Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1913-06-27

burst into passionate weeping. why
doesn't a father, who's always talking
about religion, and singing about 1t,
and praying about it-why doesn't that
father draw his daughter to his breast
close, close to his heart-that's
the only home she asks for-that's the
home she has right to, yes a right,
! don't care how far she's wandered"
"F'ran!" cried Abbott. In great dis
tress. Don't cry, little one!"s He
had no intelligent word, but his arm
was full of meaning as 1t slipped about
her. "Who has been unkind to you.
Nonpareil?' She let her head sink
upon his shoulder, as she sobbed
without restraint What shams have
pierced your pure heart? Am I the
cause of any of these tears? Am II"
Eyes," Fran answered, between her
sobs, you're the cause of all my
happy tears" She nestled there with
a movement of perfect trust; he drew
her closer, and stroked her hair ten
Derby, trusting himself.
Presently she pulled herself to
rights, lifted his arm from about her,
and rested it on the back of the seat
a friendly compromise. Then she
shook back her hair and raised her
eyes and a faint smile came into the
rosy face. I'm SO funny" she declared.
Sometimes | seem so strange that
need an introduction to myself" She
looked into Abbott's eyes fieetingly.
and drew in the corners of her mouth.
al guess, after all, there's something
in religioni"
Abbott was so warmed by returning
sunshine that his eyes shone. lear
Franz" he said-it was very hard to
keep his arm where she had put it
She tried to look at him steadily, but
could feel It's warmth burning her
cheeks
"Oh. Fran" cried Abbott impul-
sively, the bridge in the moonlight
was nothing to the way you look now
so beautiful-and SO much moro
than just beautiful :"
This won't do" Fran exclaimed,
hiding her face. I'VE must get back
to Grace Noir Immediately"
"Oh, Fran. oh, no, please!s
II won't please. While we're In
Sure Enough Country, l mean to tell
you the whole truth about Grace Noir."
The name seemed to settle the atmos-
phere-she could look at him, now.
Il want you to understand that
something is going to happen-must
happen, just from the nature of things,
and the nature of wives and husbands
and the other woman. Oh, you
needn't frown at me, I've seen you
look that other way at me, SO l know
you, Abbott Ashton"
Fran! Then you know that +"
mo, you must listen. You've moth
ing important to tell me that | don't
know. I've found out the whole Greg
ory history from old Mrs. Jefferson,
without her knowing that she was tell
ing anything-she's a sort of Profess
sor Ashton in my hands-and l mean
to tell you that history. You know
that, for about three years, Mrs. Greg
ory hasn't gone to church"
You must admit that it doesn't ap-
pear we'll"
Admit 1t? Yes, of course I must.
And the world cares for appearances,
and not for the truth. That's why it
condemns Mrs. Gregory-and me-and
that's why I'm afraid the school-board
will condemn you: just on account of
appearances. For these past three
years, the church has meant to Mrs.
Gregory a building plus Grace Noir.
/ don't mean that Mrs. Gregory got
jealous of Grace Noir-I don't know
how to explain-you can't handle cob
webs without marring them" She
paused.
Jealous of Miss Grace!" exclaimed
Abbott reproyingly.
Lets go back, and take running
jump right into the thick of it. When
Mr. Gregory came to Littleburg, a COM
plete stranger-and when he mar
ried, she was a devoted church-mem-
ber-always went, and took great in
terest in all his schemes to help folks
folks at a distance, you understand
She just devoured that relig-
ious magazine he edits-yes, I'll adj
nit, his religion shows up beautifully
in print; the pictures of 1t are good.
too. Old Mrs Jefferson took pride
in being wheeled to church where she
could see her son-in-law leading tire
music, and where she'd watch every
gesture of the minister and catch the
sound of his voice at the high places.
where he cried and, or nevertheless.
Sometimes Mrs. Jefferson could get a
dozeD ands and butts out of one dis
course. Then comes your Grace Noir."
Abbott listened with absorbed atten-
ton 1t was impossible not to be In
fiuenced by the voice that had grown
to mean so much TO him.
Grace Noir is q person that's su-
perhumanly good, but she's Lot happy
In her goodness: 1t hurts her, all the
time, because other folks are not as
good as she. You can't live In the
house with her without wishing she'd
make a mistake to show herself hu-
mai, but she never does, she's always
right She's SO fixed on being mar.
tyr, that il nobody crosses her. she
Just makes herself q martyr out OF
the shortcomings Of others"
As for instance"
AS for instance, she suffered mar.
fyrdom every time Mrs. Gregory
nestled in an armchair beside the coy
hearth, when Ladies' Aid, or Rally
was beating its way through snow
drifts to the Walnut Street church. Mr..
Gregory was like everybody else
about Grace-he took her at her own
value, and that gave the equation: to
him. religion meant Walnut Street
church plus Grace Noir. For while,
Mrs Gregory chung to church-going
with grim determination. but it wasn't