The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-27

permanency and restfuiness seemed to
envelOp the community. Progress was
there, but not half finished buildings,
torn pavements and moving vans.
How the ivy had grown over the Bur
den gateway! In front Of her own old
home she stopped and almost rubbed
her eyes. Had It really been that
pretty?
No; there was q new porch on the
south side, and bay window had been
thrown out from her room. What a
lovely room it must be. with that fiood
Of light pouring into 1t!
Il wonder IL they'd care
With firmly set lips she threw hesita-
tlon to the winds, opened the low iron
gate and walked up the we'll kept path
to the front door.
IL beg pardon" she said as a white
haired lady opened the door. and then
she stopped, and her face turned first
scarlet. then white. "Oh, Mrs. Carruth.
l did not know you had bought the
place. L just tnougnt -
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. 1t
was just as they had left it.
why, l thought everything was
sold"
"Yes, but somehow Henry traced
nearly all of the things, and what he
could not buy he somehow managed to
duplicate at secondhand shops. Henry
always did think your mothers house
was the finest in Grafton Heights, and
before he was doing so we'll he used to
tell me that he meant some day to earn
a house just like it for me-"
Madeline felt the room spinning
around her. There were other things
Henry Carruth had tried to tell her
more than once. but he had been a
poor, struggling lawyer and she a wen
paid illustrator even then. She had
talked Of a trip to Paris, u career-and
where had 1t all gone? Lost In wan
derlngs through a desert Of apartment
houses, studios, teas and luncheons.
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 1t happen
ed, but Mrs. Carruth had soon taken
away her wraps, and then, after COM
forting cup Of tea, she had led her
guest over the old house. The bay
window had made a great improve
ment in Madeline's quarters; otherwise
they were quite the same, with even
some Of her first drawings 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
Mt the arbor over which wistaria now
clung like a loving, harmless old octo-
pus. She reached out one hand and
felt lovingly Of the old fashioned dam
ask hangings. A step sounded behind
her, and without turning around she
remarked, with something of a choke
in her voice:
Mrs. Carruth, l never knew before
the bitterness of that old saying, "A
rolling stone gathers no moss-not even
pleasant memories"
A hand rested appeallngly on her
shoulder. She looked up to meet Hen
ry Carruth's grave glance.
~ know of cozy corner just meant
for tired rolling stones. VIII you
come, Madeline"
1t was midnight when he came back
from town, but Mrs. Carruth was wait
ing for him.
II told her we must be married be-
fore the 1st. Mrs. Stanhope wanted 1t
in the new parlOr because the Bull
gravia has bay window that would
be fine for wedding bell, but l don't
propose that Madeline shall endure
another moving day"
"And the sweetest part Of 1t all was
that she never blamed her mother for
all these disturbing years-just acted
as If she herself were to blame for a
foolish ambition for a career. That is
true loyalty, and it makes me all the
more willing to trust my boy to her
care"
And Mrs. Carruth turned to find her
son by the window, his rugged face
pressed against the old damask hang,
ing where he had found his first and
only love that afternoon.