The San Francisco call., 1904-03-13


Shackleton Fad already left for Menlo
Park when she reached the Office But
she determined to see him early on
Monday and tell him Of the straits OF
his old friends widow and child. Mrs.
Willers knew the signs of the scarcity
of money. and knew also the over
whelming expenses of sickness What
she did not know was that on Friday
morning MaripOsa had wept over her
check book. and then gone out and sold
the diamond brooch
The long Sunday-the interminable
day of strained anxiety-passed.
shTouded in rain. When her mother
fell into the light sleep that now
marked her condition. MaripOsa me-
chanically went to the window Of the
bedroom and looked out. 1t was one
of those binding rains that usher in
the San Francisco winter. the water
falling in straight lances that show
against the light like thin tubes OF
glass. and strike the pavement with a
vicious impact which splinters them in
10 spray. Tt drummed on the tin roof
above the bedroom with an incessant
hollow sound, and ran in a torn ribbon
OF water from the gutter on the caves.
The prospects that the window COM
manded seemed in dreariness TO match
the girls thoughts That part of Pine
street was still in the unfinished cOndi-
ton described by the words far out"
Vacant lots yawned between the
houses; the badly paved roadbed was
an expanse of deeply rutted mud, with
yellow ponds of rain at the sewer
mouths. The broken wooden sidewalk
cleaned with moisture and was evenly
striped with lines Of vivid green where
the grass sprOuted between the boards.
Now and then a wayfarer hurried by.
croUched under the dome OF an um-
brella spOuting water from every rib.
The gray twilight settled early, and
Mariposa, dropping the curtain. turned
to- the room behind her. The light of
small fire ard a shaded lamp sent
softened glow over the apartment.
which, despite it's poverty, bespoke the
taste of gentlewOmen in the simple
prettiness of it's furnishings. The
nurse. middle-aged woman of kind
L. and capable aspect. sat by the fire n
a wicker rOcking-chair. reading a pa
per. Beside her. on a table, stood the
sickrOOm paTaphernalia Of glasses and
bottles. The regular creak Of the rC-c.s-
ing chair, and an occasional snap from
the fire. were the only sounds that
punctuated. the steady drumming of the
rain on the tin roof.
A japanese screen was halfway
about the bed. shutting il from the
drafts of the door, and in it's shelter
Lucy lay sleeping her light breathIess
sleep. In this shaded light. in the re-
iaxed attitude OfsLncOnsciOusness, she
presented the appearance CT young
girl hardly older than her daughter
Yet the hand of death was plainly on
her. as even MaripOsa could now see.
Without sound the girl passed from
the room to her own beyond. Her grief
had seized her, and the truth. fought
against with the desperate fnexperi-
ence of youth forced itself on her. She
threw herself on her bed and lay there
battling with the sickness OF despair
that such knowledge brings. Twilight
faded and darkness came. In answer
to the servants tap on the door, and
announcement of dinner, she called
back that she desired none. The room
was as dark about her as her own
thoughts. From the door that led into
the sick chamber. only partly closed, a
shaft Of light cut the blackness, and on
this light she fastened her eyes.
swollen with tears, feeling herself stu
pefied with sorrow.
As she lay thus on the bed. she heard
the creaking of the wicker-chair as the
nurse arose. then came the clink Of the
spoon and the glass; and the woman's
low voice, and then her mothers
stronger and clearer than 1t had been
for some days. There was an inter
change Of remarks between nurse and
patient, the sound Of careful steps. and
the crack of light suddenly expanded
as the door was opened. Against this
background, clear and smoothly yellow
as gold leaf, the nurses figure was re-
vealed in sharp silhouette.
Are you there, Miss Moreau?" she
said in low voice. Mariposa started
with d hurried reply.
well, your mother wants to see you
and you'd better come. Her mind
seems much clearer and it may not be
so again"
The girl rose from the bed trying TO
compose her face. In the light of the
open door the woman saw it's distress
and locked at her pityingly.
Don't tire her" she said, but I ad-
wise you to say all you have to say. She
may not be this way again"
Marfposa crossed the room to the bed.
Her mother was lying on her side,
pinched, pale and with darkly circled
eyes
Have you just walked up. darling?"
said the girl, tenderly.
No she answered. with a curious
lack of response in manner and tone;
Il have been awake some time. was
thinking.
why didn't you send Mrs. Brown for
me? 1 was in my room passing the time
till you woke up"
Il was thinking and 1 wanted to fin
ish. / have been thinking a long time,
days and weeks"
MaripOsa thought her mind was wan
dering. and sitting down on chair by
the bedside, took her hand and pressed
it gently without speaking Her
mother lay in the same attitude. her
profile toward her, her eyes looking va