Evening star., 1913-11-23

companionship became too insistent to
brush aside. on her way to the woodshed
for kindling and wood she went to the
door to call to her old neighbor, Mrs.
Caddy.
But suddenly Mrs. Caddys daughter
in-law appeared on the back stoop. say
ing, as she hastily buttoned up street
costume: Gracious me! Whenever-did
I-you come? Well, if this isn't surprise!
Mother Caddy? Laws, she's been living
with her Mary for over year. Sure. she
| likes it, doesn't say boo about coming
back. Marys husbands we'll to do, you
| know, and Mother Caddy's having the
| time of her life. Suppose you're only
here to look over things. Ell? Going to
rent? To live! There-alone! Gracious
goodness. Tilly Tinker-humph,"
Disapproval rang in young Mrs Caddy' :
voice, but after the little gray-haired
woman re-entered the house she dismiss
ed the memory of it with a brief: Young
| folks are all alike-think the old ones
! can't get along without them
The next day saw Tilly Tinker installed
| in the dual role of maid and companion,
| and for many days there was airing and
beat ting and shaking The little gray
haired woman told herself repeatedly that
at last she was content in the way which
seemed best to her. OF course Tilly-yes,
she was sorry Tilly was something of a
| disappointment and showed a dreadful
vanity, like so many young people nova
| days 1t was very tfresome finding her
| constantly in front of mirror, fussing
up her hair and rubbing her face with a
rag that should be white, but looked pink.
| She had ordered Tilly to wear her hair
! plain and smooth, like girls at service did
/, in the past, but Tilly had cried for an
hour and sulked for two. and then impu-
IDENTIFY told her she'd wear her hair to
| over the back gate to Smiths boy for
ages. Always after tussie with lilly a
| memory came of Esther and Martha s
unvarying poiiteness. Never in the four
years had they ''sassed" her. But then.
she argued. Tilly was young and her po-
sition as companion gave her liberties not
enjoyed by mere maid. 1t would be all
right when the cleaning was over and
they had time for the cozy talks that
would bring back all the dear happenings
OF the past and take away the Intangible
| shadow that all the airing and the beat
ing failed to banish.
She was very bright on the after
noon she drew two chairs together On
the veranda and called Tilly to come
and sit with her and crochet. She
had her own bit of work ready, but
Tilly. at the mention Of a ''cozy hour
crocheting," frankly scowled, and
bluntly said that crocheting and such
things had never made hit with her.
and that If she couldn't have most
afternoons to herself she wouldn't
hire out. nohow. or course. she had
her way, and the little grayhaired
woman's "cozy" hour and all her after
moons and evenings after that were
spent alone. filled with vague melan-
choly greater than that experienced in
the Champion home in all her longing
for the things of the past. Memories
which then had been food for happy
thought in the silence of the old home
began to haunt.
OF her old friends she quickly found
that there were few left to drop in
Some had gone to live with daughters
and sons: had gone down the long road
to sons and daughters and husbands
waiting at the end And the young peo-