Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-31
HER QUIET DAY

knew! Desperately she groped along the wall. Here was the doorpost-the | door--but something soft resisted her | quick push with a moan of terror.
 "Norahi" whispered Clara furious | ly, let me or Pll-rll-"
 Suddenly the door was flung wide | and Mary, the maid, faced her in the | | sunlight. dles," she scoffed. Iris plain ye niv- CT rin wild on a farm" Quietly she stepped into the barn, | led the unresisting racer to his stall and tied him. Clara meanwhile | trembling took refuge on the shady porch.
 when I rest. I rest she murmur- ed to herself reminiscentlly, with a pallid smile.
 After a perfect luncheon, however, with her nephew and his toys on the porch near her under Mary's charge, | Clara felt herself again. Neverthe- | less she acknowledged a certain relief when Clifford, after storming a fort, l the porch steps, with ammunition of | wooden blocks demanded a walk. Glancing at Mary. however, Clara mo- | ticed that the girls eyes were heavy | with pain.
 Iris only a headache" Mary ad- mitted faintly.
 ''Then go lie down." Clara urged. | ''Pll take care of Clifford. Come, sonny; hot as it is, am longing for a stroll"
 Fortunately Clifford elected to go along a shady lane. Now he led the way, now wandered after flowers, now ran back with problems for his aunt's solution.
 Aunt Clara, what's under that hill? If l touched a cloud. would it feel cold? Aunt Clara, if a bumble-bee was like fountain pen, what would happen?"
 
 orchard and house lot. with a ruined cellar already grass-grown. Clara stood fascinated by the peaceful scene. At scream behind her she wheeled and looked for Clifford. He had vanished. The cry came again, almost at her feet. Staring down she saw Clifford's head "as if it had been | cut off and set on the grass as she afterward described it. With a gasp she was on her knees beside him, frantically tearing away the rotten fragments of an old well ! cover clutching at his collar his arm, his shoulders. Mercifully the pipe of
 a former pump still rose through the
 center of the hole. This Clifford in his fall had managed to clutch with arms and legs and to this he clung shrieking until with all her strength l Clara drew him inch by inch to safe | ty.
 Painting with fatigue she hurried
 him away, extorting meanwhile the . confession that Daddy had told him
 not to walk on that ever. Now he volunteered never to do it again.
 Yes" Clara commented, "I dare t say not"
 !, Clifford's meekness soon evaporat- g ed and he pranced Egnt-heartedly ] | along. Just within sight of home he
 clamored to climb the old stone wal = that Ibordered the lane. Daddy all 0 ] ways let him, he insisted. s Well, Aunt Clara doesn't" assert ,, ed she, and when Clifford, craftily = tagging behind to chase a butterfly 3 saw his way clear and scrambled up = Clara was only a step behind.
 You've done enough for one day l sine announced. No broken ankles e from rolling stones while you're il
 my care"
 l, wall and landed him beside her. FOl d the moment she remained haughtil! d indifferent to his sudden agOnizeC s shriekinS. Then a hot something h struck her cheek. another her ear d She looked down to see Cliffort
 stamping about under the stings O a swarm of hornets whose ruined nes e lay beneath his feet.
 Luckily the house was near. Sh = gathered the writhing child into he ,t arms and ran for the porch, where a d their cries Mary and Norah came tt o the rescue with Tapping towels. If It was a weak and swollen part! W that greeted ClimOrd's mother as sh e hurried homeward at 6 o'clock. Un
 der the stimulus of an excellent din = ner, however, Clara revived sufficient ly to pause on the train-step for
 parting word.
 | Edith. dear" she said, last even
 ing I had still to learn that quiet
 and peace can be relative terms. To
 night I know"
 In the car she leaned back wit
 closed eyes to avoid the worlds as
 tonished glances at her swollen face. Id At last in her own room she stoo s, at the window, looking down upo Ig the straight lines of car track beloy S, that shone faintly in the moonligh n, With a clang a car flew along. a shin s ing cage of light. Weary, Clara dre7 ir deep breath of content. sd "Oh," she sighed, "the comfort c q, a noisy home at the end of quie " day!"
 ic And blushing she picked up her tel l. ephone.
 1e Main 4s6o. MT. Burton? He's ou Of Well, nothing impOrtant-only yo i- might tell him that Miss Porter find Tt that she likes the city best. Yes. jus ne that-likes the city best. He'll under
 stand.''-St. Louis Globe Democrat. ut