitting there felt sensa
tion OF spring In her own heart-sprIus
P and youth and gladness.
Her eyes left the dancing leaves out
side and came back 20 the faces OF ID,
p two silent men. She realized that they
We're both strangely quiet.
7 well she said On a gay little voice
, 'what IS the verdict? You TIT
; words died on her lips. She could no
have said why, only something In Si
James face gave her curious sense OF