Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-01-31

new experience.
"She has had so little OF life" she
said. over and over. $50 Iittlel Just
this Street. She never knew anything
else"
And finally K. took 1t up.
After all. Sidney" he said, "the
Street is life; the world Is only many
streets. She had a great deal She
had love and content. and she had
you"
Anna died little after midnight. a
quiet passing. so that only Sidney and
the two men knew when she went
away. 1t was Harriet who collapsed.
During all that long evening she had
sat looking back over years of small
unkindnesses. The thorn Of Annals in
efficiency bad always ranked in her
flesh. She had been hard. uncomprO-
missing. thwarted. And now 1t was for
ever too late.
X. had watched Sidney carefully
Once he thought she was fainting. and
went to her. But she shook her head.
Il am all right. Do you think you
could get them all out of the room
and let me have her alone for just a
few mInutes2"
He cleared the room and took his
vigil outside the door. And. as he
stood there, he thought of what he had
said to Sidney about the Street It was
Il world of its own. Here in this very
house were death and separation; Har-
riet's starved life; Christine and
Palmer beginning a long and doubtful
future together; himself, a failure. and
an impostor.
When he opened the door again. Sid
ney was standing by her NJ -Ser's bed
He went to her. and she turned and
put her head against his shoulder ike
tired child.
Take me away, K" she said pitt
fully.
And. with his arm around her, he led
her out OF the room.
-
Outside Of her small immediate
circle Annals death was hardly felt.
The little house went on much as be-
ness a heaviness Of spirit that made it
difficult to bear with the small irrita-
TORS Of her day. On Sldney-aud In
less measure, OF course, on K.-felI the
real brunt Of the disaster. Sidney kept
up well until after the funeral. but
went down the next day with a low
fever.
"Overwork and grief" Doctor Ed
said. and sternly forbade the hospital
again until Christmas. Morning and
evening X. stopped at her door and
Inquired for her and morning and eve
ming came Sidney's reply:
Much better. I'll surely be up To-
morrow"
But the days dragged on and she did
not get about.
Downstairs, Christine and Palmer
had entered on the round Of midwinter
gayeues. paImer's crowd was
lively one There were dinners and
dances. weekend excursions to coun-
Try houses The Street grew accus-
toned to seeing automobiles stop De-
fore the little house az all hours of the
night. Johnny Rosenfeid. driving
Palmer's car. took to falling asleep nj
the wheel in broad daylight, and voiced
his discomfort TO his mother
You never know where you are with
them guys" he said briefly. 1--WE start
ont for half an hours run In the eve
ming and get home with the milk wag-
nns. And the more some Of them have
had to drink, the more they want to
drive the machine. If get n chance,
rm going to beat 1t while the winds
my way"
Hut. tax as he might. In Johnny
Ro'cnfeids loyal heart there was no
thought of deSertion, Palmer had Civ
en- him mans job. and he would stick
by IL, no matter what came.
one such night Christine put In.
lying wakefully in her bed. while the
clock ON the mantel stolled hour after
hour into the night. Palmer did not
come home at all. He sent note from
the office in the morning:
hope you are not worried darling
The car broke down near the Country
do but TO spend the night there. I would
have sent you word. but did not want to
rouse YOU. What do you say TO The the
alter tonight and supper ntterward?
Christine was learning. She tele-
phOned the Country club that morning,
and found that Palmer had not been
there. But. although she kne,' now
that he was deceivlng her. as no al.
ways had deceived her, as probably he
always would, she heSitated to con.
front him with what she knew. She
shrauk. as Ran woman has shrunk
before. fran confronting him with his
lie.
But the second time Il happened she
was reused. 1t was almost Christmas
then, End Sidney was well on the way
to recovery, thinner and very white
but going slowly up and down the stair
care on KS arm, and sitting with
Harriet and *. at the dinner table.
She was begging TO be back on duty
for Christmas. and X. felt that he
would have to give her up soon.