The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-12-24
g MY NEIGHBOR.


Then it is we'll with my neighbor
She is young, and sweet, and happy
as | knew she was. Or Janet would
not have smiled. So the odd little
undernote of sadness we thought we
detected in her singing was not really
there. l am glad of that.
Yes, Janet knows something about
my neighbor that she likes, and ]
want to know it too.
If l can make Janet smile in that
odd little tender way-somethinc
makes me love Janet a little mere
than usual when she looks like that.
could almost forget that she is ia
net, and l am 1. and ask her what. ii
was she saw.
August 26.-I have not heard my
neighbor since one to-day. She can
not be out there, or she would sing.
1t worries me. But not Janet, for
Janet is humming all day to-day.
There is something underneath that
hum-Janet' is thinking of what she
saw.
have made one discovery about
my neighbor. 1t was waited over
the fence, or through the knothole
to me on the fragrant Whit OF a
cigar. My neighbours love has come,
and he is her husband! 1 don't
know why 1 know, but / do. He
tramps up and down the paths over
there with the tramp OF a husband.
But why does she not come out and
tramp with him?
He is uneasy about something
keeps stopping and listening and
then plunging on. 1t is queer how |
can tell by his step that he listens;
but 1 can. He is listening now, this
minute-now he is plunging on.
What does he listen for?
Does Janet know? She keeps
coming out here and tormenting one
with that inscrutable little smile. i
could almost believe that Janet is
listening, too. We'll, so am L! sit
here holding my breath to hear |
know not what. 1t is a queer little
world-Janet's and mine and my
neighbours.
He has never been out there be-
fore, and she has always been. They
have changed places, only he does not
sing jubilant little songs Occasion
ally he whistles softly, but he always
breaks off suddenly to listen.
What sound is he listening for?-
is Janet listening for?-am 1?
l have heard it! He--Janet-we
have all heard it-a baby's cry!
never heard one like it before, but
l know it is the first cry of a little
newborn thing. And Janet knows!
She is out here. L am looking al
Janet's face and Janet is looking It
mine. Do 1 look like that? Some
thing is thrilling me through and
through. 1 feel like getting down
on my knees. Janet is not crippled
and hampered, why does she not get
down on hers?
1t was such a little angry cry-a
splerdid little defiance to life. Think
OF my neighbor lying there and hear
ing it! After-after it all, to hear
that splendid little cry!
So that was why she sang all day?
The "lover" that was coming over
the sea to her was this little. little
lover who has comet She sat over
there on the other side of the fence
and sang and waited for him all day
in the sun. never looked through
the knothole, but know now she
was singing and waiting, and her face
was beautiful
know that was what Janet saw
Perhaps, too, little soft clothes I'm hel
lap that she was making. So Janet
understood and came away from the
knothole with that little tender smil,
on her good, hard face. 1t is an
clear now. The little cry has mad,
1t clear.
1t rs wonderful thing to happier
so close TO Janet and me- ius
through a knothole over a fence.
If Janet's soldier lover had lived
but now we are getting old. Janet'l
hair is almost white, and I have giver
up counting my gray ones. let Ja
net comb my hair again.
wish Janets lover had lived
The little cry might have come closer
TO me then. 1 might even have hell
Janet's baby i'm my arms! ThinI
of feeling a warm little head i'm tn,
hollow Of my neck, Oh, why was
made a woman. and stranded Xix,
this, i'm this chair on wheels.
August 2S.-The bitterness LASTED
all yesterday / would not let Jane
wheel me out here would not le
her make me toast or hover roun,
me in her dear. bulky way. Poo
Janet! / would like to ask her {,
forgive me, but she is Janet and
am T.
am not bitter to-day. am ON
here in the sun. thinking of m,
neighbor Henceforth my neighbo
Is tiny and warm and sweet. will
little clinging hsts-1 have change.
neighbors
Something has happened Jane
came out q few moments ago an,
told me my neighbor was littl,
girl. IT'S q girl" she said. an,