The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-03-06

Polly Fox, who six months before
had gladly left the villages ever in
creasiag 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
tilda, tall and trim. swung down the
village street at pace that comes
from strength:
Its plum scan lous-she's got on a
short skirt an her hair down her back.
Its her birthday an she amt done a
lick O work to-day. Jes left it all for
her mar an Mary Sed she'd been
slavin' ten year, seace she come home
from college, an she intended havin'
a day off. They done a bad thing for
her when they sent her to college. She
got quare notions an has flouted ev-
cry man In the village. I don't reckon
she'll hout any more
Matilda left the village behind her
and plunged into a near 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 fash of moving color
and burst of song in the silent wood;
below, the river roared and tumbled in
Its eager seaward 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 time! 1t revolt
ed at life and death in a country viii
lage; 1t 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 q
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.
Its almost amusing" she said
If l were in the secret / am sure
would agree with you" The voice was
not far OFF that 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, sis pri-
waite wood"
And l am on fence was the calm
reply, and beyond is the kings high
way
Matilda gave the stranger a grave
looking over but he stood unflinch-
ingly.
The ceremony was about complet-
ed" ske spoke more graciously, the
song comes next She threw back her
head and sang in a clear, fresh voice,
How tedious and tasteless 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.
Il found that the dolls were sawdust
and put them away twenty-five years
ago" This in a disdainful tone
What an ancient you are," said the
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 defiant1y.
Eye gods!" the man burst into
laughter.
Matilda came a little nearer.
You are a southerner and gentle
man, she said. Il know from your
voice and your eyes. I'm celebrating.
It's my birthday. At first l wept. You
should have seen the glances that fol-
lowed me down the street. 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 If you
are! I've known women of thirty
who were much nicer than white-mus-
lined, blue-ribboned, 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 per-
sonaI grievance to every man and
woman in the VILLAGE and as long no