The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-05-18

soft. tightly-Nuttoucd breast, was am
Valera. anJ There NOW. without lu,s-
tlpninE WaS sine held tiSht. tight. unUl
tHe words could como.
over her Soh-shakcn tow head. the
Grandmothcr'S oid eyes looked out at
orciSsa-\orciSSa. who looked back
with tbc soft. hluc-cNcd gaze of hcr
fnthcr Like him. she bore her Suf-
tvrluSS silently secretly; only iu her
eyes dWclt dun. questioning wonder
az the things that hurt And white
Grandmother POllard's heart vearncd
for thi9 child. her arms comfortcd the
othcr-the passionate. not-to- bc-under-
stood Valera.
Why Narcissa began. eve didn't
set the milk
This was not the point. but the deli
cate pink in Grandmother POllard's
cheek had faded and she looked sud
denly. angrily eNpectant.
What's Betsy Smith been saying? %
she pushed Valera round and looked
rto her face.
That my papa's sn-sneak and my
mama picture Ort 10 be turned to
the WALL Valera s eyes deepened
from their Srayness to brown; she
was wringing her hands.
1t wasn't meant for us to hear.
dear GRANDMOTHER" Narcissa's en-
barrasSment colOred her small face
and ears painfu v. and we wern't
listening She hurried on. I'VE were
awaiting for Betsy to finish with Mrs.
Spencer--young Mrs. Spencer-and
we heard"
Wash your faces and hands"
Grandmother Pollard turned to the
little table set for them near the
kitchen fire.
Something in her manner imposed
silence; even Valera made her toilet
i'm the adjoining Mushroom quietly.
with only am intermittent sob.
As she helped them to supper there
was n trembling in their grand
mothers hands. With a pang. Narcis-
81 saw II. 1t was what they had told
her that made il. Poor old Mrs. Pol
lard" She recalled Betsy Smiths
words. Her poor. dear granny made
to suffer for-what? Anyway she
would speak TO Valera and no matter
what they heard again-
And she called my mamma "a
rcn-a-Eade.' IT burst from Valera
as the fun force of the outrage fresh
ly occurred Co her, and my papa a
sneak
Beneath The table Narcissa's slim
little foot swung out towards her sis
tors ankle the contact was painful
tut urou-bt Valera up, expectant
Il,.r eyes met.
Your father is not a sneak" CULVER
ed the Grandmother,s voice, and no
loved your mamma"
Valera controlled the maddening
impulse TO 80 on.
And" a little voice said. could
there be much wrong if your papa and
your mamma loved
The kitchen door opened and closed
with firm gentleness.
Henry Grandmother Pollard
cried out. joyOuSlY.
The twins waited. Their father
stood there. smiling at them all SmiI-
inE as though but for something he
would smile more. as though there
was reason why his arms did not
open. why ne did not laugh out and
call to them.
Grandmother Pollard rose and went
TO him. He took her in his arms and
She kissed him as though he were "a
little hoy instead Of very tall man
He came to the table and bent over
each OF the twins. kissing them. too.
Papa Nalora's little tongue chung
whisperingly 10 the word.
Il came across the river on some
business" he said to his mother. $50
l got away to see YOU"
Your rooms all ready
Oh thought Narcissa. 'if grand
mothers face could he like that an
the time"
81 can't stop" ne said. "th.r need
me-, now. We're SO busy at the factory"
re wanted no supper and ne did
not SIT down. Hat i'm hand hc walked
back and forth in his great hieh boots
talking TO his girls papa-he seemed
like their grandmothcr's son, n boy
win hair curling back from such
white forehead. and then below the
line made there 10y his hat. brown tan.
lie stopped again and looked down at
his children. Narcissa watched her
sister. IL might be that Valera would
cry out To him the words of Mrs
spencer. But she was looking up
from her plate shyly. smiling cugag-
lnSN az hiI3 From his pocket he
drew two bright now climbing silver