The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-07-22

Boyntons' several times each week to
put the forlorn household a little ON
its feet
1t was all uphill and down to Ivory's
farm, Waitstill reflected. and she could
take her sled aud slide half the way.
going and coming, or she could cut
across the frozen fields on the crust.
She caught up her shawl from a hook
on the kitchen door, and. throwing It
over her head and shoulders to shield
herself from the chill blasts ON the
stairway, ran up to her bedroom to
make herself ready for the walk.
She slipped on a quilted petticoat
and warmer dress. braided her hair
freshly, while her breath went out I'm
a white cloud TO meet the freezing air:
snatched her wraps from her closet.
ana was just going down the stairs.
when she remembered that an hour
before. having to bind up a cut finger
for her father. she had searched Pat
tvs bureau drawer for an old hand
kerchief. and had left things In disor
der while she ran to answer the dea.
cons impatient call and stamp upon
the kitchen floor.
Hurry up and don't make me stan
here all winter" he had shouted. "If
you ever kept things In proper order
you wouldn't have to hunt all over the
house for a piece of rag when you
need itr
Patty was very dainty about her few
patched and darned belongings; also
very exact In the adjustment OF her
bits OF ribbon, her collars OF crochet
ed thread, her adored coral pendants
and her pile OF neat cotton handker-
chiefs, hemstitched by her own hands.
Waitstill, accordingly, with an excla-
nation at her own unwonted careless
ness, darted into her sisters room to
replace in perfect order the articles |
she had disarranged In her haste. She |
knew them all, these poor little trim
pathetic evidences Of |
Patty's feminine vanity and desire to
make her bright beauty trife
brighter.
Suddenly her hand and her eye fell
at the same moment on something hid
den In far corner under a white "fas-
rinator." one OF those head coverings
of flmy wool. dotted with beads, worn
by the girls of the period. She drew
he glittering. unfamiliar object for
ward and then lifted 1t wonderfully In
her hand.
II Waa n afrfnn ~ hurniahoa ,-oIA |
beads. the avowed desire of Patty's
,eart-a string of beads with a bril-
liant little stone In the fastening. And,
10 II that were not mystery enough,
here was something slipped over the
'iasped necklace and hanging from II,
Is Waitstill held 1t up to the light-a
irclet OF plain gold. a wedding ringl
Waitstill stood motionless in the cold,
With such throng of bewildering
thoughts. misgtvings. imaginings, rush
ng through her head that they were
Ike flock Of birds beating their wings
gainst her ears. The imaginings were
lot those OF absolute dread or terror,
or she knew her Patty.
II she had seen the necklace alone
he would have been anxious indeed,
or II would have meant that the girl,
rged on by ungovernable desire for
he ornament. had accepted a present
rom one who should not have given II
her secretly. But the wedding ring
,eant something different for Patty
more. something certain,
unacceptable. for good or III.
A wedding ring could stand for moth '
10 but marriage. Could Patty be mar D
edf How. when and where could 80 q
reat a thing happen without her q