Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-12-30
Their Sympathetic
Friends

The fresh autumn wind had given
Mrs. kirkland a glowing color and
brought the CLEAN of youth and health
into her dark eyes.
you look very blooming, JESSIE"
said her sick husband, admiringly
from his nest of pillows on the sitting
room couch. He held her cool hand
for moment and then, releasing it
with sigh, remarked, YEARLY, ga
few hours away from me has done
you good. l knew it would brighten
you up to go out among your friends.
Did you see many of them?"
"Oh, yes, Rob, and they were all
very sympathetic"
Kirkland made an effort to look
properly grateful. Mrs. Kirkland.
smiling, sat down on hassock by the
invalid's couch and prepared to relate
the details of her little outing.
First" she said, II went over to
your Aunt Harriet's, for / knew that
even the fact of your having two
broken ribs, fractured collar bone
and sprained ankle would not be in
her mind valid excuse for my not
calling on her during the month that
you've been ILL.,"
How was she?"
mo worse than usual, but exceed
ingly bitter against automobiles. She
said she was not at ali surprised that
you got hurt, for automobiling is a
reckless and extravagant habit for
people in our present circumstances.
There!"
"Why, didn't she know that wasn't
in our own car and that sold ours
the very day after those signed notes
brought us into such trouble?"
yes, of course she knows that"
said Mrs. Kirkland, "but your accident
is delightful Justification of her
present theory that all the troubles in
the world grow out Of automobiling,
so she couldn't resist pointing a
moral. However, she sent her love to
you and said to say you ought to be
very thankful that you still have your
head on your shoulders and a roof
over it,
Kirkland made grimace. Mrs.
Kirkland went on cheerily:
"Then 1 dropped in to see Clara
Holland. I'm afraid things are going
badly with her now. Toms been
| drinking again and his mother thinks
it's all Clara's fault and won't even
| help her with the grocery bill. And
| her baby is sick and peevish My
heart just ached for her until she said
that when she thought of what trou
BILE you and / have had lately she felt
she oughtn't to complain of her little
worries. She feels dreadfully sorry
for US, Rob-"
Every kind of her, I'm sure. But we
can still struggle with our own grocery
bill! Poor Clara means we'll, OF
course
Eyes, indeed. 1t was refreshing te
after the disorder and confusion O.
Clara's flat. gladly accepted Mrs
Bowers invitation to lunch. Mr.
Bowers comes home for that meal nov
and he looked so sturdy and hand
some, notwithstanding the seventeen
birthday which he celebrated las
week, that it did me good to see him
He was anxious to know how you ar,
getting on, and as | was leaving h,
said he had very fatherly feelin,
toward you, and just as soon as yol
are we'll enough he intends comm,
over to give you a good talking t
about the folly of signing notes TO
people. Don't scowl, Rob. l tell yo'
this only because l think it almos
funny. AS if you didn't know NOR
about that now than he could ever tel
you!"
Yes, l understand" Kirklan
pressed the hand that lay lightly i
his.
Mrs. Bowers sent her love and
| box of tuberoses. left the flowers /
the hall because l know you hate tn
{ odor of them"
| Kirkland made another grimac,
: His wife continued
) From there went downtown to d
few errands. l met George Harri
, in the bookstore and he inquired afte
you. He said he knew you would hav
courage to bear illness and f1nanci;
I loss. He said he didn't know what b
would do if he should ever have sue
! hard run of luck. He looked pal
at the idea of such fate"
) George never was a heavyweight
) commented Kirkland, good-naturedly
, II stopped to speak to Miss Ca
; field as l was going through Blan
3 ley's store You know she is tt
!. woman who sold us the lovely Ven
: tian lace collar you gave me la
Christmas. She said she had heard
our 'reverses of fortune and she fe
very sorry for us. thanked her, ar
just as was going on she remarke
4 Well, anyway, Mrs. Kirkland, yc
: still have your real laces. That
: some comfort That was consol
Il