Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1914-01-22
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HIS LIFE WAS DULL
By cLARlssA MAckIE.

the shadow of his vine-wreathed porch
frowned impatiently.
II was annoying indeed to have his
summer evenings disturbed by SHY
chatter and senseless laughter; he mao
come to Littleport to spend a fe"
weeks with his sister Hannah, and ne
had expected to find the sleepy village
life an antidote for the nine months OF
excitement he endured at the hands OF
prankish students in university
town.
Now he went indoors. his tall, lean
form making a grotesque shadow on
the gravel path as the front door
opened and closed
Hannah, he said to his sister VINO
was embroidering a bureau scarf TOT
the coming church fair. 1t must be
very disagreeable to have those youns
people across the way-why, l thought
the Browns owned the place He sat
down in a rocking chair and swayed
slowly TO and fro, the lamplight falling
on his fine gray eyes and revealing the
few silver threads that frosted his
thick hair.
Hannah smiled cheerfully. Amos
Tringle, believe you grow more alb
sent-minded every day" she said,
placidly Il told you in my letter that
the Browns had sold the place to city
folks fol a summer home. This is the
first time the Desmonds have been
here, and | must say | like to have
young folks around-it makes 1t real
cheerful for me. told you all this in
my letter, but ! do believe that you
skip everything like that-you think
I'm gossiping.
81 dare say" murmured Amos
guilty.. only there isn't much
| peace"
Who wants peace?" interrupted
Hannah quickly FOR my part | may
be fifty-five years old, but I'm not so
old that cant remember how blissful
1t was to feel young and foolish-and
to laugh and talk and have a good
time Why, I just laugh right out
sometimes at their nonsense! It's
company for me. They're real good
neighbors, too; Mrs. Desmond has TAX
en- me out in her motor car once or
twice and the girls are sweet and
pretty especially Desdemona.'
"Desdemona! Listen to that-and
her name is Desdemona!" groaned
Amos as rich chorus pulsed across
the street.
"T1l love you. nah honey-if you've
got money!"
"Ragtime music!" shifted Amos con
temptuously
81 like it," cried Hannah excitedly,
beating time with her embroidery
hoop, humming the refrain, entirely
off the key
Amoswatched her in growing amaze
ment. Hannah had always been the
impersonation Of old-maiden dignity
recollection of other summer vacations
assailed him-long, quiet days when
the bees doomed in and out of the
flowers, birds sang in the little or
chard, and Hannah moving quietly
about the house preparing delicious
meals that they ate without enthusi-
asm; delightfully."- dull days during
which he dreamed OF many things that
might have been or that might be, but
never living in the present save when
he went back to his college classes
Across the street, in those days. the
Browns an aged couple, sat and stared
at the few passersby from their big
chairs on the long piazza 1t had been
very quiet, very peaceful, very dun!
He reused himself to hear Hannah
speaking.
It's bad enough for me to be fifty
five and getting on in years, Amos, but
you're IS years younger and you act
like an old man. should think you'd
like to have a motor car and get out
and have some fun. l would if was
a mani"
"A motor carr" repeated Amos.
Are you crazy, Hannah Tringle?"
Hannah laughed heartily.
"Of course I'm not crazy-but you
can afford to buy one-why don't you?
I'll learn to drive it If you don't! I'd
like TO have it tomorrow-Tm going
over to Petawick for the day and Sam
Pinney's going to drive me over in his
surrey-seem's If horses were slow
beside motors!"
Hannah" gasped Amos, realizing
that all his plans for drowsy old age
with Hannah as sole companion. were
lettering to earth
I'm not going TO be a back mum.
bert" protested Hannah rs she folded
up her work and took the clock key
down from the shelf; I'm not going
to be a has-beeni"
"A-what?" gasped Amos.
"A has-been, repeated Hannah. glo.
rying in her newly acquired slang ex.
preston. Il heard Cleopatra Desmond
say that-it's very expressive. isn't
it,"
1T is-very expressive" assented
Amos dazedly, as he kissed his sister
good night, going out on the porch for
final pipe.
Across the street there was the
sound OF laughing goodbyes in which
the bass of mems voices mingled with
the sweet treble OF the Desmond girls.
Then a motor horn honked loudly. and
with a rasping "swo-o-o-osh" a large
car swept out OF the Desmond gates