Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-12-28
The Dead Level
By LOUISE OLNEY
copyright, 1910. by Associated Literary Press.l

old mother lived with him. and she
would not live with q motherin-law.
She had seen other families made
miserable that way. And then he
had taken to smoking, which she de-
tested. and they had disagreed even
on politics-and especially on relig-
ion. That is. she had found fault
with his ideas
Dispiritedly enough she washed her
few pretty blue dishes, and thought
what fool she was. Dark had fallen,
and the lamp was lit; she drew the
curtains. and Inoged things about to
homelike coziness. What for? She
laughed bitterly at herself. Here she
was twenty-nine past. acting like a
girl expecting a boy lover! Well.
John certainly was not coming
Probably he was taking that little
nothing Of Sadie somewhere. She
went into the bedroom, lighted the
gas over the mirror, and looked at
herself as she put on the soft but
rather worn and old-fashioned rose
colored dress he had once liked so
much. Ridiculing herself as she did
so, she let down her thick dark hair
and rewound 1t softly and becoming
ly about her head.
Back in the sitting room she took
her chair close to the light and picked
up some sewing, but the stitches
would not go in straight; she tried to
read, but the story she picked up
seemed inane and tiresome. What
was the use? Then another thought
came to her-what if she should call
him up over the phone in the hall
and ask him to come to see her!
Could she? She never had done So
she had an old-fashioned dislike for a
woman's making any advance to even
che most trusted of friends Perhaps
he would not want to come, but would
feel that he had to-and she would
see that. and 1t would hurt a hundred
times worse than never seeing him
again at all. No she could not!
By 8 o'clock she had made herself
- miserable that her face was
flushed, and she was nervous enough
to jump, calm as she was by nature
Several times she had even gone into
the hall, intending to risk calling him
up, and then her courage had failed
She was just deciding to phone any
way, and ask some trivial question
she could say she had q very bad
headache, and could not come to the
Office in the morning He knew she
never had headaches, but this might
alarm him-he might be sorry.
At this point the doorbell rang
not an unusual thing. and she won
dered impatiently why on earth Mrs.
Jones did not go to the door. Where
was the woman? Finally she heard
her lumber down the III and open
the door. A mans voice spoke few
the stairs-came to her door
She jumped to her feet and opened
to the light knock. John Trenton,
hat In hand, stood before her with
serious face. making no offer to come
in until she found her voice and bade
him enter.
We'll, here / am" he said, while
she closed the door. and he made no
motion to sit down. Can / help you
in any way?"
His eyes were devouring her as she
stood flushed and hesitating in her
rose gown, her eyes suspiciously wet
Her gaze widened on him.
do anything? Not that l know
of-wfll you sit DOWN." He took a
chair tentatively and answered the
question in her eyes.
Just a few blocks up met Madge
and that Bobby-trailer of hers. They
said you wanted to see me this even
ing. thought it strange you should
send me a message by anybody. when
YOU know"
Here things became too much for
Emily The tears came up and over
flowed in spite of her She stood be
fore the mans questioning look. help
lessly dabbling at her eyes.
He rose ard reached her at step
and took hei into his arms.
Tell me the truth-did you send
for me?"
she hid her face against his arm
and shook her head violently He
bent low to hear what she might say |
But she said nothing. Then he tried !
another question.
Shall go away?"
She chung to him. and again found !
her voice, pulling bravely away to
look at him while she said brokenly: |
II did not send for you-that
Madge ought to be-spanked-but !
was going to phone to you and |
| did want you
He stopped her there in her speech
We'll, II you want me, / shall stay
Not even you. Emily, can send me
away again. Just exactly when are
you going TO marry me?"
"Would-next week some time be |
100 soon?"
And then she hadn't breath enough
to say anything whatever. Not that
she wanted to talk-far from it,
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