Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1909-12-10
Dream Of A Home


For years Miss Lucretia had cher |
Ished a dream. but only one person |
had ever known Of it. Since she had |
used to play house with her little |
friends when she was a child she had |
longed for a hone OF her own. After
her elder sisters marriage she had
often gone to visit her. and she had
watched her around her home with
wistful eyes. But she had never al
lowed jeanette 10 catch that wistful.
ners.
The neigbbors said that the reason
why Miss Lucretia had not married
Was because she had been too brok-
en- up over Jim Kaylor's leaving the
town and marrying a Western girl
They had been the same as engaged.
so the rumor went. and rumor for
once was right But the whole truth
about the AFFAIR had never been re-
vealed. Lucrotia had been very fond
OF Jim, and she had expected to marry
him, but she had wanted a home. too
and when be had said that there was
| plenty of time to get that after they
we're married. the girl had told him
that she would never marry unless
man could take her to good home.
A quarrel had ensued and they part
ed in anger-Jiin soon leaving for the
West. The following year the news
had come back to the village that he
was married Miss Lucretia appear
ed to take It very quietly. but in real
ity was a blow to her. Someone had
said that perhaps John Hill had some
thing to do with her apparent indif.
ference over the news. but gossip de
cided that it could have been only
friendship between Lucretia and John
when the man married another girl
In the village only six months later.
And it had only been friendship be
tween them. Lucretia had cared too
much for Jim Kaylor to forget him so
soon.
Two years later her mother had
died. and for while she looked after
the home for her father, but this was
no. like a real home somehow. she
would often say to herself. Several
years afterward her father had mar
ried again. and she had moved down
to theGfarther end Of the village and
hired a small cottage. She had thought
tiat now her dream Of a home could
be realized. She fitted 1t up prettily
hanging dainty curtains at the win
dow5 and filling every cOnceiva0ls
rooS with plants and vines, but still
Tie home was not as she had dreared
Z would be. There was a restless. IN
satisfied longing in her heart
One by enc the years had gone by
lndl now Miss Lucretia was almost
10 years old. Time had dealt kindly
with her and she did not look nearly
ter age. Not word had been heard
Of Jim Kaylor since his parents had
moved away from the village FIVE
years before. The villagers were there
lore greatly surprised when Jim tp.
Deared among them one afternoon
There was a prosperous look aboi'
him which had not been there In III.
youth. They yearned to ask hin
about his wife. but there was that Va
his manner that kept them from try.
ing to satisfy their curiosity.
Miss Lucretie was sitting down 10
supper that night when d rap cam
at her door. She vas startled ugo.
opening it 70 find Jim Kayior standlns
there.
After the FIRST moment OF surpris
and embarrassment sire greeted aa
cordially. She forgot for the uI,
that there might be a Mrs. Kayio
somewhere in the village.
He accepted her invitation to taxi
tea with her. and not until they haf
finished did she once think to inqulr,
for his wife
When she asked him about Mrs
Kaylor, the man reddened.
I'll might as well-make a clear
breast Of It." he stammered. Il hay
not any-wite-I never had any.
But the news came back here tina
you we're married" interposed Mis-
Lucretia. q wild happiness leaplns
into her heart
Il heard tnat John Hill was getting
! ! pretty fond of you" began the man
in explanation, "and the folks thought
you liked him considerable. AS was
pretty proud l didn't like to think
that you had forgotten all about me
so quick. and | sent back the news
that vas married on purpose. But
when l heard that John had narl 'ei
/ nAaAEA Sill a - HsaANA Z AetNas FA-A
what / had. ! kept thinking I'd con
: tradict the sto.y, but somehow felt
kinder ashamed to. ] haven't been
id'e all this time. Lucretia." be sdd-
ed i've tried to amount to some
thing and to get a home established,
and I've made good. I've never left
of loving you all these years. There's
a good home waiting for you out there,
and I've come TO take you back with
me-"
There was a look Of intense hap
piness in the woman's eyes as they
met his. Lucretia knew that hey
dream Of a home would soon be real
ized.-MRS. ANSTRISS A. NICHOLS.
p Good TO Remember.
{, Physical defects can be turned into