Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-07-15

4 ri
"fM GOING TO STAY ALWAYS now SHE
SAID.
ly. Gladys dropped to her knees In
front of tue bed and threw her arms
about her mothers neck.
"Oh. momme. mommie" she cried
"lts Gladys. your own little girl! Don't
you know me-"
mo, it can't be Gladys" her mother
answered. "Gadys and Mabel are
away to school. and it's so lonely"
Gladys soothed her to sleep again
and then sent her father to bed to
get some much needed rest. All
through that long night her mother
tossed and talked at intervals. and the
watching girl realized for the first
time just how much Of sacrifice 1t
had been for this quiet little mother
to give up her girls to the great, hum
CRY college.
In the morning the doctor came and
pronounced Mrs. Sanders better.
"Just you stay here and take care
of her. young lady," he said. land I'll
guarantee that she'll get well all
right. It's just this everlasting lonell-
ness that's got on her mind and made
her sick in the first place"
The doctors prediction seemed to be
correct, for Mrs. Sanders slowly but
surely improved from that time on
In a couple of weeks she was able to
sit up. and her eyes lighted up with
pleasure as she watched Gladys fly
about the room setting things to
rights and lending a brightness to the
house that was so pitifully lacking
when she was away.
you don't know how much coed 1t
does me to see you here" her mother
said one day rs Gladys came In with
a big armfu of blossoms. Ito bring
outdoors in to mommie." as she said.
Gladys dropped the flowers and
came o7er and kissed her. I'm going
to stay always now" she said.
1t was a couple Of days later thar
her father came out where she was
feeding the chickens one morning. Il
reckon it's about time for you to be
going back to school. isn't itT he said
quietly. IT guess l can get along all
right with mother now"
Gladys looked up quickly. I'm moi
going back" she said
mot going backw he cried. his eyes
lighting up with sudden hope.
mo" she answered. with brave at
tempt to smile. 'I've had my gooo
time. and now I'm going " stay here
and make things easy for you ant
monmle."
The happiness that sbone in her IA
theirs face was worth all the sacrifice
albeit it was guilty happiness as ht
thought of what 1t meant to her. Blu
she cut short his objections by telling
him 1t was time to 60 and feed the
pigs and then ran into the house Will
a merry song on her lips.
A few days later JEFF came over one
evening after supper. He founC
Gladys out In the orchard with bel
arms full Of the fragrant apple bios
SONS.
They're 80 thick the tree would xii
itself trying to raise so many apples
she said. "And then mommie likes the
flowers so WELL"
"How do you like farming% she
went on. "Is 1t as much fun as going
| to schoolT
Almost" he acknowledged. "Yor
must come over and see the place
There isn't weed on 1t, and Tv'
got the cornfelds In the best SHAPE
for planting Of any I've seen any
where"
"Tm afraid you're getting vain," sale
| Gladys, smiling ut his enthusiasm
"I'm going to be farmer, too" SIT
added.
"You don't mean you're not goinl
| backT
| She nodded.
"Then maybe you do understand"
Eyes, | think l do. It's hardin
way-but it will be fun too. Your
have to work If you make good you
boast Of having the best farm IN IN
county. Just wait till you see VIVA
I'm going to do with this"
He stood looking at her In siienc
for moment. That stray lock wa
out Of place again, and In the OLD
moonlight, DINNER for sitting througl
the millions of apple blossoms. sh
looked like some woodland IAN
come to touch the blossoms Win nc
magic wand and turn them into tih
apples
II don't like competition, Gladys,
said Jeff, taking step nearer.
wonder--can't we be partners"