The Washington herald., 1913-03-16

and frost had offered their kind Offices,
mellowing pleasantly its original glare
of white. In summer a trumpet-vine
draped the ugly little piazza which
Emmy's "art-needle work had helped
build, and which she and her mother
admired with simple hearts. The big
burr oak and the naples hid the house
from the road, but the grassy knoll in
front of the house was bare. and from
this vantage gound one could see the
shallow curve Of whftish-brown where
the village street climbed the hill, the
chimneys of the houses below, and afar
of the trains roaring through the
prairies. All the village was inter-
ested in the railway, but Emmy had
an especial and intimate interest be-
cause her sweetheart was the local
agent. He had been her sweetheart
during fives years. in any one of which
he would have been proud and glad
to marry her; yet this. was the fifth
year of their betrothal, and Emmy was
drearily rejecting that they were no
nearer the chance to spend their lives
together the fifth than the first. -.
Emmy was hanging out clothes. 1t
was 4 o'clock in the afternoon, but she
had just brought out the large basket
and was pinning the garments to the
line, while Virginia, her sister, little
girl in short skirts and blue checked
apron, helped with the less cumbrous
stockings and handkerchiefs. The
child was pretty. She had a fresh color
and curly yellow hair, helped her with
the less cumbrous stockings and hand
kerchiefs. The child was pretty. She
had fresh color and curly yellow hair.
Emmy's hair was black, and twisted in
a braid about a shapely head. 1t shone
like silk. But her eyes were gray, soft.
and liquid. She was slender. with
youthful litheness in her motions, and
her white arms flashed as they moved
backward and forward in her work.
The sleeves of her blue gown were
rolled up: the gown itself was plainly
her work-a-day garb, but there was a
white lawn tie at her neck. and the
gown was both neat and becoming; in
short, she was an attractive little crea-
ture who did not neglect her looks
even of a wash-day.
The widow Darter sat on the piazza
in a large rocking chair. She rocked.
AS she rocked she moaned piteously.
At intervals she changed the sibilant
moan into a hollow groaning sound.
oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear. oh dear
oh dear walled the widow. UNI m.
um-m, um-- --m-m-m,'" >,
The little girl flung a frown of i'm
patience over her shoulder. Il don't
see why mamma makes such an awful
racket" she snapped.
She suffers" said Emmy
Well. she needn't holler so II she
does" cried Virginia, rebelliously. 81
know she wouldn't let me holler when
/ Stubbed my toe. 1t hurt awful too"
Emmy said nothing.
Say. are you going to the picnic
with Bert tomorrow afternoon?'' said
the child.
NO. jimmy. don't see how I can.
Mothers so sick"
Well. l told Bert I was willing to
take care of mamma: and he said he'd
buy me a new doll if l would. I guess
he wants you TO go awful"
''Oh-h dear, Oh-h dear" droned the
sufferer on the piazza.
Well. I can't" said Emmy. Il wish
you'd run and ask mother if she wants
anything"
''She don't: she's been going on that
way all the afternoon" But jimmy
granted the request after the easy-go-
ing manner of her age; she turned on
her heel and sent a shout at her moth
er-"Say. mamma! you want any
thing"
Mrs. Darter shook her head. The din
of woe swelled in volume.
Il s'pose she wants you to read to
her: she says l don't read with ex-
preston" said the little girl. But
were all read out; you put off the
washing to read the end of A Ro-
nance of Two Worlds and we've got
to wait until No. . comes i'm Albert
said he'd sent for a whooping big pile
of books from Davenport; you can get
EN- at the dry goods stores for five
cents a book. And Mrs. Conner'll bring
them up. won't she, when she comes?
She's got to go for her boarder." En-
nv nodded. Mrs. Darter groaned more
softly. a sign that she was distracted
by something from her own griefs of
mind or body. jimmy chartered on.
Miss Ann Bigelow told me Mrs. Con-
ner's going to have a girl from the
University of Chicago for a boarder
this time. but she's only coming for a
week. Sibyl Edmunds knows her well. !
And. Emmy. she takes pictures. and
she's going to bring her camera"
Emmy, Emmy. there comes Mrs. |
Conner" screamed her mother.
Her words were accompanied by the
vision of a white horse and an ancient
phaeton (Which had been newly washed |
for the occasion) just beyond the lilac |
bushes at the gate. Mrs. Conner's |
Comely presence filled the better part |
of the seat. but the eyes of all the Dar- |
ters travelled at once 10 the slim girl |
her. The girl looked like hundreds of |
rather pretty American girls. with !
gray eyes and brown hair and dimples |
in their cheeks. She was pretty as |
youth and cheerfulness and dainty |
clothes are always pretty. but Emmys |
gaze dwelt on her with reverence. |
That's a camera she's holding-in that |
box" she said in a low tone to jimmy. |
she's the girl that got the scholar |
ship" Emmy sighed.
Mrs Conner had stopped the horse. |
She responded to Emmy's greeting by |
presenting her to the girl in gray.
Miss Doris Keith: she's going to the |
Chicago University. She knows Sibyl."
Then she fished out package from
the luggage heaped at their feet.
Here's the books. That your ma on
the piazza"
As if in response. few hollow
means fioated from the rocking-chair.
She seems in great pain" said Miss
Keith, sympathetically
Emmy's fair skin Redeemed painfully
NO, she-she isn't we'll" she stam-
mered
Mrs Conner coughed dry. mex
pressive cough.
II do wish you would step in and see
mother for a minute" Emmy begged,
as much with her eyes as with her
voice. 81 can hitch the horse il Miss
Keith minds
But Miss Keith did not mind: she
was quite willing to hold the horse.
And the horse, sagging his elderly
head. appeared of no mind to move,
whether held" or no.
"Well?" said Mrs. Conner, when they
we're out OF .earshot.
Mother thinks she is threatened with
oleurisy, and she is trying the starva-