The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-03-07
1.-THE name WAS CALLED MARAH."
~ JULIET wiLaoR ToMpkIM

"No." Anita spoke with sudden
sharpness, adding half apologetically.
II don't believe l want to name him
that. He can have my fathers name,
or something. There is no hurry
Mary put her hand for a moment
on the others shoulder. aren't you
the least bit glad of him." she asked
wistfully.
"Oh, suppose I shall be. in time. :"
said Anita, avoiding her eyes. When
Mary had left the room she turned
back to the baby. For a moment she
had an impulse to see how he would
feel in her arms. then she shrugged
and let her hands fall again. Pres
emily the boy began to show signs of
whimpering.
IF let him cry they will come and
take him away" she thought. and
watched the tiny storm gather with
out making a movement to prevent
it. At the first wall Mary came hur-
rying back.
well, we'll! That wasn't the way
to entertain his mower" she protest
ed, gathering him up with a little
warm laugh.
II let him cry" said Anita. II
wanted you to take him away" Her
eyes met Mary's defiantly. but fell
before the grave pity they encoun-
tered.
my dear, don't harden yourself,
don't shut him out on purpose"
Mary said. Anita turned restlessly.
1T is no use, Mary. l don't want
him-not. a bit more than I did.
Don't worry, though. shall do my
duty
Mary left the room without answer
ing.
AS soon as Anita was up again she
sent away the nurse, but Mary stayed
on to help her until her strength
should be fully regained. Anita tend
ed the baby scrupulously, but always
mechanically; she had no smiles for
him. Mary said nothing more on the
subject, but a little resentment grew
up within her and hardened into con-
demnation. Anita felt the failure of
sympathy, and met it with defiant re-
serve. In her bitterness nothing
seemed to her worth keeping, not
even the deepest friendship of her
life.
Spring had never been more full of
frail beauty. Anita bore the days
stoically, and kept the door shut on
her nights until her endurance was
worn to a shred. And then, one
night, when the lilacs under the win
dow had thrust up their dreaded bios
SONS, something within her seemed
to break, and she cried out blindly
for help.
II can't go on-Ive got to be
helped" she gasped, flinging herself
out of bed and pacing about the
room. IF I could feel his hand for
a moment-oh, il could just see his
face, ] could go on. I must see him,
I must, l tell you! I've got to have
help" She lit candle with shaking
fingers and turned to the door with
a blurred sense that she could find
him by the very force of her longing.
Il have to see him. I can't go on
another hour" she whispered des-
perately. A little sound from the
corner made her turn back, white and
breathless, holding her candle high !;
for the moment she had forgotten
her baby.
She came slowly back to him. He
was opening sleepy blue eyes which
turned from the candle to her face
with grave wonder. A faint smile OF
recognition followed, and then the
little mouth drew down at one cor.
ner, reflectively. drily-Arthur's OWE
gesture. Through the child's face
for that instant shOne the face Of his
father, line by line, the grave eye:
and the amused mouth, with that lit
tie individual twist at the corner
Anita stood motionless till the mouth
relaxed and the miracle was over
leaving only sleepy baby face OF
the pillow. But she had seen. Gath
ering him III her arms she crept bacl
to her own bed with him, and criet
softly, with a new sense of healin,
peace.
In the days that followed she still
held aloof. and Mary. not divining tn
new struggle under the old defiance
gave up trying to pass the barrier
when they might have crumbled at
touch. - ------