The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-07
SINGING PUNISHMENT
ev EPEs WINTHROP SARGENT.
(Copyright.)

Take good care of yourself. John.
and II you want anything don't be
afraid to say 80. We all want to DO
what we can to help. Poor Lizzie
will be worrying about you. We can't
have that, you know. Poor Lizzie!
John Marvin groaned and the drawn
lips grew tense. as he tried to meet
the eye Of the kindly neighbor. and
failed.
Poor Lizzie!" he echoed DULY. Il
can't realize that she's really gone. |
Up-up there. you know, I wanted to
make them stop shoveling, to tell
them that she wasn't dead. 1t seems
as though she can't be dead. Dead!
And by her own hand; her own
hand. poor little girl"
His glance wandered vacantly about
the room that had once been home to
him and sighed. Mrs. Calder patted
his arm reassuringly.
you mustn't take on so. john" she
warned. you amt nothin' to blame
yourself for. You did all you could
to make her happy. Her mother was
like her, poor thing, always worry
ing about George not lovin' her. /
guess 1t was worryin' about her moth
er that made her do It.
you amt got nothin' to reproach
yourself for. She says that. wisht
I had letter like that from my Jim.
wasn't always easy with him-and
I wisht he'd said them thing. John.
1t would be a mighty comfort. I'll be
over In the mornin' to tidy up a bit.
Good night"
Il Without waiting for reply she
moved clumsily down the front wa
! and John Marvin watched her go with
mingled feelings Of relief and terror,
She was the last Of the solic.tous
neighbors who had Strengthened up
the house while he had ridden to the
peaceful little graveyard on the hill
where they had laid away the frail
form Of the woman who had been HE
wife. He dreaded to be left alone,
but he was glad she was gone. for
I every word of sympathy had cut like
( q whiplash.
FL It was torture as had been those
I three days while Li1zie's slender form
3 had lain in the front parlor. the front
4 parlor" that was opened only for mar
riages and deaths and visits Of great
ceremony. They had come. her old
friends. with words Of comfort and oil
+ admiration for his kindness and they
had unwittingly tormented his SOU
to distraction.
John has hated company, and after
one or two efforts to make her rela
tives welcome in spite Of his boorish
ness, she had made her poor little ex
cuses to them and they, half suspect
ing. half afironted, had stayed away.
Now they came unchallenged {,
speak in wondering admiration o
her words Of praise for him, and Mar
win was half sorry they did not know
Had they upbraided him: had the!
told him that 1t was hts treatmen
that had driven Lizzie into her grav,
as surely as though his own hand hal
guided the razor that slashed tn
reed-like wrists. he would have beel
II driven to defend himself. he woul'
" have fought them back and woul,
a have taken comfort In the fight.
A. They could not guess what ghastl
m sarcasm their words Of praise became
,. They could not guess.
Dumbly he turned from the doc
" and passed into the dining-roor
o. where Mrs. Calder had thoughtful
set out some supper, sliced CHECKER
some Of Lizzie's little stock Of pr,
serves. fresh bread, new butter, an
pot of coffee on the back of tn
!. stove against his need.
~ With a gesture Of disgust he pushe
!, the dishes from him and sat dow
& beside the lighted lamp to read agai
= the letter that he had learned b
/, heart in the last three days.
s 1t was a pitiful little letter, almo.
! childish in its phrasing. for Lizzie ha
2 been the worker in her own famil
8 before she had come to be John Ma
Z wins patient slave.
81 Her terms at the district school ha
2 been few, though the other girls ha
& gone on to high school and the youn
8 est was even now in Vassar.
5 In her plain, uniformed hand, ST
2 wrote as simply as she spoke and /
! could almost hear the tired lit
& voice as he read the sentences ov'
{ again, though he did not need the le
& ter to repeat the contents. It W,
: scared into his brain.
81 Briefly she told Of her determin
! ton to make away with herself, allu
2 ing to the insanity that was suppos,
!: to be the curse Of her mothers faI
e lily and Of her fear that she wou
i come to be q burden to him. It w
Z Just the way she had spoken OF h
= dread and he had laughed at her.
& He could see her now as she su
. gested the dread possibility. the qul
ering lips, the eyes Of q tired, hu
8 little child. He had laughed VIII
< he should have taken her into /
8 arms with the words of loving che
that would have dispelled her doub
= But 1t was the last part of It til
< held his thoughts. She had written
Q 1 couldn't let that come. John. 1t wo,