The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-02-12
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The baby had been a dead Il month.
hut the pain and surprise of it We're
still fresh To Iiratia. II was her first
baby. She had lonscd for 1t and loved
it when it, came: and then. suddenly,
u little cold, which it seemed II doc
tor. to SAY nothing of three, might
have overcome, had wrought final dis
aster and left her anSuished and he
rcft.
Dick VAS Just as good 10 her AS he
could be, of course. but the baby was
no, the same thing TO him that it had
been To her. He was not at home at
all save nights and Sundays. business
made him forget Il great deal. lic had
never understood the baby. lie had
been afraid To touch il. Why. ! might
break it or something" lie had said.
Dick was young. like herself, but. UNI
like herself, he had not undergone II
Illuminating process with the bahy'S
arrival.
TO Dick tn" loss had como moro as
a wonder than an ache. ''Thc little
waN doll he whispered over it as it
lay tucked in with flowers and white
satin. When it Was all over he went
back to his work as usual. He camc
home at night to find Gratia. After all,
she was the only thing in the world
that mattered tn him.
Gratia could not make Dick UNDER
stand just how she felt about it. At
first she tried to explain her feelings
lninutely tn him, but she saNc that up
Immediately. He always ended his
comforting with "T'shaw, honey, we've
."t each other" 6ut G;ratia missed the
baby. When she was alone in the
house tho void seemed uncomfortable.
birk coull not take her viewpoint ut
all. Even tho ONE who had los,
r,il1r,r .ji.l ,,nt %. ."<, i,,i.,
her sorrow mt all. you'll got over il,
my dear" they said.
There w3S one woman who came
several times. She had never noticed
t;ratia before save for ono chilly for
NAL call, though they had lived on
the same street for n Wear. of all tho
! who came Gratia least wished
TO see her. for sh" had n disaGreeable
l'er1liaritN. She WAS forever smiling.
Some an" III tiratia's presence once
had called her Tho Mona Lisa he
cause; "f that smile, but her smile had
al utter absence Of amy emotion.
Tho smiling Woman. Mrs. Sa,Ile. had
tho handsolnest house on Pink street,
but until within tine car she had
scarcely lived in ii. Her husband had
died lonS before. and she had taken
I" wandering the earth over. Her
house MAS full of wondering things.
hlt she never made mention of them
or showed them unless requested. She
did not 60 out. II society much, but
wien she did her white hair and
splendid dress made her Il notable
figure. Everybody liked to be frienly
with her, but nobody understood her.
She MAS rich and inscrutalolc.
Sll" smiled when she came that
first dag upon nor GRAND of cun1ol-
encc tn G;ratia. She did not stay long.
: After she had said the proper and on
ncctcd things she seemed To have
not1irs more to say: so she went
away. Eut she came again prtIcntly
before t;ratia had ever answered hcr
call. She did not mention being there
before. She had seen it i'm all its moods.
from the burning passion of the Sa-
l1arM to tho frisidity "f Moscow. Eut
when she went away t;atia walked up
and down the house and clinched her
fists and cried and said Il lot Of futile
things I % the unsusceptihle wall paper
which later she repeated less futilcly
to Dick.
Il hate her," she sobbed. ooh. l
hate her. shes the musi perfectly
hesrtless human. creature 1 ever saw
in my life. I sat and listened to her
describe "a Kansas cyclone. 1t sucked
up u river aud p%auperized a whole
community. vet she smiled over il in