The Washington herald., 1907-02-23
MADELINE'S LAST MOVING DAY
BY HARRIET NORTON.

1 yond. but this was the last station Of the
/ B. and a. inside the city limits. And the
/ B. and A. led 10 Grafton Heights,
She left the train. and gazed around in
surprise. The depot building was en-
/ tirely new, q pretty brick and tile affair
with trim flower beds all laid out for
/ spring planting. She crossed the tracks
/ and followed the street reading to their
/ old home. but was amazed to find that
I the trees, mere striplings when they left.
now intertwined their branches over the
/ sidewalk An air of permanency and
/ restfulness seemed 10 envelGD the COM
munity Progress was there, but not
/ half finished buildings, torn pavcments-
and moving vans How the ivy had
/ grown over the Burden gateway, In
/ front of her own old home. she stopped
and almost rubbed her eyes. Had it real
/ Iy been that pretty2
No there was "A new porch on the
south side and a bay window had been
/ thrown out from her room. What a love
/ ly room it must be, with that flood of
/ light pouring into il.
Il wonder If they'd care
With firmly set lips, she threw hesita-
ton to the winds, opened the low iron
gate and walked up the well-kept path
to the front door.
81 beg pardon" she said as a white
I haired lady opened the door. and then
she stopped. and her face turned first
| scarlet. then white. "Oh. Mrs. Carrutb
/ did not know you had bought the place
7 just thought"
A gently insistent hand drew her in
side the door and led her into the sit
ting room. Madeline leaned against the
door-jamb staring around her II was
just as they had left it.
Why. thought everything was
sold
Yes, but somehow Henry traced near
ly all of the things and what he could
not buy DE somehow managed 90 dupH-
cate at secondhand shops Henry always
did think your mothers house was the
finest ina Grafton Heights. ana before hc
was doing SD well he used TO tell me that
he meant some day 20 earn "a house just
like il for me"
Madeline felt the room spinning around
her. There We're other things Henry Car
ruth had tried I'D tell her more than once.
Dut he had been a poor, struggling law
then She had talked of a trip To Paris.
career-and where had il all gone? Lost
IN wanderings through desert of apart
ment houses, studios, teas. and luucheons
But Henry had realized his ambition. or
part of it at least. Perhaps now he did
not care So much about the rest.
She never knew just how Il happened.
but Mrs. Caruth had soon taken away
her wraps, and then after a comforting
cup of tea. she had led her guest over
the old house. The bay window had
made great Improvement in Madeline's
quarters. otherwise they We're quite the
same with even some of her first draw
ings framed and hung above her old
fashioned desk.
Downstairs once more, she gathered up
her wraps and was drawing ON her
gloves. when Mrs Carruth excused her
self TO look after some dinner details
Madeline stood by the window looking
al the arbor over which wistaria now
chung like loving, harmless old octopus
She reached out one hand and felt low
mgly of the old-fashiOned damask hang
lngs. step sounded behind her. and
without turning around she remarked
with something Of a choke in her voice:
Mrs. Carruth. / never knew before
the bitterness of that old saying. A roll
ing stone gathers no moss'-not even
pleasant memories"
A hand rested appealingly on her shout
der She looked W TO meet Henry Car
ruth's grave glance.
u know of a coy corner just meant for
tired rolling stones. Will you come.
Madeline"
1t was midnight when he came back
from town, but Mrs Carruth was waiting
for him.
I told her We must be married before
the LIST. Mrs. Stanhope wanted it i'm the
new parlor. because the Bugravia has
"a bay window that would be fine for a
wedding bell-but I don't propose that
Madeline shall endure another moving
day"
And the sweetest part Of it an was
that she never blamed her mother for
all these disturbing years-just acted rs
If she herself We're to blame for a fool
ish ambition for a career. That is true
loyalty and IL makes me all the more
willing to trust my boy to her car,
And Mrs. Carruth turned to find her
son by the window, his rugged face
pressed against the old damask hanging
where he had found his first and only
love that afternoon.
fCgDyriohtad 1907 lr n NJ o.