The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-06-27

expression OF Intelligent ana ecstaIic
curiosity.
Obi" she breathed. Then, shes
putting up plums, but she can come
out in few minutes" She could not
60 without lingering to look at Agatha,
her wide-eyed gaze taking note OF
her hair. her dress, her hands. her
face. AS Agatha became conscious OF
the ingenious inspection to which she
was subjected, she smiled at the girl
one Of her old, radiant, friendly
smiles
Run now, and tell Mrs. Stoddaro'
there's a good child! And sometime
you must come to see me at the req
house; will your"
The girls face lighted up as II the
sun had come through cloud. she
smiled at Agatha in return. with
Yes" under her breath. Thus are
slaves made.
Left alone in the cool. dim parlor'
so orderly and spotless, Agatha had
presentiment Of the prejudice OF class
and of religion against which she was
about to throw herself. Susan Stooc
dard's fanaticism was not merely tnat
Of an individual; it represented the
stored-up strength Of hardy, con
science-driven generations. The stod'
dards might build themselves houses
with model laundries. but they did not
thereby transfer their real treasure
from the incorruptible kingdom. II
they were not ruled by aestnetic
ideals, neither were they governed by
thoughts of worldly display. This
fragrant, clean room bespoke charac
ter and family history. Agatha found
herself absently looking down at
white wax cross, entwined with wax
flowers. standing under a glass on
the comfortable. 1t was a strange
piece of handicraft. It's whlteness
was suggestive of death, not life, ana
the curving leaves and petals, through
which the vital sap once flowed, were
beautiful no longer, now that their
day of tender freshness was SO map
propriately prolonged. AS Agatha, WIN
ruind aloof, wondered vaguely at the
laborious patience exhibited In the
work, her eye caught sight OF an IN
scription nodded in the wax pedestal:
Brother" Her mind was sharply
| brought back from the impersonal re-
gion of speculation What she saw
was not merely sentimental, mis-
guided attempt at art; 1t was Susan
Stoddard's memorial Of her brother
( Hercules Thayer-the man who had
SO Unexpectedly influenced Agatha's
\ own life. To Susan Stoddard this wax
. cross was the symbol Of the compan
r ionship of childhood, and of all the
r sweet and bitter involved In the mex
plicable bond of blood relationship
n Agatha felt more kindly toward hel
: because of this mute, fantastic me
mortal. She looked up almost with he
l. characteristic friendly smile as sh'
r heard slow, steady steps coming dowl
:. the hall
r The eyes that returned Agatha
t. look were not smiling, though they di'
g not look unkind. They gazed, with
3 out embarrassment, as without pride
It into Agatha's face, as If they woul
Y. probe at once to the covered spring
W of action. Mrs. Stoddard was thick
st set woman, rather short, looking tt
y ward sixty, with iron-gray hair parte
o. in the middle and drawn back in a
:" old-fashioned. pretty way.
10 1t was to the credit of Mrs. Sto'
"a dards breeding that she took no NJ
tice of Agatha's peculiar dress, III
as suited as it was to any place but til
IN bedroom, even In the morning. Mr.
Stoddard herself was neat as pin
ny cotton gown made for utility, NJ
ne beauty. She stood for an instant wit
Is her clear. untroubled gaze full upc
IN Agatha, then drew forward a cha
ne from it's mathematical position again
no the wall. When she spoke, her vol
dc was surprise, 1t was so low and dee
'm with a resonance like that Of Il
ss- cello. 1t was not the voice of your
woman; It was, rather, rare gift
OK age. telling how beautiful an old wo
ne ans speech could be. Moreover,
ng carried refinement of birth and c
on ture, beauty of phrase and enunc
ton, which would have marked b
with distinction anywhere.
How do you do, Miss Redmond?"
Agatha, standing by the table W
- the cross, made no movement iowa
a.' the chair. She was not come face
. . face with Mrs. Stoddard for the p
INC pose of social visitation, but becau
iuo in tie warfare of life, she had be
~, ~ sent to the enemy with a MESA
- That, at least. was Agatha's point
VI view. Officially. she was come to pie
~ with Mrs. Stoddard: personally,
=. was hot and resentful at her uni
.aS words. Her reply to her hostess gr'
~, ing vas brief and her attitude unbe
ond ing.
81 II have come to ask you, Mrs. 81
Won dard," Agatha began, though to !,
80. chagrin, she found her voice was