Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-21
THE EVENING STORY.
THE REUNION.
Copyright, 1914. BY W. werner.)

Copyright, 1914. BY W. werner.)
The free September wind blew Ede's
full blue skirt about her as she stood
reading the letter which she had just
taken from the wayside box. From the
first sentence her face had gathered
trouble and perplexity. She made an
impatient movement as she turned the
page and read the last paragraph;
I'VE want to come. Mildred, Louise and
l. Being so near. We feel we cannot go
away without seeing you. OF course. we
can only stay the one day, but so much
may be said in one day, We can motor
out quite early and go back by moon
light"
EIDE drew a deep breath. Lifting her
eyes, she looked before her at the un-
kempt yard, the old weathered house
which was growing decrepit in places, at
the litter about the barns, and her heart
sank She was seeing it as they would
see it when they came. And they must
come. She could not deny them
Yes, they must come" she said aloud.
She put the letter back into the en-
velope and turned slowly toward tue
house.
Her impulse was to steal away INTO
some secret corner of the old house ana
cry her eyes out. but tears TOOK Tune
and she needed every moment She must
work-work in haste, for at the latest
the women would be there in three days.
During those three days EIDE fought
dirt, disorder and herself with all the
vim the occasion aroused. She made the
old house as inviting possible, but even
desperate ingenuity could not conceal the
holes in curtains and carpets, broken wall
paper and worn paint. When 1t came TO
the actual question OF food she could 90
better. She had cream and eggs and late
garden truck and chickens 10 conJure
with. The grapes were ripening on the
lattered treiiis and for decoration she
could go to the asters and golden-rod. She
could feed her guests well. AS for table,
ware, her wedding silver and linen had
been carefully kept. She sighed often
as she rubbed and polished. remembering
her wedding day and the events that had
gone before it.
There had been four of them in New
York-I.ouise Creston, Mildred Blair,
katherine Crosby and herself. Louise
wrote. Mildred painted, Katherine paint
cd and she taught They had been very
valiant, very full of enthusiasm and am
bition. But success tarried There was
together. Mildred's pictures would not
sell. neither would Louise's stories:
Katherine had few pupils. and she her
self had taught almost at a starvation
determinedly. Then she fell ill of a cold
contracted by tramping sodden pave
ments in thin shoes. When spring came
1t was evident she must go to the country
to recuperate. She had just money
enough to keep her for one season on
farm. 1t was a poor place. but she got
sunshine and air and clean water to
drink.
One day when she was tramping home
from the village where she had gone to
get some note paper a farmer overlook
her. He pulled up his horses and asked
her to ride. She was very tired, for the
road was dusty and long. She climbed
into the wagon beside the farmer. She
was too tired and dazed just at first to
see that he was young. Afterward she
came to like his face. They got ac-
quainted during the ride. So it began.
Before the summer ended she was en-
gagged to him.
She loved him. and the prospect Of the
future lived with him in the old house