Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-04-15
Continued From Yesterday

Continued From Yesterday
But the day after [ came from the
city l lay in bed just as long as
wanted to and ignored the thought
OF the exercises and deep breathing
and the icy unsympathetic tub.
couldn't even take very much inter-
est in the lonely egg on the lonely
slice of dry toast. | was thinking
about things.
Hillsboro is q very peculiar little
speck on the universe: even more
peculiar than being like a hen. 1t is
one of the Oldest towns in Tennessee,
and the moss on 1t is so thick that
it can't be scratched off except in
spots. But it has lot of raee-horse
and distillery money in it. and when
II gets poked up hv anything unusual
1t takes a gulp of its own alcoholic
atmosphere and runs away ON its
own track at a two-five gait, she'd
ding moss as it goes. It hasn't had a
real joy-race for a long. time, and 1
felt that it needed it. I rolled over
and laughed into my pillow.
The subject of the conduct of
widows is a serious one. OF all
the things old Tradition is most
set about it is that and what
was decided to be the proper thing
million years ago this town still
dictates shall be done, and spends a
good deal of time seeing its direc-
tions carried out. For year after
the funeral they forget about the
poor bereaved. and when they dc re-
member her they speak to and of her
in the same tones of voice they use
at the -obsequies. Then sooner or
later some neighhor is sure TO see
some man walk home from church
with her or hear some old bachelor S
voice on the front porch. Mr.. cam
took Mr.. Caruther's Iii Jessie up
in his buggy and helped her out at
her mothers gate just before last
Christmas, and if the poor widow
hadn't acted quick the town would
have noticed them to death before he
proposed to her. Whey were married
the day after New Years, and she
lost lots of good friends because she
about 1t.
I don't intend to run any risk OF
losing my friends that way and L
want them to have all the good time
they can get out of 1t. I'm going to
serve out int-juleps of excitement
until the dear old palce is running
as it did when / was a 2-year-old.
Why get mad when people are inter-
ested in you? It's a compliment after
all and Just gives them more to think
about ] remembered the two trunks
across the hall and Rugged my
knees up under my chin with pleas
ure at the thought of the towntalk
they contained.
Then Just as 1 had got the first plan
well-going and was deciding whether
to wear the mauve meteor or the
white chiffon with the rosebud en-
broidery as a first julep for my
friends, a sweetness came in through
my window that took my breath away
and | lay stil1 with my hand over
my heart and listened. 1t was Billy
singing right under my window, ana
I've never heard him do 1t before IN
all his FIVE years. 1t was the dearest
old fashioned tune ever written and
Billy sang the words as distinctly as
if he had been a boy chorister doing
difficult recitative. My heart beat
so 1t shook the lace on my breast
like a breeze from heaven as he took
the high note and then let it go to
the last few words.
IF you love me, Molly, darling,
Let your answer be % kiss"
A confused recollection of having
heard the words and time sung by
NV mother when / was at the rock
ing age myself brought the tears to
nv eyes as | flew to the window and
parted the curtains. If you heard a
little boy-angel singing at your case
ment wouldn't you expect cherubim
face upturned with heayen-lights all
over it? Billy's face was up
turned as he heard me draw the
shade. but it was streaked like wild
Indians with decorations of brown
mud and he held long Shiny fish
worm on the end of stick while he
WHIPPED his other grimy hand down
the front of his linen blouse.
Say. Molly. look at the snake
brunged youl' he exclaimed as he
came close under the SILL which Is
not high from the ground. If you
put your face down to the mud and
sing something to EN- they'll come
outen they holes. A doodle-bus
coined, too, but 1 couldn't ketch EN-
both. Lift me up and l can put him
in the water-glass on your table. "
He held up one muddy paddle to me
and promptly lifted him up into my