The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-13

Now for the Little Gray Ladys own particular
It was Christmas Eve and Kate Dayton. of
Pomford's pretty girls. had found the Little Gray
ashes her small frame almost hidden in the roomy
chair The winter twilight had long since settled
and only the Pickering blaze Of the logs and the
This strange to say. was placed on a table IN
where its rays shed but little light in the
room
"Oh! Cousin Annie" moaned Kate Everybody
in Pomford VINO got close enough to touch the Lit
1t only the outside world who knew her by her
sobriquet). II didn't mean anything Mark came
poor a'a girls tears smothered the rest
Don't let him go, dearie, came the answer.
her knees, her head in her lap. the wee hands
stroking the duh of golden hair disheveled in her
"oh. but he won't stay!" moaned Kate. He
ca to join his Uncle Harry"
truth And make him tell you the truth.
Don't let your pride. come in; don't beat
misunderstood, that you don't care. You do
Better be little humble now than humble
all and s 1t only sass aed 6rv
The girl rs s f. her head: "oh! Cousin Annie.
She laughed gently Because he here.
dearie, half an hour ago and told me so. He
little jealous of Tom"
But Tom had asked me-"
"Yes-but he had no right" She was up in
again: she wouldn't-she couldn't-and
The Little Gray Lady had known Rates mother.
dead. and what might have happened but
row what had happened for want Of one Kate
and Mark should not repeat that experience If she
could help 1t. She had saved the mother in the
the daughter in the same way And the two
were just alike-same slight. girlish figure;
blond hair and blue eyes, same expression and the
impetuous. high-strung temperament IF
that child's own mother walked in this minute
so.' old Margaret had told her mistress when she
opened the door for the girl, and she was right
Pomford village was full Of those hereditary like
BILE was about. was SO like his father at his age
that his Uncle Harry had picked Mark Mar. out on
Rio the year before. although he had not the
boys father for twenty years-so strong was the
II there to be quarrel 1t must not be be-
tween the Dabneys and the Daytons of all families.
There had h m hn in the old
ing tone. patting the girls cheek she talked
ten. but difference when both love may, if not
quickly healed, leave scar that will last through
life"
There are as good fish in the sea as were ever
caught" cried the girl in sheer bravado. brushing
Don't believe it. dearie-and don't say it.
That has wrecked more lives than you know. That
is what once knew girl to say girl just about
"But she found somebody else. and that's just
what am going to do I'm not going to have
Mark read me q lecture every time 1 want to do
something he doesn't like. Didn't your girl ind
somebody else?"
.No-never She is still unmarried"
"Yes-but 1t wasn't her fault, it,"
"Yes-although she did not know it at the
time. She opened door suddenly and found her
lover alone with another girl. The two had stolen
on together where they would not be Interrupted
He pleading for his college friend-straighten-
ing out just some such foolish quarrel you have
had with Mark-bnt the girl would not UNDER
stand; did she know the truth until year
afterwards. Then 1t was too late
The Little Gray Lady stopped. lifted her hand
from the girls head. and turned her face toward
the now dying IRE
And what became of him 80 asked the girl in a
hushed voice, IL she dared not awaken the
memory.
He went away and she has never seen him
since"
For some minutes there was silenc *hen Kate
said in q braver tone:
"And he married somebody else7''
NC"
well. then, she died!"
mo"
The Little Lady had not moved, nor had she
taken her eyes from the blaze. She seemed he
addressing some invisible body who could hear and
understand The Girl felt its in0uenco and .
tremor ran through her. The htful blaze casting
weird shadow helped this feslins. AZ last. with
IN effort she asked:
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