Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-14
HOW PEACE WAS DECLARED

Nobody ever called on strangers in
Wildlands, least of all Mrs. Nc
Chonochie, who was the prettiest
woman in the suburb and in some
ways the most prominent She had
her friends among the landed gen.
try" which term the newly arrived
Mrs. Marshall applied to those coun-
try-city people who owned estates and
whose automobiles waited at the rail-
way stations.
night and said that he had rented the
Dernbefg bungalow next to the Nc
Chonochies, Mrs. Marshall burst out
with the news she was primed with.
Il never can he happy over there IN
that Mrs McChonochie at the 10: 35
train this morning, and she sat in the
station an hour and never looked at
me-"
you to the train an hour ahead of
| time?''
THE train was late because the
Marshall, "and I had just arrived
when 1 saw Mrs. McChonchie coming
over the hill with her sister. They
came in and never glanced in my di-
rection. To make matters worse 1t
was only few weeks ago that asked
her sister a question about the train.
So 1 was all ready to recognize her.
buf she just gave me one 1Ooh dIld
went on talking"
Gave you the once-over, did she 2"
said Marshall.
YES, and after that they didn't
either of them see me and pretty soon
again. Then Mrs. McChonochie went
out and walked up and down at one
end Of the platform, and SO l went
and paced back and forth on the other
wasn't going to let her have
chance to snub me again, so every
time we Were headed in the same di-
rection and I was behind her. would
watch and wheel at the proper mo-
ment, SO she would always see my
back when she turned around. Then
thought that she must have started in
the opposite direction again.
But pretty soon she found a way
to get the best of it. She went over
to that little space beyond the station,
where nobody ever goes. and paraded
stayed farther away at my end until
it got so bitterly cold that had to go
in, and there she sat pretending to
read the newspapers. I held my head
high and stood at the stove with my
back at her. Fortunately the train
came soon, and as I managed to get to
the door first just sailed by her"
You can sail some, too remarked
Marshall ~meditatively, and as Mrs.
Marshall was a pretty woman and act
ed out her story with airs and graces
which made the incident seem spir-
tied triumph, he said it admiringly.
1t was not long after that Mrs.
Marshall stepped off the Sly from
town one night and saw her enemy
emerge from the rear coach with her
husband. Even at that distance she
could see that the eye of the tall and
athletic MeChonechie was regarding
her and she was sure that Mrs. Nc
Chonochie was telling all about it.
just as Mrs Marshall had told her
own husband. However, by this time
she was stoical about it, as the Mar
shal1s had made up their minds to
take the bungalow, anyway.
When next she was tempted into the
city the Wsather turned into q. blizzard
before Mrs. Marshall boarded her
train for home. All through the long
ride the snow blew thicker and faster
on the outside, while the train was
gradually thinned of its heavy burden
| on the inside. When scant half
| dozen people were left Mrs. Marshall
her in a peculiar contralto voice which
made her turn her head with quick
attention.
She had never consciously heard the
voice before, but she recognized it as
that of the opposition Sure enough,
cko tlS IL GILL SlQ"Cu NoW4L o. w liz
lands, the stalwart MeChonochie pass
ed down the aisle, followed by his
better half. Mrs. Marshall gave them
time to pass ahead Of her as she
gathered up her bundles. Then she
stepped off into the storm that was
| raging with sufficient violence to send
everybody hurrying into the general
store and postoff1ce.
Thus it happened that somebody
held the door open for Mrs. Marshall
before it had fairly closed upon Nc
Chonochie, who was as boisterous as
he was stalwart, and as loud voiced as
he appeared to be well intcntioned and
sure OF himself. Il was due to this
fact that his voice carried back to
Mrs. Marsaall and made the last
snatch of his talk altdSbie as she en-
tered.
TRY a few kind words. chr be said
CHANGING back with smile and as IL
to match his words Mrs. McChonochie
stood unrolung a long sweater, which
she had evidently cached at the store
as she came by there in the morning.
She held this out with both hands
now, and faced Mrs. Marshall direct
Ivy
"You have so much farther to go
than I do, won't you take this? It's
bad enough everywhere but the drifts
are SO much worse over your way"
ooh, no, indeed! You will need it
yourself! It's beautifully kind of you,
but I wouldn't rob you for anything"