Democratic messenger., 1908-06-27

She resOlutely took up magazine
| and rcal page slowly aud carefully.
then read II over again with equal
| rare. but she found herself spelling
each word in turn. aud the sense OF
he phrases did not penetrate into her
brain
| Nobody can take In the meaning OF
II story. she thought. when people
whisper. aud her glance fell upon
rtOut widow who sat opposite whisper
ing In The ear OF 4 girl beside her.
The little lady watched the widows
head bob NJ and down as her words
became more and more emphatic. She
noticed how dusty the Grape was upon
| her veil And that's the worst OF
| Grape" she said TO herself The least
| thing makes II look shabby. ! always
tell Robert won't wear Grape when
! I'm widow
\ smile hickered over her face. and
| The shabby woman IN the corner.
watching her thought obviously how
| happy she must be TO smile like that
at nothing Half an hour now!
/ Half an hour for two clever doctors
! to discuss one tiny lump which looked
! Ike almost nothing How she and
! Robert would laugh presently over the
slowncss of these medical men. hut
/ II they kept her much longer she would
1 be- late for lunch. and then Robert
would be- IN furry and wonder what
/ had become of her
| oh. why were they not quicker?
Time dragged wocfully There was
something aggravating about that tire
some clock on the mantclpiccc with IFS
persistent voice. and the pair of can
dlcSticks exactly alike that hanked II
ana the two vases that We're such a
1 precise match annoyed her A Wild
desire seized her 10 set them all
crooked,
Then she was tired Of looking at that
1 hidcous silver creation on the side
| hoard She was certain II must be n
testimonial. Aud what mn ugly one 10
hc saddled with for the rest OF ones
natural life. She remembered with
what dismay she and Robert had re-.
cclved some CHASTITY old family plate
! iltlli ~ INH llH'lt anu HOW lUllN
they had relcgatcd II 10 little used
room, Robert saying laughingly that 1t
would come IN MS an heirloom for their
grandchildren.
/ \ vision of herself as white haired
/ old lady made her smile again. She al.
ways intended to grow old gracefully
| when the time for growing old came,
But II was very. very long way OF
and she and Robert had only been
married six short months they had
/ years and wears OF sunny life In front
Of them before
| The door opened
Mrs Ainslic." said trim parlor
maid. and the little lady rose and fol-
lowed her
| And all at once her heart gave that
frightened leap again. but she was
smiling when she entered the great
doctors room
1 Both doctors were standing. and
queer feeling came over her as she
SAW their faces that they watched her
pitifuily as II rs II she We're that
| prisoner al the bar one OF them was
Just going 10 put on the black cap
| II was whimsical Idea Her glance
fell almost involuutarily upon DR.
James gray head, and she smiled
again
Dr Bryant leaned against the man
telpiece.
II struck her that he kept his eyes
averted. She wondered vaguely why
he did SO. Possibly he had made some
little mistake in diagnosis and was
| rather vexed about IT,
will you sit down. Mrs. Ainslee:"
! lJr James voice broke In upon her
thoughts.
Size sat down In the big armchair
where she had sat just now-all those
minutes or was II hours ago. when
she had first come into the room today
with Dr Bryant.
| Dr James seated himself at the table
facing her.
This room WAS brighter than the
other where she had waited so long
The sun came into II. and little patches
OF light danced upon the carpet and
upon the table that was strewn with
letters and upon the great mans kind.
quiet face
Outside the window there was nc
tually tree. Ii was April. and the
leaves were beginning 10 grow green
and waved gently to and fro In the
soft spring air.
Her eyes left the dancing leaves out
side and came back to the faces of the
two silent men She realized that they
were both strangely quiet
Well" she said In gay little voice.
what is the verdict You" The
words died on her lips She could not
have said why. only something In Dr.
James face gave her curious sense
of suffocation.
Mrs Ainslie" he said gently. 50
gently that sudden longing 20 cry
assaIled her, II am afraid we have not
very good news to give you" He