Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-01-30
"GLADDIE"
BY JEANNE [. DARLING.

St~S<~SSeeS$~~~~SS~e
t9. 1920. BY Mcclure Newspaper syndiczte'1
Hillcrest people have not vet for
gotten the eccentricities of Pater
Tromp. When he built his house the
best situated in the village, it had two
fronts. One, with big piazza. faced
the street; here Katie, his wife sat
and sewed or visited. The other fac
ed the meadows behind the hin town.
here, silent and moody, Peter used To
sit and gaze at the faraway blue ont.
lines of beautiful eastern mountains
They were not as friendly as hus-
band and wife should be-Peter and
Katie weren't There were no ebiI-
dren to bind their hearts together:
then, too, Katie loved her neighbors
and Peter did not. He would nor
even go to the little meeting house on
Sabbath days, and Katie's heart was
bitter about this. The minister once
expostulated. but Peter led him
through his house and onto the back.
or rather the front porch.
THAT there's my church, and good
enough for me-" he answered, point
ing toward the mountains, which Law
serene. majestic, understanding, in the
purple-red colors of sunset. and no
more would he say
Two days after Emma Simonds died
Katie went into Peters garden and
found Emma's four-year-old daughter
there playing ''mudpies" with Peter.
They seemed the best of chums.
At sight of Katie Peter drew the
bare-footed, roguish-eyed child down
beside him. His great gaunt body
trembled with tenderness.
Il shall keep her, he said defantly.
Katie looked at Gladdie's irrespon-
sible face and shuddered.
"The. ideai" she objected. "You're
crazy, Peter. Her aunt Ella'll have to
take her. It's mighty risky takin 9th
er folkses' young uns to bring up. Be
sides, / don't have no time to look af-
ter child, anyway. And what would
the neighbors think?"
Peters eyes blazed
2 "Hillcrest amt my Judge" he am
swered shortly.
Peters wife smiled sardonically.
"Weli, s'long S she don't bother me,
she can stay" and sne went back into
the house.
Peter and Gladdie sat on, hand in
hand, on the steps.
Daddy" she said joyously, ana
stroked his face. He gathered her in
to his arms and she cuddled UP
against his breast ana slept The sun
went down and the mountains took
on vague, haunting outlines In the
darkening distance; peace lay over
the valley world, and Peters eyes hun
grily took in the sight until his soul
was satisfied, and he, too, slept, his
head against the porch railing. They
were still there when Katie, returning
from an evening call, came out and
found them.
so this is the way you're goin' to
take care of her, is 1t, Peter?" she
flared. "She's probably got her death
of cold" Oh, yes, Kate knew how her
words were hurting the man she had
married. "Sherl go to her Aunt Elias
tomorrow, just as sure as the sun
comes up"
She took the sleeping child and
bundled her into the house. Peter fol-
lowed, erestfallen, conscience struck.
Not for worlds would he have harmed
the child he was learning to love pas
sionately. In time he got back some
of his dignity.
"You let me have her" he COM
manded firmly II want to look after
her myself, and I'm goin' to keep her,
toe" he added not so firmly.
IT'LL mornin'," Katie agreed, grimly,
and went out to sit alone on her porch.
Gladdie was wide awake now and
her happy laughter came out to Katie.
Somehow it drove the anger out of her
heart and filled 1t with strange des-
olate feeling
whats that, Daddy?" GIaddie was
asking Gladdie's up-bringing had
been woefully deficient in some lines.
"A nightie-gown? Is 1t Gladdie's, dad
dyT"
ITS Gladdie's tonight" she heard
Peter say, gently. "We'll get Gladdie
one of her own tomorrow"
"Who has 1t when Gladdie amt
here,p the child persisted
"Katie," gruffly
who's Katie. Daddy?
"She's-she's," Katie knew her hus-
band vas cropping for words, shes
your new mamma"
Katie rose angrily. To put such no
items into the child's head
Peter" she called, you harness
Ned and take that young I'm to her
aunt Elias right off. She amt goin'
to stay here another minute. D'you
near me, Peter?'
patar car,a one 80 t1,a ,,orch