The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1914-04-15

HIS LIFE WAS DULL


he shadow OF his vine-wrsaIned porch,
frowned impatientiy.
Il was annoying indeed to have his
summer evenings disturbed by silly
chatter and senseisss laughter; hs had
come to Littleport TO spend few
weeks with bis sister Hannah, and he
had expected to find the sleepy village
life an antidote for the nine months Of
excitement be endured at the hands Of
prankish students In a 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 who
vas embroidering bureau scarf for
the coming church fair. "it must BE-
very digagreeable TO have those young
people across the vay-why, ! 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
Tringie, ! believe sou grow more abb
sent-minded eyery Nay" she said
placidiy y told you in my letter that
the Browns had sold the place to city
folks for 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
II dare say" murmured Amos
guiltily 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 can't remember how blissful
il was to feel young and foolish-and
to laugh and talk and have good
time. Why. ! 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 Desdemonap groaned
Amos as a rich chorus pulsed across
the street.
'1ll love you. nah honey-if you've
got money!"
"Ragtime musici" shifted Amos con
temptuously
i like H." 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
lmpersonation Of old-maiden dignity:
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 dull.
He reused himself to hear Isannah
speaking.
It's bad enough for me to be fifty
five and getting on in yearw Amos, but
you're 15 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. 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?
III learn TO drive it If you don't. I'd
like to have It tomorrow I'm going
over to Petawick for the day and Sam
Pinney's going TO drive me over in his
surrey seems II horses were slow
beside notorsi"
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 back num-
ber," protested Hannah as she folded |
up her work and took the clock key
down from the shelf; I'm not going
10 be a has-heeni"
"A-what?" gasped Amos.
A has-been repeated Hannah, glo-
-ying in her newly acquired slang ex-
,ression Il heard Cleopatra Desmond
say that-it-s very expressive, isn't
te"
IT 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
Iound Of laughing goodbyes in which
he bass of mems voices mingled with
he sweet treble Of the Desmond girls
Then motor horn hoaked londly. and
With rasping 'swo.o-o-osh" large
'ar swept out Of the Desmond gates
ind disappeared down the street. He