The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-12-27

yo' don't come up there now, yo' might be
sorry TO- it some day.
Adelaide was preparing potatoes for the
evening meal. She pared and cut and
pared again.
: - ald,{{ 70; goin', mother:"
Margaret Ellen sat down and began to
cry. She rocked back and forth; all her
pretty. fair hair. fell about her like
cloud. Adelaide kept on with her homely
work. The door between the kitchen and
hung a faded-out picture Of her father.
Adelaide Norris had still one idol left; it
was the memory Of that father. A moth
erless girl of a stiff and serious temporal
ment, she had loved the genial man with
an affection that is more often bestowed
upon lover than parent. No notion Of
altering the course she had chosen stirred
her mind; but, as she looked across at the
faded-out picture, she wished her father
We're there to uphold her in it, A dim
ness gathered before her eyes.
Somebody's knockin'. mother"
A child stood at the kitchen door.
Il want to see Mis- Norris
I'm Mis- Norris. What do 80 want"
mis- Hunt says 70 must come right
down to her house. She's got somethin'
to tell you
Very well. I'm comm"
The chill Of the last weeks snowfall
was still in the air. The ragged snow lay
like tufts of wool under the ashen apple
trees. A spout was dripping somewhere.
gusts, but now down the west few pale
yellow clouds were floating. Adelaide
closed the door and found herself face to
face with Margaret Ellen. An accusing.
spirit shOne out of the girls tear.Stained
eyes; she looked tall in the fading light.
~ don't see how yo' can go down to
mother. Mis- Hunt amt anythin' to yo''
It seems to me that if people were dyin'
I'd forgive them anythin' they'd ever
done to me-"
81 can't" Adelaide was putting on
her hood and shawl. She left as if made
well, mother, maybe yo'll De sorry
wait till 20 go through what have
this eighteen year. Yo'll talk different"
Il think If yo' forgive people it shows
yo'r better'n thev are"
s., adelaide turned back for a last word.
yo %af fglF;a, Ellen Ellen; y0 don't know what
gray figure in the gray-white land.
scape, she had feeling that she had
come to the end Of the story. A sense al
most of triumph possessed her. Isabel,
Hunt-for she did not doubt it was Isa-
bel-had sent for her. The suspicious of
years would be established as facts; she
would have an added right to her rigid
treatment Of Job.
An express wagon loaded up to it's can
vas caves came numbering along to the
village. The rudy driver hailed the
lone woman on the pike.
ris:''
Yes, an befo' night"
He pointed with his whip backward
over his shoulder. A cnild's toy sled,
painted vivid orange, dang]ed from one
Of the poles. christmas is comm. Mis-
Adelaide answered him vaguely. She
had forgotten all about the holidays.
Now she remembered in a sort OF alien
She said to herself that she must not for
get to give Margaret Ellen her usual
presents. She was half afraid she wou.I
forget. She began to wonder at herself.
The chimneys of the Hunt house began
to rise out of hollow of the road. A
the gray air.
An old woman waited at the front
door. She had anxious eyes, the color
of her daughter Isabers. She let AIDE.
laide in without word. The only light
in the sick woman's room came from
that pale. last CLEAN in the west. The
dark was already settling in the corners.
Adelaide sat down stiffiy in chair and
looked straight before her. Her tongue.
felt like stone in her mouth.
I'm goin', ADELAIDE Norris" The
voice. mellow yet, broke, and then went
on. .1've heard yor blamin' Job on &C.
count O me"
Adelaide sat motionless.
"Well, 70 needn't. He had nothin' to
do with my goin' away
"An' who was ii, then, Isabel Hunt?"
''Yo' don't believe me. I know VI
don't believe me- The words came in
Norris had nothin' to do with my goin'
away. I-swear-to-God"
The room seemed to grow darker.
"Who was it. Isabel Hunt?'
II don't-want-to tell you"
SIT seems if I'd die if didn't know"
The room was almost dark now. The
voice kept on, mellow and painting. cit
was-yo'r-fatherv
One thought surged foremost in AIDE
laide Norris mind as she trudged vii
lageward a little after. She had been
unjust to Job; she must make repara-
ton. She would bring him home and
care for him until the end.
It had started to snow in hne. sleety
flakes that stung like needles Sh,
wished she could lie down in it and
die. She drew near her gate. Like
row of ghosts ner apple trees lifted in the
whirling storm. Her father had plant
ed those trees: she gave little cry.
Farther along the expressman was un-
loading his packages at the grocery store:
He drew out a horn and blew on it, IN
holiday fashion.
Where W eoin' this time o day.