The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1902-03-28
Matilda's Muti11y
ny Sara Lindsay Coleman
COZ. by DAILY STORY PunlIsn1Na COMPANY

"WH"
Polly Fox. who six months before
had gladly left the villages ever in-
creasing sisterhood Of spinsters TO be-
come the wife Of the Reverend Mr..
Fox and mother to the little and big
Foxes, said to her husband. as Ma
ulda. tall and trim. swung down the
village street at a pace that comes
from strengths
ITS plum scan'lous-she's got on a.
short skirt an her hair down her back
It's her birthday ia she Amt done q
lick o. work to-day. Jes' left It all for
her mar an Mary. sed she'd been
slavin' ten year, sence she come home
from college, an she intended havin'
a day on. They done a bad thing for
her when they sent her to college. She
got quare notions an has aouted ev-
cry man in the village. cont reckon
she'll nout any more"
Matilda left the village behind her
and plunged into a neal wood. She
flung herself full length on the ground
and lay there %motionless. Life had
brought her nothing Of what she had
dreamed.
There was a flash Of moving color
and a burst Of song I'm the silent wood;
below. the river reared and tumbled In
its eager seward rush. June lay on
the wide, wonderful mountains-June,
with its glory OF color, its abundant
young life; and the June time which
lives In the souls Of unwed women was
in Matilda. The June timel It revolt
ed at life and death in a country VIII
lage; it scorned the spinsters with
their sharp tongues, their sagging
shoulders and sagging hips, their dull
hued lives Of toll.
Suddenly Matilda got to her feet and
began heaping up the earth into a
mound; she worked industriously and
when she tossed back the heavy braid
Of hair that had slipped over her shout
der she laughed-a reckless laugh.
It's almost amusing" she said.
If 1 we're in the secret / am SURF
would agree with you" The voice was
not far of hat had spoken the words.
Matilda turned with the air Of an in
suited princess. The short skirt, the
braided hair accentuated the youthful
look.
This" she said, haughtily, rs a pri-
vate wood"
And l am on a fence" was the calm
reply, and beyond is the kings high
way"
Matilda gave the stranger a grave
looking over but he stood unhinch-
ingly.
The ce'emony was about complet-
ed" she spoke more ~graclously, 1.-THE
song comes next" She threw back her
head and sang in a clear, fresh voice,
How tedious and t~asteless the hours
At the end of the first line she stopped
and laughed.
You are putting away the dolls and
playthings of life?" the man asked.
= found that the dolls were sawdusi
a9Ia tut them away twenty-five year,
aco This in a ~disdaipful tone
man.
yes, humbly.
The man got down from the fence
and came over to Matilda.
What did you bury there?" he
asked, indicating the mound.
MY youth, she spoke defantly.
"Ye gods!" the man burst into
laughter.
Matilda anne a little nearer.
you are a %southerner and a gentle
man" she said. Il know from your
voice n your eyes. I'm celebrating.
It's my birthday. At first I wept. You
should have seen the glances that fol-
lowed me down the street. l know how
their tongues wagged when they saw
my hair down my back; they all know
that am thirty"
We'll" said the man, what il you
arei I've known women Of thirty
who we're much nicer than white-mus-
lined, blue-rlbboned, giggling girls"
"Out there" with a comprehensive
sweep of her hand that took in the
world beyond the blue circle Of noun
tains; here" she pointed to the VIII
lage church spire that cut the blue
reach Of sky. "a woman's life ends at
thirty, If she's unwed. She Is a per-
sonal grievance to every man and
womaa in the village. and as long as