Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-22

me. Mother Duda wasn't like her old self
at all. She loved him. he was her son, but
she didn't like all he did. She wanted him
to work; he wouldn't work. He sat and
stared at me the gypsy king used to
stare, and If / grew red and hot 1t was from
shame and fear and horror CT the great
throat l saw growing from day to day, and
which would some time be like his mothers.
He knew didn't like him, but he wasn't
good like Mother Duda, and told me one
day that he was going to make me his wife,
whether / wanted him to or not, and talked
about a great secret, and the big man he
would be some day. This made me angry,
and l said that all the bigness he would
ever have would be in his neck. At which
he struck me- right across the ear, hard, so
hard that l fell on the floor with scream,
and Mother Duda came running. He was
sorry then and threw down the thing he had
in his hand; but the harm had been done
and l was sick a month and had doctors
and awful pain, and when l was well again
l couldn't hear sound with that ear. Hans
wasn't there while | was Ill; shouldn't
have got well if he had been; but he came
back when 1 was up again and was very
meek, though he didn't stop looking at me-
thought l would run away one day, and
went out without my basket, but after
had tried two whole days to get work and
couldn't 1 went back. Mother Duda al
most squeezed the heart out of me for joy,
and Hans went down on his knees and
promised not to do or say anything more
that l didn't like He even promised to go
to work, but his work was of a queer kind.
1t kept him in his little room and meant
spending money and not getting it. Men
came to see him and were locked UP with
him in his little room. And if he went
out he rocked the door and took the key
away. and said great times were coming
and that / would be glad to marry him
some day. whether his neck was big or
small But l knew l shouldn't and KEEP.
very close to Mother Duda and begged her
to get me a new home and she promised
and l was feeling happier. when one day
Hans was called out by a man and went
away so fast that he forgot to lock his
door and Mother Duda and l went into the
room and it was then that the thing hap
pered which spoiled all my life. l don't I'M
derstand it. l never did. for no one could
tell me anything after that day. Mother
Duda had gone up to table and was NOV
ing things about irving to see what they
were, wnen everything turned black the
room shook and l was whrling all about
trying 10 take hold of things which seemed
to be falling about me, till l, too, fell.
When l knew anything there was lots o.
people looking at me; people of the house
men, women and children. but what was
stranSest of all was the awful stiffness. No
one made any sound-nothing made any
sound though | saw~an cid book shelf tuIn-
Bile down from the wall while l was look
ing and people moved about and opened
their lips and seemed to be talking Had
Hans struck me again? l began to think
So and got UP from the floor where 1 was
lying and tried to call out but my voice
made no noise. though people looked around
as if it had and felt an awful fright, not
only for myself but for Mother Duda who
was being carried out of the door by two
men. and who did not move at all and who
never moved again Poor Mother Duda
she was killed and l was deaf l knew it
after a little while but | don't know what
did IT. sone4bing that Hans had. some
thing thar Mother Duda touched-a square
something-I had inst caught a gIimpse of
II in Motber Dnd9,s hand yben the room
feu, into a wreck and 7 hecame what am
now,