The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-27

ez - r ss
"I'm glad you came" volunteered
Mary politely 81 get so few visitors
way out here these days-with my
werk in the office keeping me SO busy
during the week. Mrs Morrow is
over to the Browns this afternoon"
"Lord sake, Then why do you live
way out here? Why not move into
the svillage where there's something
going on?"
'It's home" replied Mary
weakly. "
Mibb glanced the room over again.
She glanced Mary over also--fron1
the worn frayed shoes on her weary
feet to the dark hair streaked with
gray done hard and fiat upon her
head. Truly it was difficult to realize
that these two women were almost
of an age
MARY" she said finally, "it's },
too badw
whats too bad,' Mabel?"
ssThe way you've ruined your life,
Mary. We started out equally, Mary.
You remember what 1 told you the
day after you and Jack were married.
But you wouldn't take my warning.
You were dead set on this love bust
ness. You said the hard work didn't
matter. Ard look what it's got you
at last, Mary. Nothing but this. ;"
And again her eyes glanced over the
room.
"It's u. home, Mabel said
Mary again.
(which isn't saying much, Mary.
feel sorry for you, Mary. Indeed
I do! Oh know that you think I'm
a snob and all that. But / Go feel
sorry for you, Mary. I'm sincere in
saying it. You've worked hard all
your life. I, You never went anywhere
nor had any good times. You're
spending the best years of your life
in that pokey- old printing office now.
living out here in lonesome
ole place in the country struggling
to raise six boys! 1t must be awful.
If there's anything I could do for you
for old times sake, I'd do it in a
minute. That's really the true reason
why / came out here this afternoon.
I heard in the village how you were
living and-I came out to see ic
couldn't help you-money or some
thing"
@You can't" replied Mary soft
", trife hoarsely. 81 said this was
home. l mean it, Mabel. You can't
appreciate what that means. You
never had home, not a real home.
Jack and l bought this place when
we were young and life was all sort
of full of hope and promise-again
you don't know what that means,
Mabel"
~ was too WISE" cut in Mabel
"Catch me tying myself up to man
and having kids that twist you out
of shape and take away your good
looks and make you dowdy and
frumpish and tubby-but we've been
all over that before"
$50 you cannot appreciate the as
sociations," went on Mary. "On the
walls here, Mabel, are scars of little
household accidents the boys have
made growing up, the banks of their
toys and the prints of their grimy
little fingers on the wall paper tt
indicate the passing years. Jack dice
there in the east room. His casket
was carried out this door. Every piece
of furniture is dear 10 me, Mabel
Every room and door and window
and corner holds associations ant
sometimes Mabel sometime!
in the dark there's little ghost!
play around through these rooms
Mabel"
aFor Gawds' sake quit, Mary. Yol
talk spoekish; it's enough to get OF
a party's nerves. should thinl
you'd go crazy living out here in thi
fashion with no man around to pro
tect YOU
They're dear to me; these things
these associations are, they've beer
my life, Mabel. You can't live in on
house long time without every sticl
and stone and nail in 1t bein' sor
of like your flesh and blood!
FIN thankful I haven't got any as
sociations like those, Mary. There
nothing like that to make me miser
able on dark and rainy days. "
always had good time and kept m
eye on the future. And if you'd don