Evening star., 1914-04-06
THE EVENING STORY.
SOMETHING TOLOVE.
Copyright, 1914, by W. Werner

When the clock struck five Thyrza
White laid aside her sewing and rose
rom her chair at the window. No mat
ter what she was doing at ; o'clock she
laid 1t aside at the stroke of the hour.
For the time had come to feed her hens.
They were waiting for her when she
appeared with sunbonnet on her head
and pan Of cracked corn in her hand
Thyrza knew all her hens by name
There were Wee Whitley and Big Whitley
Plym and Speck, Topknot and Blacky.
Brownie and Fritz and many more. She
also knew their history and character
istics from the moment they had emerged
rom their shells.
All heE life ThyrZa had starved for
something 10 love, and her hens came as
near TO answering this want as anything
she mad ever found. Yet Thyrza had
been married and her widowhood had not
been long one. She had married In her
Young girlhood a man old enough to be
her father. She was friendless and-aloue
and he needed a housekeeper. Thyrza
kept his house. he gave her 4 home
There had been no illusion OF love be-
tween them While he lived he occupied
all her time. He was q selfish. ailing
old man. who required much ministering
INTO. The maternal instinct was strong
in Thyrza. In her care of him she was
something of a mother. something of
daughter. His death made d great hole
in her life. Thyrza had FASTENED to tll
UP this depression with such poor means
as were at her command She had the
house, Il little money and the prospect
of immense loneliness. And so she bought
a flock of hens.
u was marvellous what the hens did
for her. They gave her constant food
- -.r1
utmost care ard gentleness. In return
they laid pientifully. Thyrza sold the
eggs. which brought in something of an
income.
When she had fed the hens she shut
them in again and going to her back
steps sat down. II was a perfect fall
afternoon. Winter seemed far away. but
Thyrza was not deceived; she knew that
II was near. When 1t came she would
he shut into her house as into a hermit
age. Thyrza dreaded the winters lone
'Iness. She wanted a human being in
the house with her.
With her chin sunk in her hand she
meditated In all the houses about her
there were three or four people. In her
house there was only herself and silence.
She sometimes regretted that she could
not bring her hens in and make closer
companions of them. Steps rustled the
lraves that lay brown and dry upon the
.crass. and woman came through the
tre between Thyrzas house and the
ieNt one Thyrza turned her head slow
). For seconds space she and the
'-eInan appraised each other. They were
;."rfect strangers. The woman was very
badly dressed. Her hands were rough
aud her face was the color Of wheat
straw.
DO you want to buy any pumpkins?"
the woman asked.
Pumpkins" said Thyrza No. !
guess not Then 1t flashed into her
head that. even if she did not care great
ly for the pies. stewed pumpkin was good
for fowls. Also this woman looked as If
she needed all the money she could get
Wait" Thyrza added. II don't know.
though. ! might take couple"
Thyrza followed the woman out to the
road. There stood decrepit farm wag-
on. hitched to a foriorn, spawned, skin
and-bones horse. Thyrza saw the horse
heart ached for the horse. And kind
OF anger rose In her against this stolid-
faced woman who drove such beast
The woman took a huge pumpkin from
the wagon and balanced il on the wheel.
This ones 10 cents" she said.
Thyrza glanced toward the pumpkin.
but 1t was snatched away again a most
instantly as a little child emerged from
under an old horse blanket.
why" she gasped.
The child looked at her with great
brown eyes. liquid. bright. and set be-
tween long black lashes, and Thyrza
forgot the sad horse. the wretched
woman and her own first purpose of
purchasing pumpkins in gazing into
the childs eyes.
You don't know anybody that wants
10 take a child. do you?"
The calm question made Thyrza
start.
is she yours?" she demanded.
Yes. She's the youngest of five. The
others are big enough to look after
themselves. But this ones only three.
! thought maybe you'd know of some
body'd like her."
Assurediy. any woman who would
drive such horse would be willing to