The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1912-07-13

hadn't called it that should have
said it was ambrosia''
Thomas Bivins>chuck1ed. You see,
mother" he said, 81 always said you
were the best, cook in the country"
Mrs. Bivins held up her hand.
Hush she said, 81 hear somebody
coming"
The little lady started to her feet
Cant you say that you didn't see
me" she began, then as a tall fig
ure doomed iH~the doorway she turn
ed white and whispered: Its too
late"
Well" he said briefly, I've found
you
She seemed to brace herself to an
swer. Then suddenly a smile curved
| her lips. She waved her hand over
the table. Come and have some
thing to eat" she coaxed. The ham is
perfectly delicious-and oh, George,
you never ate such bread and jam"
Mrs. Bivins hustled forward. 'Tn
set place for you"
The man hesitated, then capitulat-
ed. Gee, but I'm hungry" he said,
boyishly, and Mrs. Bivins heaped his
plate.
The two old people sat together on
the back porch and watched the little
new moon over the tops of the trees.
Within the man said, For heavens
sake, Beatrice, what made you do it?"
Run away?" she asked. ooh.
George, I was tired of it all Tired
Of the rush and whirl-I can't stand
you by your clubs and my bridge par
ties. I made up my mind that you
didn't care what I did. and so I had
Otto drive me as far as the main road
went, and then l left the machine and
came over here, and I thought that
that If you didn't find me-Pd get
something to do somewhere-and you
could go on having good times-and
flirting"
Her husband interrupted her with
a savage exclamation.
stop" he said. Did you think I
could love any one but you? Don't
you suppose I hate all the things that
pull US apart? But a man doesn't talk
about what he feels like a woman
does"
Their voices 6oated out to the
porch, where the old couple sat Mrs.
Bivins leaned forward and looked
into her husbands face. Are you
like that, Thomas?" she demanded.
Her husband .t1odded.
But if I had dreamed the voice
went on Within. that you were grow
ing desperate you suspected me
of-nOt caring-oh, girl, why didn't you
come and tell me? Didn't you know
didn't you knoE-that you're mine
that no one else
Outside Mrs. Bivins' cheek was
against her husbands coat I'm go
ing to cry, Thomas" she said, and the
old man took out his handkerchief and
wiped her eyes gently.
half hour later the two young
people appeared in the doorway
Thank you so much for-your
bread and JAM" said the little lady.
shyly.
The young man laughed joyously. |
Thank you for more than that he /
said. I've caught a runaway. Mrs. |
Bivins. and she wants to go back with /
me. But we want to come again |
for a week at a time, now and then, /
Do you think you could put US up
when the whirl of town gets too much /
for us?'
Could she?
q can put you up Mrs. Bivins said,
trembling with rapture, for more !
than a week at a time. Thomas and .
can't tell you how glad we'll be-"
But she didn't know the full extent /
of her good fortune. For almost +
nirSculously after tnat surprises came
to them. Once it was a wonderful box
of candy tied with pink ribbons and
with a gold seal, and once it was a
silk coat with a wide lace collar, and .
once it was dignif1ed hat with white
lilacs under the brim.
1T just seems as if they can't dc
enough" said the excited Mrs Bfvins
as she baked ceke and roasted chick
ems and made little balls of cream
cheese for her expected guests, sit
just seems as if they couldn't do
enough"
But Mr.. Bivins> took it calmly ''You
needn't ever say that nothing ever
happens now, mother he said, con-
tentedly; 1T seems to me that these
two young folks are the kind that
make things happen. And they are SO
happy themselves that they can't be
satisfied until they've made US happy,
too" :