Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-16

NllChSNS III Vie grass
with the rain-glad cloap of frog.
Presently. with the mellow whir-
rings that accompany the movements
of such antiques, the ancient time
piece struck ten. At the sound she
threw a thin scarf over her shoulders
and stole out to the porch. It's deep
odorous shadow was crossed by
oblongs Of lemon colored light from
the windows Before the kitchen
door Ranston's voice was humming
huskily:
Steal away; Steal away!
Steal away to Jesus.
Steal away! Steal away home"
accompanied by the soft alto Of Aunt
Judy the cook.
Shirley stepped lightly down to the
wet grass. Looking back, she could
see her mothers lighted blind. All
around the ground was splotched with
rose-petals, looking in the squares Of
light like bloody rain. Beyond the
margin Of this brightness all was in
darkness. for the moon was not yet
risen, and light damp breeze passed
in slow rhythm as If the earth were
breathing MOSTLY In it's sleep. Some
curing 10000 Of an owl and in the
wet branches Of a walnut tree a
pigeon moved unanimously. .
She skinned the lawn and ran a
little way down the lane. A shuffling
sound presently fell on her ear.
is, that you, Unc' Jefferson?" she
called softly. ...... .,-
"Yas'm!" The footsteps came
nearer, "Ets me, Miss Shirley" He
Uttered noiselessly, and she could see
his bent form vibrating in the gloom.
"Yo' reck'n All done fergit?" ...
mo, indeed. knew you wouldn't
do that. How is he?"
"He right much bettah," he replied
in the same guarded tone. ''Doctah
he say he be all right in er few days.
on'y he gotter lay up er while. Dat
was er ugly nip he got fom dat 'spis-
able reptile. All reck'n de moc'sins is
vuss'n dem ar Floridy yallargaters "
"no you think there can be any
others about the grounds?"
Nom. Dey mostly keeps ter de
ma'sh-lan' en- on'y runs whah de TN
8
Tomorrow. Mars Valiant he tell mo
ter grub ct all out en- max er bon-fiah
oh It," -~ .... ..'.
That's right, Unc' Jefferson. Good
night, and thank you for coming"
She started back to the house, when
Lis voice stopped her.
Miss Shirley, yo' don keer eff de
ole man geddahs two or three oh dem
roses? Seems lax young mars
moughty fon' oh dem. He got one IN
err glass but cts mos daid now"
wait a minute she said, and dis
appeared in the darkness, returning
quickly with handful which she put
in his grasp.
"There!" she whispered, and slipped
back through the perfumed dark.
An hour later she stood in the cozy
stiffness of her bedroom. 1t was hung
in. silvery blue with curtains of softly
figured shadow-cloth having misty
design of mauve and pink hydrangeas.
A tilted mirror on the draped dressing
table had a dark mahogany frame set
in upright posts carved in heavy pat
tern Of grape-leaves. Two candles IN
silver candlesticks stood before 1t,
their friendly light winking from the
fittings Of the dark bed, from the
polished surface of the desk in the
corner and from the old piece Of bro
cade stretched above the mantel.
She threw off her gown, slipped
into soft loose robe of maize-col-
ored silk and stood before the small
glass. She pulled out the amber pins
and drew her wonderful hair on
either side of her face, looking out
at her reflection like a mermaid from
between the ripping waves or
moon-golden sea. She gazed a long
critical minute from eyes whose blue
seemed now almost black.
At last she turned, and seating her
self at the desk, took from 1t a diary.
She scanned the pages at random,
her eyes catching lines here AMI
there. "A good run today. Betty and
Judge Chalmers and the Pendleton
boys. My fourth brush this season.
A frown drew itself across her broWs
and she turned the page. "One OF the
hounds broke his leg, and ] gave him
to Hickey" Chilly Lusk to din
ner today, after swimming the Loring
Rapid
She bit her lip, turned abruptly to
the new page and took up her pen
"This morning a twelve mile run to
Damory Court" she wrote. This
afternoon went for cape jessamines.'
There she paused. The happenings
and sensations of that day would not
be recorded. They were unwritable.
She laid down her pen and put her
forehead nher clasped hands How
empty and inane these entries seemed
beside this rich and eventful twenty
four hours just passed! What had
she been doing year ago today? she
wondered. The lower drawer Of the
desk held number Of slim diaries
like the one before her. She pulled 1t
out, took up the last years volume
and opened it. -
why" she said in surprise, II got
jessamine for mother this very same
day last year," she pondered, frown-
ing, then reached for third and q
fourth. From these she looked up,
startled That date in her mothers
calendar called for cape jessamines.
What was the fourteenth Of May to
her?
She bent slow, troubled gaze