Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-03

AXE NAL1ED oOI
dren are in their own homes now, and
needn't care. / know YOU won t.
Utter stiffness followed the reading of
Joe's brief announcement. and Mrs. Ston
er read in the faces about the table the
one thing she had felt could never hap
pen
Alleen spoke first. "Of course she
said. YOU can't think OF staying.
Il don't know what to say, Alec. the
eldest of the four remarked. I'D like to
have you in my home. Aunt Amy, but
don't see how I can manage it. My
family is already out of proportion to
my salary. and there isn't spare room
in the house"
my case" Jack added hastily. and
Alleen finished what they both meant
and might as well have said. The fact
is. Aunt Amy, woman OF your age
doesn't fit in with children. They would
be in your way. and you in theirs, and
we'd all be unhappy.
But it remained to Emeyn. the little
bride, whose pretty trousseau had been
and whose most valuable belongings We're
| from her drawer of treasured heirlooms,
| to give the finishing stroke
WHY. / don't see that change is nee
essary. I'd stay. It's papas place to
provide for YOU.
Mrs Stoner felt there was nothing more
| to be said. and the meal was finished in
hush such as had never before fallen on
that house. Hurt to the heart. she was
yet conscious of a feeling that the dread
of a thing is worse than the thing itself,
and. oddly enough, her spirits rose. With
perfect composure she recited the little
speech of welcome and best wishes she
had prepared for the occasion, and was
presently helping the small maid clear
away the dishes, even smiling little to
herself al the precipitate disappearance
of her guests
Afterward she knew that Alleen's first
thought was right She and Sophia Com
stock as girls had been rivals. and she
had won. The estrangement 1t brought
about had lasted through the years. and.
of course she couldn't stay. either for her
own sake or Joe's. If Joe. poor, thrift
less, big-hearted Joe. very foot ball for
i'll luck. had chance for happiness she
would not stand in his way
But pleasure and interest had gone
from her work. She went out into the
fresh air and wandered among the flow
ers, her brain in benumbing whirl.
Birds sang and teetered in the treetopS.
Somewhere the little creatures found
homes and somewhere there must be a
place for her Gradually resolution,
with the birds for its inspiration, formed.
She would go away
But where? Joe had never paid her
for her work. He never had any money.
and the children had begged her pension
from her dollar by dollar To be sure,
she had given willingly. If she had had
it she would have given more, she knew,
although her judgment had told her to
save something for this same time which
she had always feared. but which she
now knew she had never really believed
in
Suddenly out of the chaos of her
thoughts came the memory of a visit she
had once made while in the city. 1t was
to retreat for aged homeless. At the
time she had shuddered at the thought of
finishing her life in such place and had
wished with all her heart for means to
make their last home little less barren
to the inmates.
But the thought of the retreat had no
appeal She put it away for something
more i'm keeping with her wishes. No
door stood open. There was no invita-
ton to enter. and at the end of each the
retreat stood out startlingly bold. With
every meeting it's aspect seemed less and
less forbidding, and before the afternoon
pa ssed it had taken on the features of a
real home. She didn't know at what
precise moment her decision was made:
she knew only that blessed relief had dis
placed agoniZing uncertainty, that the
storm which had torn her was past
And too, the city had once attra cted
her. Recollection supplied the date of
that brief hours dream. She was
girl again, and Richard had come with
the bright fragrant morning laughing to
find her at work SO early and calling out
gayly: You're the girl for my pension
And then, Better hurry up that dress.
Amy. The guards are liable to be called
out. and-t's Mrs. Richard Stoner that
stays Denlnu
She had smiled at his joke and held
up the dress to show him. II al
most done, and he had aised it and
the little fingers that had done the dainty
work Then he was suddenly serious.
Amy" he said, Il made the last pay
ment on those city lots this morning.
They'll keep and We'll call them home
for our old age. Did tell you the firm
is talking of locating me in the city?
That's Tom Jones'" he suddenly added.
''I'll catch a ride.
In an instant he was gone. and she
had sewed and thought of the happy
days when she and Richard would live
in the city.
But the dream was soon over The
porch's thick screen of jasmine and
heliotrope prevented her seeing who had
left the street and was running up the
walk. but she had cried out at the sight
Of Richards face when he stood on the
step
Amy" and his voice sounded strange.
The Guards are called out. ! want you
TO marry me"
The minister was already at the gate,
and she stood M. laying aside the dress,
, later to be finished TO-: his homecoming.
Being called out meant only honor
and glory and she had iausned and
waved as long as she could see her hu1-