The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-09-19
WEEKLY SHORT STORY
THE LITTLE MOTHER.
BY Ference Herczeg.

early morning train. He slept three
hours till lunch-time, then rose and
dressed He put on a blue shirt and
over il his white summer things-not
that the weather was actually warm,
but he knew that the white coat set
of his bronzed face in a manner pleas
ing to the feminine eyes. CThis sun
burn wa sacQuired Systematically ev-
cry summer in the baths of Buda-
pesc.)
Now, he intended to surprise his
hancee, Edith, and her people, by un-
eXpectedly Joining them at lunch.
The thought of the meeting made
Sarkany very glad, for he loved his
betrotned with all his heart, yet felt
a litSle frightened of her, because he
did not know what he should say if
she happened to inquire whether he
had taken his degree.
At their last meeting he had prom
Used the girl on his word of honor
that when next she saw him it would
be as a duly qualified doctor of medi-
cine.
Many Things had come in the way.
however, thpuS1 precisely wha5 it
would be hard TO tell in such a hurry
but the upshOt of was that Sar-
kany was not u doctor.
He was just thinking Of some tact
full little fb with which to quie5 his
beloved, when the door of the hotel
room opened and Anyuka entered.
Anyuka was Edith's younger sister,
small, slim maiden of IA or 10 years,
with a most serious little counter
ance. Her real name was Mariska,
and it was Edith who had nicknamed
her "Anyuka little mother"
Set IN the middle of our modern
fashionable life, she seemed to rep
resent some curious reversion to a
bygone type, recalling those excellent
housewives of the good old days. She
was, in fact, a wonderfully sedate.
shrewd and Industrious child. For
over two years she had kept servants
In order who had never taken her
sister Edith seriously. She was the
first astir in the morning, attending
TO tn evariOuS little wants of father
and brothers; while, should anything
go amiss with the housekeeping, it
was Anyuka who got the blame.
Wherefore Shey had come to call
her little mother" as a reward for
her thoughtfulness and care.
Anyuka had brought a small par
eel for Sarkany.
Edith has sent you this" she said
gravely.
Then does Edith know of my ar
rival?" asked Sarkany in surprise.
"Oh, yes,"
And what is in the parcel >"
Look for yourself. / must be off
to the grocer's for something, but
will come back in a quarter of an
hour You'll wait for me, won'1 you ?"
"Of course"
Little Anyuka departed and Sar-
kany undid the blue ribbon tied
around the package. He took out a
letter in Edith's handwriting. This
is what he read:
Herewith l return you the 216 let
ters which you have written to me
during the last two years and a half.
III you nave kept any of mine, kindly
give them to Anyuka. At the same
tlme l must inform You of my engage
ment, which took place yesterday ev-
ening, to DR.. Bertalan Katona. resi-
dent practitioner at this watering
place
(Signed) "EDiITH,
Sarkany gulped
Very good, very good, indeed" he
muttere dto himself
Then he took the letter she had sent
him, put a loaded revolver in his
pocket and wetn out into the woods.
To reach the forest Sarkany had to
cross netle bayfield, lying behind the
church. Here a long-limbed peasant
LAD was lying fast asleep under a
hayrick, while a remarkably pretty
peasant girl knelt beside him and
nckled his ear with a blade of grass.
But Sarhany asw nothing of this.
On he went into the wood, the cool
breeze striking his face and the old
Deeches greeting him with a pleasant,
rushing sound of welcome. At last.
nigh up above the Devils Ditch" he
sank down beside a little spring hid
G Ien among great clumps OF fern.
mere II was that, on a summer outing
three years ago, he had first told
Edith of his love.
He spread out the letters and
glanced through them one nv ono
Love and the medical degree played
a great part in their pages; there
were even verses in some of them
an dSarkany felt as touched bv the
night of his own handwriting as the
Nightingale by the sound of her own
song. Presently he cast the letters
aside and took out his notebook.
am dying because of YOU" he
wrote "snce life holds nothing more
for me. Please inform my uncle in
budapest of my death. l desire that
the portrait and lock of hair in nv
pocketDook may be placed on INV
heart and that there may be no an-
eopsy. This is my last wish"
Ihen he tore out the page and
pinned it with his scarf pin to the
trunk OF an old beech tree. Lighting
a cigarette, he threw himself full
length on the grass and lay there
watching the green leaves dancing in
Ihe morning breeze. JusS overhead
golden oriole was singing.
1Cs no use-ni USE" groaned Sar-
kany. Il must die"
Then he took Edith's picture from
ms pocket and gazed at it long and
earnestly. She was a pretty girl.
though the face, strictly speaking
was interesting, rather chan beautiful.
expression, pose, frock, manner-aIl
renee cd the latest fashion. bo. ~,