Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-01-14
The Daily
Short Story
LOVE AND HOME
By Mildred White

ain SOunuGu against Inc WlHuO"
and the man went gropingly to
Graw the curtain. When he had
lighted the gas he looked YEARLY
around the disorderCd kitchen.
Dishes from his hastily prepared
dinner still Uttered the sink, the
clothless table was uninviting for
the coming meal. Jared sighed as
lie went about his accustomed
Guties. Many years had passed
since Ida had taken her angry de-
parture, neglectful, silent years, yet
his memories were filled with the
old haunting love. She had been
such a brilliant. Joyous creature.
the early years of their married life
had passed like a toO-perfecJ dream.
Looking back it seemed too pit
liable to be true. Ida had longed
for beautiful things in her home,
which Jared's constant toll could
not manage to procure. She had
been patient with things as they
we're until Sylvia came-Sylvia the
baby, who was to be the dominating
thought of her mothers life. Moth
ing could be fine enough for Sylvia.
Perhaps Ida had built her ideal of
Ter daughters future around the
LIE of novel heroine or whom she
had been reading.
Little Sylvia must live the broad
er more fortunate lie of this SyI-
VIA of romance. In loneliness, the
girl promised to equal her proto-
type. And as Sylvia grew happily
among the flowers of her mothers
garden, the simplicity of the little
lone became to Ida unbearable.
When Jared sadly refused each new
request for furniture or remodeling,
Ida would relapse into sullen 81
lence. Sylvia was her fathers COM
fort then. With self-sacrificing eff
fort he had purchased, secretly, a
piano.
Jared could not know that the
polished instrument had merely
served to accentuate its shabby sur
roundings. After a discouragIng
day of tears upon Lida's part and
angry retort upon his own, his wife
lad carried out her long threatened
purpose and left him. How she
managed to support herself and the
child in the city, Jared did not
know. When he heard from her
again it was but a brief note an
nouncing their daughters mar
I;age.
Sylvia had written to him through
ne years. line now and then tell
ing merely of her work at school.
Jared had not tried TO see her; his
heart was too sore. And at 10 Syl-
via married. Ida, he knew, made
her home with the daughter.
Ten years he had lived alone in
the little despised house and ten
lonely years had made of Jared an
CID man. The kettle was singing
over the fire this fail evening as he
went to answer a summons at the
unused front door. Into the narrow
hall came a mans tall figure.
Il stopped" saiu a pleasant
voice, Ito see if l might find supper
and shelter i'll your home. The
road is almost impossible. l shall
not try to run my car any farther
in this direction"
Il am alone" Jared mumbled,
my cooking is pretty bad. But"
his voice shook with eagerness, ''if
you would care to stop over, I'd
be mighty glad of your company"
When the automobile had been
run into the barn the old disap-
pointed man, and the young sue
Cessful one, sat opposite each other
at the supper table. The lack of
all that was tempting seemed not
TO affect the good nature of the
visitor.
Leaning back, smoking his cigar,
he quizzed Jared pleasantly as to
his solitary condition. And in the
unusual luxury of a sympathetic
listener, Jared found himself tell
ing all that had passed.
Strangely enough, the unburden-
ing proved a relief.
when you speak Of your wife,
the man said musingly, your voice
has a softened tone. as though her
perversity had failed to kill your
love"
Jared's eyes lost their hopeless
light as he looked toward a portrait
of Ida upon the wall.
81 shall always love her." he an
swered simply.
When the stranger had gone the
old man sat brooding in the lamp
light.
AS the kitchen door opened creak-
ingly, Jared drew his trembling
fingers from his eyes, then with
wordless cry he arose TO his feet.
Ida stood there in the doorway
"a changed and still dearly ia
1.liliar Ida. Her black hair had
turned to softened white, and Lida's
black eyes had softened as mystic
riously as her hair"
Jared" she said humbly Il
Lave come back to stay, II you will
take me There is no satisfaction
apart from you-anywhere. For
years l have borne the penalty of
my desertion.
ut was Sylvia who discovered
the cause Of my unhappiness. Love
has taught her much, so she sent
her husband tonight to find if
YOU could still be noble enough to
forgice. If you want me, Jared,
Sylvia and John will be here later
to rejoice in our reconciliation.
They have great plans for our flu
tLre comfort in this old home. |
have learned my lesson. dear.
Home is where the heart is; no
other can compensate"
And love" said Jared, "forgiv-
eth all things" Then he folded his
wife in his arms.
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