Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1909-07-24

Henrietta, cleaned over the edge of
them like a star. MY Lord" He
felt his way across to the little table
and lit the lamp.
Not long after Mrs. Martin came
home. She looked solemn and tired.
Il amt needed" she said I'm to go
over there tomorrow. Had your sup
PERI"
Yes"
Its cold out"
IT'S breeding RAIN" said her hus-
band.
She drew chair close to the stove
and sat down. IT'S cold" she said,
again. clasping and unclasping her
hands to the warmth. Suddenly she
held herself erect and spoke with .
certain slow rigidity. "She died at
three o'clock this evening"
Il guess that was when saw Pas
tor Myers come out"
1T was him made them make UP.
He said he wouldn't give her the sac
rament unless she did. You know
them Lutherans are awful strict. Then
she said: Pastor Myers, it was all my
fault, and he said Tell him that
yourself So she did, and Andy Shafer
he said: No, Henrietty, l was to
blame, too"
Adam Martin Knocked the ashes out
of his pipe against the side of the
stove.
How long We we been living here,
ADAM"
It'll be II years next April"
Yes, so 1t WILL" said Clarissa Mar
tin. THE lilacs were blooming. And
/ was at the gate when Henrietty came
down the road with John in her arms.
He had just had the Group, and she
stopped and told me about 1t. / guess
he was three years old then. She was
pretty thing. l can remember the
very dress she had on. 1t was one of
them purple calicoes with a curly
white figure in it, and it was made
with two ruffies as wide as my hand"
She spoke musingly. 1T doesn't seem
more'n yesterday"
Adam broke out from behind cloud
Of tobacco smoke: Yes, Henrietty
was certainly good-looking.
They were ON the outs then" said
Mrs. Martin. 1T was curious the way
they'd act. 1t seemd as if they both
wanted to keep away from each other.
And when they were apart, Henri
etty'd never mention Andy, and
Andy'd never mention her. I've beat
my brain out many time wondering
what it was about"
Adam leaned heavily towards her
John was here tonight"
Then he told her.
Mrs. Martin sat up straight in her
chair. 1T must have been worse than
people ever knew, Adam"
The Lombardy poplar rocked past
the barred door, The house shook
Little, lean, crying noises went dimly
up and down the room.
Adam, what was it, anyway"
Il don't know, Ciarissy." A con
fused look came into his heavy face
He took the pipe out of his mouth
and held it stiffiy before him.
"D,hn't you tell me something once
about Henrietty having beau, and
her jilting him, and his calling back
after she was married, and Andy be
ing jealous?"
II guess / did"
Mrs. Martins eager profile project
ed itself into the clouds of tobacco
smoke that lowered about the stove
Then that was it-that was it, as
sure as you're alive. Men don't for
get such things in hurry" She
turned on him suddenly: "What'd hi
look like, ADAM"
He was tall and young-more like
a boy than man. l only saw hin
once, when | come over to see And,
about some chickens"
A long moment. The man put tn,
pipe back into his mouth and smoked
on in a fumbling fashion. The WON
ans eyes grew tragic. Youth, love
death, tugged and tore at her. Sh,
felt as If she must rise up and or!
out.
Where's he now, Adam?"
who"
You know-Henrietty's beau"
Dead" he said, simply.
And she's dead, too" She sighet
little.
Yes, poor Henrietty Shafer'll neve
go to market and stand behind tina
stall any more"
Mrs. Martin stood up and sat dow
again. A CULVER ran through he
fine little body. She flung out a pas
sionate hand: IF | were John Shafel
Id get to the bottom of that busi
ness. I'd do it if it killed mel"
The room was so deep in dusk tina
the two men sitting there seemed Xix
two figures set in a paler cloud O
gloom. Each piece of the simpl
kitchen furniture, seen through tn
gray dimness, which was but cor
tinuation of the grayer one gathering
poccihiIifiac Of 10