The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-09-01

She's a little. light headed-not deli
Crittenden's first impression. as he
entered his wife's room, was OF daz-
cling wilderness and space: for every
and the room had been cleared OF ali
unnecessary furniture> Mildred's deli
cate little face showed flushed and
covers. Her eyes were closed; but she
was not asleep. AS Crittenden stood
at the head OF the bed with a piantive
question.
Where has she gone?'
shell be back in minute-she's
heat the maid said soothingly.
Mildred moved restlessly.
Tell her TO come now" she begged.
Her brilliant eyes rested indifferently
ence evidently meant nothing TO her.
| Mrs. Enrol hurried into the room in
It hurt. dear" She said. and was V on
her knees by the bed in a second, rub
bing with capable hands. Once Mil
and suddenly Mrs Enrol looked up at
Srittenden. her face white. her eyes
There was no need for this!" she
said. with a certain fierceness. There
to rubbing with energy.
The maid went back TO her work OF
washing the floor with some disinfec-
tant; she worked silently, carefully,
frowning with the earnestness OF her
effort. Mrs. Errors hands never stopped
the empty look that eyes take on when
ones energies are concentrated on
something that uses another sense
and Crittenden stood there useless un-
regarded. meaningless. OF no impor-
struggle that they were making for
his wife. His pride kept him from
turning and leaving the room. but his
Finally Mrs. Enrol. stopping to give
the maid directions about her work.
I oil .Nad N~fW 10,
him pleasantly IL he would bring her
the Kettle of water that she had left
he can came bacE With With it she let h hHn
another. 1t hurt his tender hands, ali
be hurt. She found a dozen little SER
vices for him to do; he did them CRATE
that Was suggeSt tfs aMMk kS EreSi
watched him with thoughtful eyes.
After the doctor had come and gone
supper that Mrs. Enrol had got for him
Mrs. Enrol said to him a part of what
Her voice was quiet and rather coll
| orless she began.
rye heard a great deal about you.
Ar. Lee, since L came to Roscoe-about
| what a fine young man you are-what
fine morals you have. what fine man
ners. what fine ancestors behind you.
Now 1 want to tell you something.
You known Murphy, suppose-the
ressm IAN Murphy. who was
and making trouble for himself and
other people. until a year ago. when
that worked in the postofhce, and
81 Heightened up? L saw Murphy the
buying steak; and 1 watched him with
a good deal OF interest. because he so
evidently knew what he wanted. and
saw anyone more Particular, more
tln!cky; l was surprised; he doesn't
lock like that sort. After he went out
] butcher RXnlNlnad laN-sc 20
had pneumonia two months ago: and
she been very slow about getting back
finally Murphy made up his mind
tina the trouble was that his wife
W. NJ getting the right sort of thing
TO cat So he started in and learned
/ no ~ 20 make the broth and Cruel and
eg -Tpg that the doctor said would
be = ID for her; and he won't trust
ths Cd woman there at the house to
/ re- mem TO her; every two hours
TO st home. no matter what he's work
inS at or where he's working. The
lot y day, the butcher said they heard
an he cursing like mad; something
no delayed him and he was late. Half
ar hour afterward the delivery boy
NJ ply was tiptoeing around the
ki' men with a big Bingham apron
u under his shin. singing Tn the
as peaceful as a lamb" Mrs Enrol
St ped, looking at Crittenden very
50 J. Il don't know how other people
Nd feel about it, but 1 consider
bacco soaked Murphy-nore OF man
u had a cousin once" she went on.
girl-who couldn't hear the sight of
blood; If anybody hurt themselves she
would run out OF the house like one
care of her baby sister. and the baby
fell with a bottle in her hand, and ii
hEn oh %
Jessie. her name was-screamed to her
mother and went tearing out of the
house. and never stopped until she got
to the north meadow, a mile and a
half away. Now as it happened her
mother wasn't in the next room. as
Jessie supposed, but was down in the
| cellar. working. When she came up
| stairs, twenty minutes later. she found
her baby propped up against the cellar
door; she had known where her mother
was. and had tried to get TO her-but
couldn't. It was too late to do any
Mr.. Lee. it's poor sort OF love that
runs away, with It's fingers in its ears,
at the sight OF blood! a poor sort OF
love- It's poor sort of love that turns
its dearest over to a stranger-for that
is all that your sister is to you. Mr.
Lee; either you do not know her or
you have found 1t comfortable to for
get what you know about her. It's
a poor sort of love that cannot learn
at such time. to do a woman's work
a nurses work-a Doctors work-that
cannot feel the pain in another's body
| u0SpiSc NOu-duu get L pity YOU IOT
surely I'm the weeks to come you will
find 1t hard TO forget how you ate
and slept. and walked out in the sun
shine. and talked with your neigh bors
while she was hungry-uncared for
neglected-in pain-alone!"
on the day when the doctor said that
Mildred had taken a turn for the bet
ter, and showed a good chance of get
ting well, Crittenden met Colonel Dent
in front of the postOffice. Colonel Dent
stopped to murmur a warning in Crit
tenden's ear.
you'd better ship her. my boy, very
sOon-the maiden. She'll fasten her
self on you like a tick. If you dom
have a care-wil never leave YOU
till she gets that five thousand dollars
out of you somehow"
Crittenden's eyes We're not pleasant
to meet he answered
Mrs. Enrol has had that five thous.
and dollars for week nOw-and her
trunks have been packed, ready to go. >
What kept herr" Colonel Dent
/ asked, in a dazed fashion.
Mildred and the baby"
, Colonel Dent found 1t hard to re.
cover. He made an effort in that di.
! rectioR. however. Have you pick &c
out name for the baby yet?" he asked
I've ordered a little ring for her
5 I'd like TO have her name put inside
H-g4