Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-01-09

with them on Sunday.
The day was brilliantly clear. with
a premature breath of autumn cool.
ness-mercifully different from the
strange, glowing haze of year ago
Sabra was absorbed in her second
year lecture course and if she remem-
bered gave no sign. Alex came as
they were finishing their silent break
fast and wanted Chloe to go out with
him at once. He was very grave, and
she felt in him some unexplained eX-
citement. She would not ask questions,
but she trusted him and was glad of
the diversion.
They took the elevated, getting off
near one of the upper entrances Of the
park, and were presently following a
path that wound through green pleas
| antness, past a little lost stream, up
! to broad knoll set with pointed
spruce trees. They had wood and
lawn to themselves at this hour, and
the trailing squirrels came running out
to meet them. The dewy brightness of
the day gave Chloe courage. She look
ed up with new openness into Alexis
face.
you knew what day it is, and
you're helping me-" she said Then
she saw how pale he was, and that his
silence had strained rigidity Dear
=? she questioned. He stopped her,
a hand on her arm.
Il have something to show you.
Chloe. 1t was done for them, but it
was also-for you. It is my-apology.
Come"
He led her round the last curve of
the ascent. There in a green circle
had been placed drinking fountain
of gray stone. The broken earth
showed the work barely completed At
first Chloe saw only the curved bench,
its back carved in delicate relief, the
seat oddly low. and, set within the
curve, low pedestal from which wat
er dubbed up, to fall into a carved
bowl. Then she saw, on the high back
Of the bench, the words:
FOR CHILDREN
and. underneath them,
IN MEMORY OF SERENO AND
EMILY GAGE
At the same moment the medallions
heads on coins, yet exquisitely signifi-
cant, her father and her mother looked
toward each other over the little heads
that were to come, gathering along the
bench and bending down to the bub-
bling water. The two lives that had
given themselves for children would
here continue their loving service for
all time
Alex had known that it must break
Chloe down. He drew her to the bench
and held her till the shaken body grew
quiet and at last she lifted her head.
Now tell me-" she whispered He
began at once.
"Well, it started out of trying to
send back the money you turned over
to father-you remember? He wrote
to ask what sums had been given, and
every answer begged that the money
be kept and used in some way. They
wouln't take it, dear. had that FIVE
thousand, and could earn more, and
oh. Chloe, I wanted to do something,"
His arms, tightening, told her why.
and hers answered $50 l thought of
this. and they all liked it, and we got
permission to put it here. and Carroll
work: and I made them keep it quiet,
for I wanted to offer it to you whole,
my Chloe. And I had to have it fin.
ished for this day. They couldn't
promise. but they worked day and
night, and it was barely in time And
it all right!'
No need to answer. with her cheek
against his. long silence brought
them so close that the last barrier was
down, and Chloe could talk to- him of
her mother.
II have thought about her so much"
she began slowly. "Do you know. if
this world were a Utopia, she would
have been the biggest person in it. For,
after all. delicacy-Tve thought this
all out. Alex-delicacy is only our rec
Ognition of the other person's-unwil-
lingness: that he wants his money or
his possessions of his time undisturb-
ed. She was so glOriously giver that
she couldn't understand being unwil
ling. She didn't allow for it. SO they
laughed at her, and called her words
she felt him vince. and frightened
her hold looking up with grave
smile. Don't mind, dear: don't any
more. Since the world is as it is, get
ting things for us all the time would
be called graft. Only. you see. she got
things for erybody-everybody who
needed. And in a perfect world where
everybody lived to help-my love.
what a glorious. giving angel she
would have been. They saw it. little
when she died And now they will al
ways remember it-you did that"
She turned to look up at the two faces ;
and the carved words:
FOR CHILDREN
In Memory of Serene and Emily Gage !
They will 20 on together. Oh. my
Alex, | feel so full of peace!'
They stayed till the Sunday invasion
began; then they drank at the foun |
tain and went slowly on. When they
paused to look back children were al
ready gathering. Like sparrows they
over the bowl, and soon a
row of little heads showed against the !
high back of the bench. The two
smiled at each other in wordless sat !
sfaction.
IL