The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1916-09-15
REVELATIONS
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bV NPIe OorrISOn~

THE cracking Of the logs in Lii
han Undcrwood's library CRATES
= was the only sound to be heard
for many minutes after she had told me
OF the little daughter who had been so
cruelty shut way from her life
With her elbow resting on the arm
Of her chair. her chin oupped in her
hand. her whole body leaning toward
the warmth of the fire, she sat gazing
into the leaping flames as II she were
irving to read in them the riddle OF tn.
future
patiently waited on her mood That
she would open her heart to me further
| knew, but | did not wish 10 disturb
her with either word or movement
Il knew you would be like this she
said at last. Almost any other WON
an would nave gone of on an emotion
al tangent over this story OF nine,
especially when II so concerned herself.
But YOU know enough to keep still
when YOU see situation that no
words can help Its rare gilt, my
dear Cherish It"
MY face flushed with pleasure at her
words OF praise. but my only answer
was low. sincere Thank YOU" at
which she nodded and fell silent
again
81 might as we'll begin at the be
ginning There was note in her
voice that all at once made me see the
long years OF suffering which had been
hers only the beginning is so com.
monplacc that il lacks interest 1t is
! the record oi a very mediocre stenog
raphcr with aspirations
That she was speaking OF herself her
/ tone told me, but ! was genuinely sur
prlscd Mrs Underwood was the laS'
woman in the world ono would pictur,
as holding down a Stenographcr's po
St,ou
They Met In Paris
"l can't remember when dIdn't hav,
IN the back OF my brain the idea o
learning to- draw she went on. Blu
II took wears and years OF uphill wor|
and saving TO get a chance ! was al
orphan with nobody 90 care whether
lived W died. and nothing but my owl
efforts to depend on, But ] stuck TO II
working IN the day time andeStudvln
evenings and holidays I'LL at last
began to get a foothold, and then whe
] had enough put by to risk It | wen
to Paris"
Her voice was as matter of fact as
she was describing visit To the tamil
butcher shop. But | visualizcd TN
busy, plucky years with their rcwar
of Paris as If ! had been a spectator c
them
"Oi course, by the time got ther
, was almost old enough to he III
mother, or at least the elder sister {
most of the BOYS and girls ! met, an
I had learned life and experience in
. good. hard school Some OF III
Youngsters got the habit of coming
, me with all their troubles, fanced {
+ real made some staunch friends
those days. but never staunche
trucr one than Dicky Graham
p started IN surprise. Dicky ha
% told mc of his studies IN Paris. and (
the gay. careless time he spent thcr
but he had never mentioned Mrs u
dcrNood as having been one OF his ci
Gle As | thought OF il. remembers
that Dicky, aside from praisng Mr.
Underwood as bully good scout
and charac,rlzlng her as one OF h
oldest friends, had said very lit
about her to me
Mrs. Underwood law the moyemer
! She turned and put her hand on min
,. smiling hall humorouSly, hall tenderl
"Tcl me- dear grl, when YOU We,
teaching those history classes. did al
OF your boy pupils iall in love wi
" you"
, answered her with an embarrass,
D., little laugh Her question called ,
:, memories OF shy glances, gifts
:, flowers and fruit, boyish confidenc
; all the things which fall to the !
II OF any teacher OF BOYS.
y well, then, YOU will understand !
, when tell Won that in the studio da
~ in Paris Dicky imagined himself Qu
., IN love, with me
There was something ~ her tone \
,c manner which took all the sting q
/, oi her word, for nc All the jcllou
,e and real concern which | had spent
pr tins old attachment, OF my husbands
le Mrs Underwood vanished as listen
r to her. She might have been Dick
~ mother, speaking OF his early and
yc ludiciouS fondnesS for green apples
,e Il shall always be proud OF the "
| managed DiCky that time II
,n voice still held the amused mater
,e note ITS 50 easy for an older wo
ne an to spoil boys life IN case !
that II She, deSpcable enough TO
il But. YOU see, | was genuinely ic
oi D,ckv. and vet not the least bit
love with him, and ! was able, with
ISIS his guessing II, to keep the mana
ev ment OF the affair in my own han
ev So when he woke Mp, as boys alw
no do. TO the ahSurdity Of the idea, IN
was nothing in his recollections Of
to spoil our friendship.
.c' "For Offensc and Defense"
", "Thcn there came the carly days
w. my struggle 80 get q iuothuld ~ \
Wv York m my line There were III
go sand, OF others like me Six or SC
TIC Of the sirupglcrs had been my irie
in Paris. We formed a sort OF cir
wv for oiiense and defense, Dicky ca
Sii il; settled down near each other,
,'I ~" for mouths we worked and played
WV starved together When one OF Us 3
., ANYTHING we all ieaSted while 1t las
-, s | tell YOU, my dear, those were sire