The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-04-08
: AGNEW CHAMBERLAIN
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for Alan, the expression on this occa.
sion was no euphemism. He was suf-
5ering from touch of fever, and moth
ing more, brought on by too continued
exertion. He was shown to his room,
his old room with it's old-fashioned.
many-paned windows, its enormous
closet and, under recent coatings of
white enamel paint. the many marks
with which in boyhood he and his for
bears had branded the ancient wood,
work.
A flutter and then a sigh of disap-
pointment went through Maple House
at Alan's immediate eclipse. The
children foresaw an order for silence
or veto on the afternoons excursion
! to the lake. ]. Y. became restless and
wandered noiselessly about from room
10 room. Glenn sat in the great win
dow and dreamed and listened for
Alan's bell. She would not go to the
lake. The children were solemnly
grave and then giggling by fits and
starts
The Eltons had come back from
| abroad. From Elm House Cousin
Frances Elton, commonly known as
Tom. short for tomboy, came racing
across the lawn waving towel and
bathing clothes and in high treble
giving a creditable imitation of an In
dian warwhoop. At Toms cry the
children stampeded on to the veranda
with sibilant cries of. "Sshshw Mrs.
j. Y. looked at Nance and Nance
smiled resignedly. They put away
their work, ordered the wagonette and
the colts-colts no longer, alas, save
IN name-and departed with wagon
load of suppressed youth. From Long
lane ftoated back peals of young laugh
ter, breaking bounds as the overhang-
Ing trees hid the hill from view.
Glen sat on the vast window seat
and toyed with a book. j. Y. came
and dropped down beside her. "Well,
Glen, he's come back"
Glen nodded. care YOU sure he
doesn't want anything, Uncle John?
He hasn't had thing to eat since
seven O'Clock this morning"
Alan's bell tinkled. Glen started to
her feet and then sat down again.
You'd better CO." But when ]. Y.
strobe off she followed.
"Why is the house so quiet? Is it
on account Of the captain?" asked
| Alan.
"Bless you, no. The captain sleeps
for week at a time. The children
have gone over to the lake."
Il just wanted to tell you that like
their noises-they're new. There's
nothing really the matter with me ex-
cept that I've got to take things in
turn, and lying still and sweating
comes first. After that, perhaps tomor-
row, I'm going to eat. The penulti-
mate act on my list is a cigarette and
the ultimate is to get up in the old BEL
fry and yell" He turned over and
sank his head into the pillows.
Gail right. my boy" said J. Y, smil-
Ing. There's only Glen and myself
here and we'll go and try to make
noises like the children" He came out
Of the door in time to catch sight Of
Clem's skirt as it whisked around the
corner of the hall He followed and
found her already seated at the piano.
Her fingers wandered over the keys
and then Eer soft, full voice broke out
in one old song after another. She was
| happy because she felt that singing
'he was with Alan.
Alan stirred in his bed and listened.
He determined that tomorrow he must
be well. Robbed of this afternoon. he
was being robbed of half Of life. He
cursed the fever and then, as he felt
how near Clients voice brought her to
him, he blessed it.
At night when all the rest Of the
household had gone to bed, ]. Y. softly
| opened Alan's door and looked in.
Alan was awake and nodded. J. Y.
came in and pottered about the room.
He rolled bit Of paper into an ampler
shade and further yelled the night
lamp. The lines in ]. US rugged face
We're softened to lines of sweetness.
He asked If there We're nothing he
could do and then turned to leave the
I
paused and smiled down on Alan. "AIy
boy. you have been far, far away"
Ear away" replied Alan drowsily.
"but have come back"
The bracing air Of Red Hill and a
long nights sleep enabled Alan to keep
his word with himself. He was up and
out on the day following his arrival,
but he still felt delightfully."- lazy and
pitifully weak. Glen took charge Of
him. First she tried to settle him in
q hammock with many pillows. but
Alan shrank from the hammock They
spread rugs instead in nook under
the trees. and Alan stretched himself
out amid a riot of many-colored cush-
Ions. while Glen sat close by in low
rocking chair and talked and read and
talked.
Talking or reading, Glen was a
source of unvarying delight to Alan.
Was it possible that one could live
twenty years in an old world. rub
elbows with life for twenty years. and
remain so fresh. so untainted? His
own life rose up before him and
Knocked at him. Was 1t possible that
one could live thirty years in this
same world and be so old? He
shrugged shoulder petulantly. He
would not think-he refused to think
Hi L.