The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-07
,~r~'s@ ., n,
Our Daily Short Stories
an OLD-FASHI0NED DOOR.
by EDGAR wELToN COOLEY.
copyright, 1901, by A uthors' Syndicate.

+be dusk Of the starlight a
Ih'O"T 7.od nm the lane that led from
man D .,n road. His head was bowed;
the ]"nas were clasped behind his
, 80. his steps were SLOW
paeA' T., -, nassed the orchard, the breeze
as w. scent of apple blossoms to
pol' and the dew upon the clover mois-
4aned his coarse shoes
ten me-. -, he reached the gate he paus-
Tho little cabin, beneath the
Gu ,obes of the big elm, stood like
" i,a.natte against the gray of the sky.
SIM SIM. tbe kitchen window light far
,'i lavipg a gilded pathway across the
Grass under the trees
~ tbe front stoop woman sat, rest
snr chin on her hand and gazing
n .S across the fields. 1t was too
49, for the man to see her, but he
che was there and lump arose
in bis throat.
Ne passed through the gate and up
,ath. removing his hat from his
.a IN let the wind cool his temples,
- sat down on the step beside her.
mn. woman looked into the bronzed
so.and a question trembled upon her
lips
Duendricks will take the place." the
NAN said. HE offered me $500 for it
ten dollars an acre."
The woman sighed.
DIs there no other way, John2" she
asked. ut seems too bad to lose our
home after so many years.
There amt no other way" he said.
deectedy.
He arose and paced back and forth
for several moments in silence. Then
i hepaused in front of her.
See here, Mary" he said, whats
thu use buckin against fate? I've
worked like a boss from daybreak to
dark and studied and worried and
fr4ted from dark to daybreak, but it
amt done no good. You've done your
s. shge-God knows you've worked like
slave with hardly enough rags to
cover YOU. We've pinched and saved
and starved ourselves, but somehow
things don't work out right. The farm
is rocky. the soil is poor and things
don't grow. We don't get ahead a bit.
Its lust plan and economize and deny
" ourselves year after year. For my
sell, I'm tired of it. / don't mind work.
"a Col knows I'm willin' to keep on
wnkin' as long as there Is any
strength in my body, but Mary, can't
stand to see you go around without
any roses in your cheeks or any star
81 light in your eyes and know that there
amt no prospect of things being differ
ent some day. I think we'd better sell
out and move to town. I'll get a job
OF some kind; I'm big and strong and
healthy, and we will be contented and
happy even though we amt Twin in
our own place"
The woman was looking out across
the fields again, her face pale in the
Hstarlight. =. go
Il DO as you think best, 5ohn,'. she
#said meekly only H.
n Yes I know" he said, Ginterrupting
n her Il hate to leave the old place, too.
& When l built this cabin. looked for
#wad to the days when you should
share it with me. Why, a thousand
times Mary I've feasted my eyes on
a Qn Walkin' across the floor a-singin'
4aOout your work or standin' in the
door a-watchin me come in from the
ned the sunshine and shadders chas-
IN each other through your hair and
the light of the summer sky in your
eyes God knows l hate to give up the
oh place where we have been happy
so many years"
q And Helen" the woman said. "Hel-
IS en- hOrF, Id
The man grew grave and leaned
against post in silence.
Helen he whispered his voice soft
and immeasurably tender as though
Inc love and reverence of a lifetime
were concentrated in the word.
Inc man and the woman remained
Silent Tor long time, he looked up
al the stars, she staring across the
nsds at the gray line on the horizon.
AOOVe them a climbing rose reached
Ilsgrant blossoms to them through the
darkness and behind them a door, low
ana narrow and dingy, held the i'm
prnt OF baby's hand in the old
fashioned granting.
PRESENTLY the man leaned forward
ana Klsesd his wife awkwardly upon
tne forehead. She laid her hand in his,
ana they watched the dash of gray in
'hs west deepen to ebony.
several days passed and then, one
evening, John took his hat and stood
wiring it in his hand.
Mary he said, finally, ''the deed
II S Deen drawn UP. and Hendricks will
S.ag IT over this evening. We are
.s uh 10 sign 1t: then he will pay US
M ne saw her start and grow suddenly
p'e' and he turned and gazed out the