The Cairo bulletin., 1914-02-24

coy stiffness of her bedroom.
She threw OH her gown, slipped ins
a soft loose robe of Elaize-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 q mermaid from between the rip.
ping waves of n moon-golden sea
At last she turned, and seating her.
self at the desk, took from II 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 rown
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 q twelve-mile run to
Damory Court" she wrote. This
afternoon went for cape jessamines. T.
There she paused, The happenings
and sensations of that day would not
be recorded. They we're 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 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.year's volume
and opened Ill
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 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 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 ont 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 dulI-colored life and I'M
fultlment2 And was today. perhaps,
its anniversary?
=
John Valiant sat propped up on the
library couch, on open magazine I'M
needed ON his knee The reading.
stand beside him was litter Of let
tiers ard papers. The bow.window
was open and the honeysuckle breeze
blew about him. lifting his hair and
rufling tho 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 slender
spray shivered by the breeze into a
million diamonds, which fell back into
the pool with tintinabuIant triekle
and drip.
The master of Damory Court closed
the magazine with sigh. IF could
only do it all at once," he muttered.
1t takes such confounded time.
Four days they've been working now,
and they haven't done much more
han clean up" He laughed, and
brew the magazine at the dog who
lodged 1t with injured alacrity. After
alL Chum." he remarked. its been
thirty years getting in this condition.
| guess we're doing pretty we'll"
He stretched luxuriously. "rll take
a hand at 1t myself tomorrow. I'm
as right as rain again now, thanks to |
Aunt Daph and the doctor. Some
hing of 4 crnsty clllaea 10 aoeeeE,