The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-12-26
SHOWED IN
BY NELLIE A. FAIRBANKS.


PINK chln deep INTO the palm of her
hand, as she watched the small white
i snowhakes whirl around, then land in
little piles outside the window.
"How / hate this old, lonely farm
house with its rickety old roof" and
Jean shivercd as the low moan OF the
wind broke the stiffness.
/ "Just because Toms father left him
This old rattle-trap is no reason why
should spend my life here"
Living in the old, lonely farmhouse
had been the bone of contention be-
tween Jean and Tom ever since He had
brought her there bride one year be-
fore and while Tom could see nothing
but beauty in the place that had al
ways been home TO him, jeans heart
ached for a coy little apartment in
the city.
The sound Of heavy footsteps told
Jean her big, good-natured husbnnd
was approaching, and she realized it
was supper time. Leaving the win
dow, Jean started for the kitchen to
be greeted by her husband with the
words: well, grille, | guess we are
in for big sn0wstorm." Jean did not
reply, but prepared the supper in
gloomy silence.
After the supper dishes were
washed and put away Tom put some
logs in tie fireplace ana driving an
armchair close to- the fire. he gently
pushed Jeanlinto it, and seating hhu.
self on the arm, tiray watched the
burning logs ind'sileHce. Suddenly
Jean spoke: 81 think l win run up 10
the city tomorrow, Tom, and SEQ
mother for a few weeks. It doesn't
seem as though / could stand this
place any longer" "All right, Jeanne;
perhaps the change will do you good"
Tom said good-naturedly. But as the
light from the cracking logs fell upon
his face Jean could not help but see
the panied expression. Nevertheless
she had made up her mind to go ana
nothing could stop her. She just
longed for the noise and excitement Of
the city, and the next morning, al
though it showed hard, found her on
her way.
The train was four hours late, and
when Jean arrived at her mothers
coy four-room apartment she was
tired and cross. Somehow her
thoughts kept turning back TO Tom as
SHE saw him last, standing by the win,
dow, smiling and waving until she was
out of sight.
The evening hours dragged slowly
by, and as the steam pipes sizzled
Jean found herself comparing the.
Kissing noise to the soft cracking OF
the logs at home.
At ten O'clock she went to her old
room, and after she had prepared to-.
retire, turned off ier light. and raising
the, curtain She .gaued, as she had the
night before, ut tho white flakes nil
ing up on the ROOFS beyond. and as
she watched she pictured Tom. sitting
by the log fire. The wind blew The
wet flakes against her window and
taSb hated the sound. She looked 1T
the clock on the' Tower across the Way.
1t YVES now 11s50l yust ten hours be.
fcye the next train home Home, how.
strangely sweet the word sOundaG
Then an awful fear seized JEAN What
If the snow continued and the trains
would be unable 10 run? Her fears
were realized, for wien she awCke the
next morning the snow was still COM
ing steadily down. Mother ana father
pleaded with her to stay, but nine
O'Clock found her on her way TO the
station
The train was stalled for hours ut
different places, and it was not until
nine o'clock that night that Jean
reached the little country station, and
rs no carTyall put in its appearance
she started afoot to the farmhouse.
The big drifts in places were nearly |
to her waist, and IL it We're not for
the bright light in the Tow farfahouse
window ahead Jean would have lost |
her courage.
AT last, cold and wet, she crept soft
ly Up the steps, then quietly opened !
the door. ,Tip-toeiAg softly, she made
her way TO the sitting room and up to
the old armchair, and by the light Of
the dying FIFE she coufd see that Tom
had fallen asleep. Pushing back his
ruied hair from his forehead, she
pressed her cold check against his
warm one.
With a start Tom awoke, exclaim-
Ing, happily: "Why, grille, what does
this mean?" Then Jean explained +
how unhappy she had been the night
before. "If had been obliged TO walk
all the way from mothers, Tom,
would have come just the same" and
rs the wind moaned again through the
chimney, Jean nestled .'1oser and
"That's music, dear, com.
pared with the kissing of steam pipes"
md the dying light from the logs fell
upon a contented couple.
Copyright 1919 by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)