Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-04-16
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"Therei" she whispered, and slipped
back through the perfumed dark.
An hour later she stood in the
cozy stiffness of her bedroom.
She threw of her gown, slipped into
a soft loose robe of m~aize-colored 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 rip
pling waves of a moon-golden sea.
At last she turned, and seating her
self at the desk. took from it a diary.
She scanned the pages at random, her
eyes catching lines here and 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
dinner today, after swimming the Lor-
ing 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 on her clasped hands. How
empty and inane these entries seemed
beside this rich and eventful twenty
four hours just passed! What had
she been doing a year ago today? she
wondered. The lower drawer Of the
desk held a number of slim diaries
like the one before her. She pulled it
out, took up the last-year's volume
and opened 1t.
why" she said in surprise, II got
iessamine for mother this very same
day last year," she pondered frown-
ing, then reached for a third and a
| 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 a slow troubled gaze about
her. The room had been hers as a
child. She seemed suddenly back in
that childhood, with her mother bend
ing over her pillow and fondling her
rebellious hair. When the wind cried
for loneliness out in the dark she had
sung old songs to her. Sad songs!
Even in those pinafore years Shirley
had vaguely realized that pain lay be-
hind the brave gay mask. Was there
something - some event - that had
caused that dull-colored life and I'M
fulilment? And was today, perhaps,
its anniversary?
John Valiant sat propped up on the
library couch, an open magazine I'm
needed on his knee. The reading
stand beside him was a litter of let
tiers ard papers. The bow-window
was open and the h~oneysuckle breeze
blew about him, lifting his hair and
ruffling the leaves Of the papers. In
the garden three darkies were labor.
ing, under the supervision Of Uncle
Jefferson. The unsightly weeds and
lichen were gone from the graveled
paths, and from the fountain pool
whose shaft now spouted a slender
spray shivered by the breeze into
million diamonds, which fell back into
the pool with a tintinabulant trickle
and drip.
The master of Damory Court CLOSED
the magazine with a sigh. IF | coult
only do it all at once!" he muttered
1T takes such a COMPOUNDED time
Four days they've been working now
and they haven't done much mor'
than clean up" He laughed, ant
threw the magazine at the dog whit
lodged it with injured alacrity. "Afte
all, Chum," he remarked, "it's beef
thirty years getting in this condition
I guess we're doing pretty we'll"
He stretched luxuriously. I'll TAX
a hand at 1t myself tomorrow. In
as right as rain again now, thanks t
Aunt Daph and the doctor. Some
, thing of a crusty citizen, the docto
but he's all to the good"
, A heavy step came along the pore
and Uncle Jefferson appeared with
: tray holding a covered dish with
. plate Of biscuit and a round jam-po
Look here" said John Valiant,
had my luncheon three hours ago, II
4 being stuffed like a milk-fed turkey
The old man smiled widely. EFT
ies' err lii snack er broth" he sal
"Reck'n etll kinder float eroun'
q yuddah things. Dis yeah pots di
n apple-buttah whit Miss Matte 81
SEN yo' by Hickey Snyder"
n Valiant shifted with satisfaction
I'm getting so confoundedly spoiled
he said, that I'm tempted to stay siC
g and do nothing but eat. BY the wa
it Uncle Jefferson, where did Rick'
come from? Does she belong here