Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-01-20

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
By CLkRISSA MACKIE
Copyright, 1910 by American Press
Association.

| Association. =
Observation-Disclosures
The minister passed a long white
hand over his bald head and looked
unhappily around the darkened inte-
rior of Miss Appleby's parlor
The minister shifted his feet uneas-
lily and looked across the room at Miss
Appleby's face, which seemed merely
a confused blur in the gloom. He was
youngish man, rather diffident in
manner, but brave to recklessHess i'll
dealing with the problems offered by
the. stiff necked, rockbound members
Of his little flock. Then he said:
Nevertheless l must adhere to my
opinion that it is your duty to offer Il
home to your cousin. Suppose you
had lost your house and it's contents
by fire and the exposure to weather
had brought on an attack of rheuma-
tism which rendered you helpless.
Would you want to be cared for by
kind neighbors when a relatively the
grace of God, Miss Appleby-had a
roof over her head"
"N1r. James, you know my house is
filled up with summer boarders," said
Ann Appleby in Il strained voice.
Every room"
Eyes" said Ann firmly. "I'm sleep
ing in the clothespreSs myself
Cant you let one of your boarders
go?'
Il can't spare the money"
"Then let your cousin have this
room-you do not use it," ventured Mr..
James boldly.
For moment there was a silence
fraught with horror; then Ann spoke:
This room! Why, this is my par
lor!'
The minister arose, and his tall form
oomed near the ceiling of the room.
Its not your parlor, Miss Appleby;
it's Gods parlor, and it is hiScommand
that you prepare it for the occupancy
of his handmaiden, Sarah Drew. | am
going to your cousin now. Shall l tell
her you have prepared room for her
and that she will be welcome?"
Yes" said Ann Appleby grimly.
The rest of the afternoon Miss APP
pleby moved slowly about the parlor
with reluctant feet. pushing the furni.
ture into stiff rows against the walls,
unfolding one slippery sofa into Il
springy couch. fresh with linen from
some secret closet where homespun
| treasures were hidden in lavender.
! Perhaps no one could quite estimate
the mental anguish that was occasion
| ed by these preparations. 1t was a
violation Of AIMS most sacred tradi-
tons that the Appleby house should be
without best room. About this
| gloomy apartment were centered recol-
lections of joy and grief. Weddings
and funerals and the minister's pres
| ence at Il ceremonial tea were the only
events that marked the opening Of the
| parlor. The boarders had the use OF
/ the large sitting room across the hall,
and even us brief respite from the
stress OF :; long days work Ann would
not have dreamed OF withdrawing into
| the p&rlor'S prim Seclusion.
| And now it must be opened for the
| coming of Sarah Drew. 1t was to be
used rs Il sleeping room by an invalid.
| Sarah'S medicine bottles would cumber
| the mantelpiece. and lint from the bed
clothes would feck the cherished car
| pet But Ann found Il certain savage
| pleasure i'll leaving untouched the pic
I lures and ornaments about the ROOM
Sarah Drew might. occupy this room.
| but she would always uncomfortably
feel that she was violating the almost
sacred precincts of her cousins home
1t. must always be Il parlor. and the
occupant would be proportionatcy un.
comfortable. for Little River folk were
! not given to desecratirg family affairs.
When Sarah Drew hobbled into the
room the next day her mild eyes
| opened wide with amazement.
You're never going to put me in
here. Ann" she gasped.
why not" queried Ann grimly,
twitching the washstand we'll into
view and rattling the china bowl and
| pitcher II guess you'll find every
thing pretty comfortable. Sarah. If
you don't just ring this here bell and
Emeline will wait on YOU
But | can't sleep here, Ann" qua
vered her cousin TREMENDOUSLY. "Why,
it's your best room. | never slept In
| lnct
mo mere did l." returned Ann rather
tartly. But 'tisn't my room. Mr..
James says it belongs to the Lord
so you see it's no credit to me that
you're occupying it,"
"Oh.. did Mr.. James say that be-
fore you would invite me? I'm dread,
full sorry. Ann. | wish didn't have to
come; but. you see. the house burned
all down. and | didn't have stick
left. and so | came to Little River to
stay with Mrs. Bell, and now all the
children are down with the measles
and there wasn't any place to go but
here. l amt got nothing till collect
my insurance money. I'll pay you
Ann pushed her into chair and re-
moved the straight brimmed hat that
settled unbecomingly over Sarah's
nose.
"Pay nothingr' she snortcd con
temptuouSlT. II | seem ungraclou.
Sarah Drew. you can lay. it all to the
fact that never could find the can
celed mortgage note on The place after
Uncle Abel died. Your place was left
free and clear. and I've had to pay