Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-11-24
surprised woman.

/
Sure, Billys no trouble We like
to have him." said Mary, but the words
We're empty to Chloe. Had not Mrs.
Murray said the same, hundred
times, in her pretty, lying voice? To
get away and fiercely, punishingly
stay away was the first need Other
forms OF resentment might be thought
out later. For, curiously enough, this
one laughing slight had done for
Chloe what years of teaching had not
been able to accomplish; it had made
her one with her family. All the way
home, with Billy laboring to keep up,
she hurled at Mrs. Murray her moth
er's creed of kindness and neighborly
duty; she told what her mother had
done for humber children, she point
ed to her fathers life, given to the
cause Of all children
| "And you grudged little garden
space"to one good child" she cried.
Not till she opened her own door was
she aware of the flushed, anxious face
upturned at her side. ooh, my dear!"
she apologized.
WAS I bad, Toto?" Billy quavered
She ltnelt down to comfort. ''No,
Billy! Good as gold! Only grown peo-
pie are bad" she added holly
Chloe did not dream Of telling what
had happened She covered it up as
something shameful unrepeatable;
but it left a miserable insecurity. The
bogy Of her childhood, explained away
by wise grown-ups, was suddenly con-
fronting her again. uglier than ever.
People did not really want you. They
acted as if they did, but their hearts
were reluctant.
ut was only one person" she told
herself. Mrs. Murray isn't every
body!' But the bogy had gained stand
ing: it could no longer be swept aside
as little girls stupidity.
The house grew very quiet that af-
ternoon. Mrs. Gage and Sabra were
at the congress and Ralston had taken
Billy up to the zoo. When Ralston's
work had gone well he had roman
tic impulse toward excursions with his
little SON Both always came back on
the verge of tears, but they set out
worked for faithful hours on the tasks
that fall naturally to the untalented
member of a family, then. dropping
bodily. she went out to sit on the door
step in the soft newborn warmth of
the day. People still sat>on door steps
in that informal old corner Of the city.
Chloe at twenty had not yet lost the
quality that had named her dear
little soul" Perhaps it lay in an in
nocent readiness to believe that 9th.
ers were great and good and that she
must learn Of them: or perhaps it
came from the delicate, pointed,
quantity secular face of the left hand
angel in Botticelli's Madonna En-
throned, at which Mrs. Gage had gazed
with faithful purpose for months be-
fore her daughters birth. She had
hoped that some soaring spirituality
of tough-winged kind that should
make a stir in the world, but was per
'fectly content with the simpler result
that Chloe did actually look like the
angel on the extreme left The family
was inclined to take the resemblance
humorously. pity mother wished the
figure on her. too Ralston often said
in depreciation of his sisters almost
boyish slenderness. The constant
presence of her secret companion had
given her face an upward tilt that
angel. Seeing her so, a young man
who had been coming down the block
hesitatingly, as though some argu-
ment blocked his path, leaped the OBJ
stacle and started forward.
We'll, Chloe" he said He had TAX.
en- humble attitude, hat off, but
smile lurked in the lively blue eyes
and under the brief mustache that
only Just was not red.
We'll, Alex she returned, with
discouraging GOODNESS.
81 have been thinking about you all
day" he persisted, putting out his
hand. I'VE have been such good
friends, Chloe; 1t is stupid to let it go.
Truly, rye missed you like the dick
ems. Can't | come back?"
She took his hand, but Professionally. |
You are not saying anything about |
having been in the wrong" she OBJ
served, fixing him with an unfooled |
eye. II was her belief that Alex had !
found girls altogether too plant for |!
his own good.
He avoided that issue. II was all !
in the wrong to lay down the law for |
some one else he SAID taking seat |
pelo" Hti anu loohlhS up Will
that few ever resisted. 1t |
was vital, colorful face, and perhaps |
Alex had discovered its power, for he |
very comfortably, and his
smile did not bear out the anxiety OF i
his words. Couldn't you forgive me |
enough to go on with our Italian? .
Haven't you missed me at all. Toto?"
Chloe maintained a detachable air
of looking him over. 81 have been
reading a good deal of French was
all she said, and Alex, recognizing that !
the lost territory was not to be in
regained by the expenditure of
a little charm, sat up and went honest.
y to work for it, They were still Wis
ting there on the steps when Mrs.
Gage, worn, dusty, triumphant, came
home.