The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1904-06-24
The Turn of
the Balance
By MARGARET JOHNSON


CH had always loved him, eagerly,
~ passionately, as few sisters, per-
haps, love even an only brother. They
had been comrades, playfellows, COM
panions, from the time he began to tod
dle-he two years older than she, proud
of her and devoted to her. She did not
marry very young, simply because, as
she frankly admitted, her suitors were
not nearly as nice as Jim, and she could
not bring herself to like anyone VINO
fell below that invariable standard OF
comparison.
When at last she did say yes, it was
to man in every way Jim's opposite
except in that of being Thoroughly
good fellow-a man grave, plain, prac-
tical and quiet, very much in love with
her, and ready for her sake to adopt her
delightful brother. Jim's business re-
Quired him to travel a good deal, but
when he came back it was to her.
She was very happy with her husband
and with the little daughter who came
to them after a year or two; put neF
happiness was more and more or the
staid and quiet kind. She grew like ner
husband. as women will, as the years
passed, falling into his sedate and pro-
sale attitude of mind, and losing some
of the brilliancy and animation which
had been her chief charm.
Jim, however, was the link that bound
her to her youth. He was unchanged
With his coming, the sound OF his elastic
step, his ringing voice. came back all
the brightness and gayety of the past.
Joyously they renewed the old inter
course. Their childish associations,
their old jokes and bywords, their old
mutual attitude toward people and
things, made their companionshlp de-
light to them both. To the husband, IN
his quiet way, it was scarcely less. The
three were at their best and happIest
when they were together.
1t was no wonder, then, that Jim
sudden marriage, after Is such years,
nearly broke Helen's heart. She knew
it meant practically the losing OF him
out of her life. He would still be the
affectionate and faithful brother, but the
core of his fidelity and affection would
be elsewhere The new wife was a
stranger. Her surroundings would be
his. her interests, her friends, her asso-
ciates, her life. The old days were over,
and Helen knew it.
She was too wise and deep hearted
woman to cherish any petty jealousy.
She made the bride heartily welcome, re-
ioiced honestly and only in her brothers S
happiness. and shed her inevitable tears
in secret
During the three perfect years of his
married life, Helen continued to miss
him keenly and constantly. How keen
ly, how constantly, she acknowledged TO
herself now for the first time, as she
sat looking out of the carriage window,
as she was borne steadily westward, to-
ward the bereaved and grief-stricken
home. The news of her sister-ln-laW S
sudden death had come to her as be-
wildering shock.
.I cannot believe it," she cried to her
husband. 81 cannot! 1t was all so beau
tiful, so right, so perfect in every way
their life-Jim was so happy-and no"
to have it broken off short like this
ended forever. in a moment! 1t seems
lust like some dreadful mistake-some-
body giving the wrong order, and throw
ing a whole lovely design into woeful
wreck and ruin!"
Intense sympathy with her brothers
grief had filled her mind during her
hasty preparations for leaving home.
Rut now that she had leisure to think,
other considerations crowded into her
busv brain. The thought: This gives
nv brother back to mel" came again and
again, throwing a curious brightness
over all the haze of pain and grief that
filled her heart
His wife's family were nothing to him,
nor he to them. Helen had met them,
but had found them uncongenial. There
was nothing in common between her
warm. impulsive temperament and the
cold reticence of theirs. Now that Kath-
crime was gone, there would be nothing
to bind him to them.
of course there was chance-just a
chance-that they might claim the baby!
Helen smiled little to herself. AS II
Tim would dream for a moment OF put
ting that precious charge into any arms
but hers. He would never give it up en-
tirely to anyone. Jim was not that kind
of man. Besides, during the two short
months of it's existence he had grown
exceedingly fond of the child, developing
a capacity for parental affection which
surprised Helen not little. She did not
herself care especially for children. on