The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-12


Annie, her daughter, who
lived alone with her in the old Marvin
homestead. was winding the clock,
''What YOU dom that so early for!' .
asked Mrs Marvin.
Annie y voice came with flutc.lllic
cadence out of the dim corner.
% thought ] ID get everything done
Gr. so there d he nothing 10 think of.
Then we can sit down by ourselves
and talk
Mrs. Marvin waited by her chair
until both weights had been wound,
and Annie had given the pendulum n
swing the faster. II was trick of her
lowed TO wind the clock, and her
mother after trying in faint hearted
way TO break her Of the habit. had
acquiesccd in IL as an irrcgularlty like.
" to give moment S pleasure and do
nobody harm.
LES not stay cooped up in here. "
said the mother. S'Lc S 90 out an set
ON the steps.
Annie put hand through her arm
and the two went slowly out to the
front door stone and established them
selves there, whore honcysucklc WAS
sweet and the garden threw back It's
blended scents. II was an old custom,
this summer night s communion of a
mother and daughter who had fallen
-
life alone together. 1t would not be
the same again, Tomorrow Annie was
10 marry Franklin Blake. There was
silence Tor n time, the girl looking on
into the orchard across the road, and
the mother with her gaze fixed on the
Young figure wrapped about by the
dark but visible 10 her consciousness
through the eyes Of love.
"Nou think we d better whip the
creamg' she asked, though the ques-
ton had beer settled twice over.
For the chncolate7n asked Annie,
~ carry on tho spcclous dialogue. - Yes,
] guess so. But most Of 'em will take
coffee anvway
"Well." said Mrs. Marvin. mus!ng
i2to space. - hope it II bc good. -
ThCn again the talk dropped, and
whippcorwill called from tho orchard
Mrs. Marvin shivcrcd.
He makes INC as nervous as n
witch sbn SAID. de sung ever,
Identical night the Inoa 9th before your
father Went away. She was not used
20 mentioning the girl IS father x that
tone. For years she had referred 10
him in Il commonplace fashion, as If
he had Just driven 10 market, and NOW
Annie started al tae change, TIE
night, her mother 5 alteraa voice, both
gave her courage.
"Mother." said she abruptly, edo
Won Know WAcTC IaiuCr rs j..
''Wcll. no said her mother. With.
out hesitation, al don : know Is ] 10. -
But Aunt Nabby asked YOU ynstcr
61r if ycu supposed l.. 4 come ia '5c
wedding, and YOU said YOU th5ngEt
likely not But Won spoke as if yJI'd
heard. Mother, you don't hear!"
''No,n said Mrs. Marvin. in color,
less tone: q don hear.
- think it s shamc!' - the girl burst
forth
The mother answered gently, like
one directing an emotion into some
safer channel.
.'No. dear, it air t shame. You
don Z src how It's. that s all. -
But habit of years once broken.
the girl dared what she never had be
fore. Until now her mother had wrap
ped their lonely life in silence,
81 see what everybody sees tho
daughter said "Father went away
when ! was n little girl. He's never
set his foot here since. He S sent you
money: but what 5 money? Mother,
what made him 20! ~
81 guess be got kind a tired, y said
her mother. There was patience IN
her voice.
'sWhat ID he get tired of?''
"'Well." :" said Mrs. Marvin. with the
ain of one who. having abandoned eau
ton. has not vet made mp her mind
which WAY TO take. 'folks are made
mp different. Your father had n kind
of rovin disposition. He hadn Z ever
ought To settled down. But he did, an
he never realized how twas goin' to-
pear To him till twas TOO late"
"Seems If you made him out Il kind
of gipsy.' said Annie, with a distastc
that seemed more than half partisan
ship Of her mother.
mo said Mrs. Marvin, "I
shoudn Z call il that, either. But folks
are different, Annie. The sooner you
find that out, the better, SOS to give
'em free swing
FWho's let you have free swing?"