Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-07
~rh.r. ar. som. ehinss want to say"

~rhsrs are some thinas ! want to say"
could stand. | should have been more
quiet, but was so glad, so happy, and
l wanted to tell everybody. l wanted
all the world to know. so that others
could find the Joy that had found"
She paused, and Helena sought Tor
words that somehow would not come.
The nurse was bending over the bed
on the other side, and Mrs. Thornton
turned her head toward Miss Harvey
now. She smiled gently. as though to
rob her words Of any possible hurt.
Nurse, want to be alone with Miss
Vail for Just moment"
Miss Harvey, doubtful, hesitated.
only for. a moment" pleaded Mrs.
Thornton. lyon can stay just outside
the door"
Reluctantly siiss Harvey compiled
and left the room. Mrs. Thornton
pressed Helena's hand tightly.
Listen. dear. This must not make
any difference. 1t Is the one thing
that Will make me happy now. IL
have written little note to Robert
about 1t, to be given to him. oh. il l
could only have lived to help-I should
have tried SO hard to be worthy TO
have a part in IL. Not like you. dear.
with your sweetness and nobleness,
for God seems to have singled you ont
FOR this, but just to have had little
part How wonderful it would have
been. bringing peace and health and
giadness where only sorrow and mis-
cry were before, and-and"-
Mrs. Thornton's eyes closed. and she
lay for a moment quiet
A blackness seemed to settle upon
Helena. And how cold II was! shA
shivered. Her dark eyes-wide, tear
less, nowTstared, startled. dazed, ct
The white face on the pillow crowned
with Its mass of golden hair. Hars
Sweetness! Her noblsnsss! HsleaA1
lips bali parted. and her breath cana
In quick. fierce little gasps. II seemed
~ though she had bean struck blow
that she could not quits understand.
because somehow It had numbed her
senses, only there was hurt that curl
ously seemed to mock as It stabbed
with pain.
There Is Robert" Mrs. Thornton
spoke again. Il am sure he viii do Is
I have asked him to do about this, but
but you can have q great deal Of In
nuence with him. lit perhaps may
seem q strange thing to say, but pray
that you two may be brought very
close to each other. Robert needs
good, true woman 30 much In bis life,
and I-we-we-my illness-we have
never had home in its truest sense.
Yes: it is strange for me perhaps To
talk like this, but 1t Is in my heart. I
would like to think Of you both engaged
In this wonderful work together"
Again, through exhaustion. Mrs.
Thornton stopped, and Helena dropped
her head suddenly upon the bedspread
and hid her face.
Mrs. Thornton's hand found Hsl
ena's head and rested upon 1t.
II would like to see Robert happy"
she murmured after q little silence
riches do not make happiness-thsy
are SO sad and empty q thing when the
heart is empty. know he would bs
happy with you; he has spoken 20
much Of you lately. PerhAps-per-
hsr:"
Mrs. Thornton's voice was very faint
The words reached Helena plainly
enough a. words, but they seemed 70
roach her consciousness In an unreal
unnatural blunted way, coma-like.
pregnant Of significance. yet with the
signiflcancs itself elusive, evading her.
"A good woman" whispered MrA
Thornton-"I have tried to b : good
woman. but-but my life. our wealth.
our position have made 1t 30 artificial
You have never known these things,
dear, and 30 you are Just as God made
you-a good woman, SO pure, so won
derfui In your freshness and your In
nocence. Roberts life has been 70
barren. l would like TO know that
that It win not always be so. on, II
Il could only be that you and he should
carry on this great. glad work together
and love should come into his life and
yours and sunshine! Promise me
that
The voice died away. Heiuns. win
head still buried. waited for Mrs.
Thornton to speak again. 1t seemed
she waited for great length Of time.
and yet there vas no such thing %
time. It seemed a. though she wsre
transported to place OF great and In
tense blackness where It was misera-
bly, cold and chill and she stood alone
and lost and stroye to find her WAY
and there was no wtay-only blackness
everywhere, Unreasonable.
She lifted. her head suddenly. despef-
ately. to shake the unreality from her.
and her eyes fell upon the gentle face.
peaceful, smiling, calm and 80 still.
and a startled. frightened cry rang
from her lips
| tTc BE ceas.nneA.s ssss=se3ss .: a.
The actual figures show that there
Il about one. execution for evefy fey-
entyrnye hOmjcides which occur IN tic