The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-09-02
A HERO.


The book slipped to the floor and
Honoria Keller sat back in her CHAIR
with a gentle yawn.
"That woman was hero, she salu
aloud "The kind I'd like to be.
never wanted to be anything quite as
much as to be hero. Dear. dear
that's what l used to lie under tne
trees and dream about. while othel
girls dreamed about lovers. 10 uo
something splendid and brave-thlnK
of that! Heigho!"
She crossed the room and surveyor
her small. trim figure in the mirror
with a queer defiance in her lace'
ooh, It's you again, is it? she crleu'
"Lt's always you, always! Never
somebody tall and fine and hero-lsn'
You'd make a pretty hero, woulun
you? Did you think heroes were cut
out five feet tall in their shoes! ana
had round baby faces and dlmples!
Dimples!"
She turned away and paced restless
ly up and the bright little room. the
gentle purring of the sleeping children
stole out to her family through the
half-open door. Once, when she talled
to hear it, she stopped in her walk 10
listen anxiously. Heavy feet tramped
by. now and then, in the corridors, put
the step she was waiting for did not
come.
Hes late again." she said aloud, in
the fashion of lonely women. he
was late yesterday and day before, and
day before that-world without END.
A sudden bitterness distorted her
her sweet face. Home! What kind
of parody on the word was this pair
of little rooms in a great noisy hotel?
Was there the slightest resemblance
to a home about them? They were
bright with gaslight tonight, and pretty
with the bits of womanly touches her
wistful fingers had given them against
heavy odds. And how the children mad
helped! Jed's horse, over there IN the
corner, Nells sorry doll on the couch,
the Tiny Ones rubber dogs and cats
everywhere,-bless them, how they
helped!
Honoria Keller had been married
eight years and she had never had a
home. From one hotel or boarding
house to another they had drifted rest
lessly The children had been born
in hotels-that was Honoria's greatest
grief. 1t seemed like doing the chill
dren a great wrong. When Harry
laughed at her the hurt deepened and
widened. 1t was all Harry's doings
anyway When they had money
enough, he said, in his easy way, they
would have a home. Time enough.
Suddenly the woman pacing the
bright little room uttered sharI
sound of pain. The old wound would
not bear opening. She hurried to hel
usual refuge, the children in thei
beds. Their little flushed. peaceful
faces always Gained her. "You don
lay it up, do your" the mother sobbe'
softly. "You know mother wanted t.
give you a home to be born in,-Jed
Nell, Tiny One! You don't lay it up?
For a little while she sat besid
them, in the darkened room. touchin
their little cheeks in turn. with tn
sou HlOln6T hlSSSS IIIdL hCNC1 WohSL
Then, comforted, she went back agai
to the light But the evening wor
on, dragged on. without the sound @
familiar steps outside the door. Some
where a clock chimed 10, then IL, the
II. "It was IL last night" she sale
and waited Then 1 o'clock rang on
in one clear note "It was l the da
before yesterday" Honoria said.
They had parted in bitter Hnger i
the morning, but that was too familia
a thing to count Lately the parting
had all been angry or cody indifferen
When had they kissed each othe
goodby in the morning? HONOR
caught her breath in sharp distres
"At home we would-it would be di
ferent if we had a home!" she erie
out a little wildly. "How can we 10y
each other in this way. without
homer"
The great house settled into quie
Somewhere a great way off, doors sh
with final clang. and loud Ike,
creaked in their locks. HE will n
come tonight" Honoria said. But 81
waited until morning. She had wSait'
that way before. and in the mornil
Harry had come. This time 1t W
different In the morning messe