The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-20


Orville's mother out O. doors, but who d
"a thought it 'u'd break her down 50?
She amt told soul, either l reckoned
she'd talk somethin orful about us, but
she ain't told a soul. She's KEEP stiff
upper lip, an told folks she alays ex.
pected to live alone when Oryille got
married Emarine's all worked up. 1 be-
heve the Lord Hisself must "a sent
Gran'ma Eliot here to talk like an angel
unawares I bet she'd go an ask MIS-
Farmer over here to dinner if she want
afraid I'd laff at her fer knucklin down.
I'll have to aggravate her."
She finished busting and returned ito
the kitchen. 81 wonder what Granm
Eliot 'u'd say if she knew you'd turned
Orville's mother out, Emarine?"
There was no reply. Emarine was at
the table making tarts. Her back was
to her mother.
/ Il didn't mean what said about bein'
sorry / egged you on, Emarine. I'm glad
you turned her out. She'd ort to be
| turned out"
Emarine dropped a quvering ruby of
Jelly into a golden ring of pastry and laid
it carefully on a plate.
Gran ma Eliot can go talin' about her
daughter-in-law Sidonie all she wants.
Emarine. You keep stiff upper lip"
Il can tend to my own affairs" said
Emarine fercely
''Well, don't flare up SO. Here comes
OrvilIe. Land. but he does look peakid!'
After supper, when her mother had
gone home for the night, Emarine put
on her hat and shawl. Her husband was
sitting by the fireplace, looking thought
! fully at the bed of Goals.
I'm goin out" she said briefly. 'You
keep the fire up"
why, Emarine, it's dark! Don't you
want l sh'u'd go along?"
"No; you keep the fire up
He looked at her anxiously, but he
knew from the way she set her healS
down that remonstrance would be use
! less.
Don't stay long he said in tone
+, of habitual tenderness.
He loved her passionatelv, in spite of
the lasting hurt she had given him when
she parted him from his mother. 1t was
hurt that he'd sunk deeper than even
he realized It lay heavy on his heart
day and night It tool! the blue out of
the sky and the green out of the grass
the exaltation and the rapture out Of
! his tenderest moments of love. He never
reproached her. he never really blamed
her: certainly he never ptied himself
But he carried q heavy heart around
with him and his few smiles were joyless
things.
For the trouble he blamed only himself
He had promised Emarine solemnlv be-
| hn hot
any 'knuckling down" to be done his
mother should be the one to do it.. Ife
lad made the promise deliberately, and
he could no more have broken it thar
he could have changed the color of his
eyes. When bitter feeling arises between
two relatives by marriage. it is the ono
VINO stands between them-the one who
is bound bv the tenderest ties to both
who has the real suffering to bear. who
IS torn ard tortured until life holds moth
| ing worth the having. Orville Palmer
was the one who stood between He had
| huilt his own cross. and he took it w
and bore it without word.
Emarine hurried through the early win
ter dark until she came to the small
| and poor house where her husbands
mother lived 1t was off the main-travei-
| cd street.
There was a dim light in the kitchen:
the curtain had not been drawn. Ema
rine paused and looked in. The sash
was lifted six inches; for the night was
warm, and the sound of voices came to
her at once Mrs. Palmer had company
Its Miss Presly," said Emarine, re-
| sentfully, under her breath. 'Old Cos
! sIp!"
''-goin to have fine dinner, I hear"
| Miss Presly was saying. Turkey with
oyster dressin' an cranberries, an mince
an punkn pie, an reel plum puddin' with
brandy poured over it an set afre, an
wine dip an nuts an raisins, an wine
| itself to wind up on. Emarlnes fine cook.
She knows how to get up dinner that
makes your mouth water to think about.
You goin' to have spread, Mis- Par
mer?"
''Not much of one" said Orvlle's
mother. ~ expected to, but l c'u'dnt
81. them fall potatas sold off. I'll have
To keep EN- till spring TO git any kind o
price don't care much about Christ
mas, though''-her chin was trembling.
but she lifted it high. Its silly Tor any,
body but children to build so much on
Christmas"
| Emarlne opened the door and walked H.
Mrs. Palmer arose slowly, grasping ire
back of her chair.
"Orville's dead!' she said, solemnly.
Emarine laughed, but there was the
tenderness of near tears in her voice.
ION, my, no!' she said, sitting down.
1T run over to ask you to come to Christ
mas dinner. I was too busy all day 30
come sooner. I'm goin to have great
dinner, an I've cooked ev'ry single thing
of it myself! l want to show you what
ii fine Christmas dinner your daughter
in-law can get up. Dinners at 2, an
want you to come at H. Will you?"
Mrs Palmer had sat down weakly
Trembling was not the word TO describe
The feeling that had taken possession OF
her She was shivering. She wanted to
fall down on her knees and put her arms
around her sons wife and sob out all
ter loneliness and heart ache. But lfe
is a stage ard Miss Presly was an au-
dience not to be ignored. SO Mrs. Palmer
said:
We'll I'll be reel glad to come. Ema-
rne. It's offful kind o you to think Of
4 II md "a hen lonesome eatin' here