The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-04-28


what / dare burn up9"
Yalora turned swiftly back to the wooden
chunk buried in the leaves.
Don't ever burn this one, Grandmother
dear, she raised it for close inspection, See
what lovely baby it makes. It's heavy
enough to be real, and these little knobs on
each sidear like arms and the holes are eyes
aud this little knot is a mouth oh, lisa love-
y face. Ireally have feeling here " she
placed an eager hand upon the pink-yoked
httle chest, IA strange feeling about this
block-ofwood baby. Ii il got burnt up
no adequate words were forthcoming,
only little throaty gasps.
And Grandmother Pollard could not
speak either There were things she did
not understand. She watched the child
bury the block Of wood lovingly in the
leaves and vanish.
It's that Something, She murmured un-
certainly, that's ike her mother and no.
body understands The old lady gath
cred slowly an armful Of the wood. SIT
seems to last so long lately" she com
planned and he won't come till it's near
gone. / We been thinking Of the boy all day. 2
With her gray head thoughtfully bent
she entered the house. II
After knocking three times at Betsy
Smiths door without getting an answer,
the Pollard twins lifted the latch gently,
and, yaora first, slipped into the kitchen.
Betsy was not at the carpet loom and the
evenings milking was done, for there were
the bright tins Of it in row waiting to be
put away
Then, Betsy Smiths querulous voice was
raised IN the next room. And high-pitched
above hers, the rich young Mrs. Spencer :.
The door between the rooms was aiar. The
twins stood waiting; thay always waited
when Betsy was too busy to give them the
milk and She was, they knew, weaving some
heavenly ycolored rag rugs for Mrs. Spen-
GER
F." Through our apple orchard into
his mothers yard and cuts and piles that
wood up for her Mrs. Spencer's words
caught Valera attention regularly once
every month Why should he sneak 2"
Betsy Smith interrupted; her words were
always hurried and indistinct because of
false teeth.
His wife's running away turned his
head'' Mrs Spencer laughed at what old
Betsy had said. He was warned Of her
before he married her; what did he expect
OF a poor, little, cheap, wandering thing;
of a."
"Of what2' Valora had not caught
it. She held up a finger to Narcissa.
" Renegade Y came from Mrs. Spencer.
Whatever It was, they were calling her
mother that, too Betsy Smith began
speaking Valora strained to hear.
Well | s'pose if old Mis- Pollard can
stand il takin care Of his twins and keep
their mothers picture on the wall turned
lace out, we can; it's a year now too, since
she went OFT an there her picture hangs
same's il she was respectable dead. Poor
old Mis- Pollardl Not that she wants for
anything. He's always been dootitul son
that way
But his sneaking-"
A piercing shrek rent the air. Valora )
outraged senses, her oyerstrained nerves,
had given way. She drew back and hurting
her little milk pail at the door of the ad-
joining room, cried out: ..sl
" It's big liel My papa don't sneak.
He don't s-sr rp - a
She turned and burst from the kitchen,
hands outstretched gropingly before her.
Silent, stunned 70 speechlessness, Narcissa
followed back across the street and into
the house to Grandmother Pollard Her
arms, her dear, soft, tightly-buttoned
breast, was an ever-ready haven for the
storm-tossed Valora, and there now, with
out questioning, was She held tight, tight,
until the words could come.
Over her sob-shaken tow-head, the
grandmother old eyes looked out at Mar
cissa Narcissa, who looked back with the
soft, blue-eyed gaze Of her father. Like
him, She bore her sufferings silently, Sc
cretly; only In her eyes dwelt dull, ques-
tioning wonder at the things that hurt.
And while Grandmother Pollard's heart
ycarned for this child, her arms comforted
the other the passionate, not-to-be-under-
stood Vaora
Why Narcissa began, we didn't get
the milk -"
This was not the point, but the delicate
pink ii Grandmother Pollards cheek had
faded and she looked suddenly, angrily
expectant.
What's Betsy Smith been saying2p
She pushed Valora round and looked into
her face.
That my papa's sn-sneak and my
mamma picture oft to be turned to the
WALL" Valoras eyes. deepened from their
grayness to brown; she vas Bringing her
haads.
II wasn't meant Tor us to hear, dear
Grandmother" Narcissa's embarrassment
colored her small face and ears painfully,
"and Ne weren't listening, she hurried On,
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