Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-30

cia months gone by before Mrs.
Henry Thompson came face to face
With tho appalling fact that in less
than year she would be an old, old
woman. True. she had realized IN n
way what, In the inevitable seauenc,
of numbers. the next birthday mus.
be; but II was wholly In an abstract
casual way, as when one glances n,
the calendar and observes sapiently
A week from yesterday will lie Sat
urday, tho twenty.fifth." The vision
of impending calamity had not bee,
vivid or lasting.
Henry made the trouble. Like all
stupid men, he intended IL for com.
plinlent. Looking across the break
last table at the plump and smiling
woman who poured his coffee. he re
marked, Fair. fat, and forty. by love!
Has II occurred to you, sis, that were
meandering along into com Portable
middle life? | think you'll look well
In lace cap after some few years
You grow old gracefully"
| AS he Numbered along. with atten.
ton divided between the morning
news and the object OF his affection
ate discourse. he failed to observe In,
Quiycring lip and nlling eyes. When
period of unusual silence across
The table caused him again 10 look
up from his paper, the place by the
coffee nm was empty. and-yes. there
could be no doubling the unmistaka
| Hc sounds that came from the next
room. Anne was crying. not in hei
usual subducd fashion: IL was VERT,
able tumult of woe.
| With Ln,,,., bo
Anne. dear! What is II? What has
happened? Are YOU III? Did you
burn yourself on the COTE urn? What
Is the matter?
He tried the hitherto effectual rem.
| edy; for Ammo had always been like
child,-hc was accustomed to laugh
about it,-in wanting TO have her
small troubles kissed away.
She struggled silently out of his
attempted embrace and buried her
face deeper in the pillow. giving nc
reply TO his questions and endear
ments but continued sobs.
Henry stood puzzled. II was so
unlike Anne.-Anne the jolly.th ligh.
hearted. the good genius of the house
SIS. dear is there anything can
| do?" Then, with an inspiration, "Is
it anything have done anything |
have done. anything | can help?"
No. no! You can't help it. No.
body can help 1t. It's something be
yond help. Ii is Just awful! why
won't you go away and let ME aloney
The whistle OF the seven.fory-fiye
| sounded. That was inexorablc She
yielded reluctant kiss. and her hus
| band. his breakfast uneaten. seized
hat and coat to join other hurrying
commuters in the daily race for the
train. haunted by the vision OF Annes
pretty face stained and disordered bw
I those unaccountable tears.
The memory continued to trouble
him until. during luncheon, possible
| solution occurred. Probably Anne
had misunderstood his allusion to
her age and Its attributes. Oh. hang
1t all! OF course II was that unhappy
fat and forty" that did 1t. and
amends must be made. But how to
do it deicately ami yet SO she would
j understand. that was the question
81 have it," Thompson shouted jup.
ilantly moment later, which focused
a hundred pairs of amused eyes on
himself as he sprang from his chair.
with a napkin dangling from his col
lar. Leaving n dollar to cover a thir-
ty-fve-cent check. he rushed to the
| florists. where he ordered. with mas.
culine faulty. just forty roses sent
| out by the first express.
There" he sighed, 81 guess that
will fix it." and fastened back to the
office to mingle business with anuci.
pations OF forgiveness and loving
/ ~ 1t L..
| bounding up the terrace three steps
at a time that evening. with n joyous
signal whistle. he was met inside the
darkened hall by a melancholy appari.
ton. the ghost of his jolly Anne lonp
faced. qnivering, in tears. and. it
seemed to him, thinner by half. her
plumpDess all disguised by the grief
lines on her face.
"Why little woman."
ooh. Henry" and she buried her
face in her hands while his arm went
around her. 81 just can't stand III"
Cant stand what, and why?" he
'sked with what seemed to her brutal
bluntness.
"B-b-being f-forty." she walled And
then snapped, ''Because!" defiantly,
for there was n standing difference
between her and Henry as TO tho CT.
eectuality of that reason.
"Oh. cheer up" urged Thompson
clunsily. "You aren't forty yet. A
thousand things-I mean IL will be a
long time before you get To be forty.
You look so young, you know-for
your age he added lamely.
Don't talk nonsense. Henry. YOU
said yourself this very morning 1t
would be only a little while before !
would be forty and have to walk with
a cane. or be led by little dog. and
wear ugly black caps, and have wrin