Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-11-25
GLORY OF DAWN
BY MARY W. FORD.

tam - 49,
weary.
To Lila Belle, the glrl-wife of Law
yer Belle, it was growing darker every
minute In that sick room. She fan
cied she heard someone calling and
reckoning for her to come-then she
heard a splash of water and again the
soft voice called. She wanted to go
go, for life was slowly but surely ebb-
ing out of Lila Bellies body.
"Albert-promise me. dear-please,
before | go"
But Lila you can't go-we need
you, baby and l." and he bowed his
head in agony over the wasted figure
on the bed.
Clasping her tiny white arm around
his neck. she whispered softly prom
Use me, Albert-prOmise me"
IL PROMISE" came from the man
in broken tones.
The girl-wife smiled and closed her
eyes as though in peace with God and
the world. At the close of this day
twilight brought with it peace to the
girl-wife but pain TO the husband, yet,
there was that peacefulness so diff
cult to define.
Four years later Albert Belle and his
daughter Lila, now nearing her fifth
year, were travelling through the White
mountains and it was his one hope
that his little daughter would get
strong and happy that he brought her
up to Mount Washington. Surely the
mountain air would help to put color
in those lily-white cheeks. But Lila
was not happy or contented, she was
longing for-well that was Lila's Sc
cret locked away in her heart and not
daring to tell daddy about it.
"Dadda, who is that pretty lady sit
ting down there with the other ladyT
Lawyer Belle smiled.
That's singular, my little girl, l,
too, was wondering who she was"
rs she sad, dadda ?-she looks likes
she's going to cry"
Eyes, dear. she does look very sad
and tired" her father answered. At
that moment Ann Joyce espied little
Lila and smiled on her.
"Mother, what a dear little child!
Look" and both Ann and her mother
smiled on the little girl.
Impulsively and without consulting
daddy as was customary, Lila broke
away from her father and ran to Ann.
II was just asking dadda if you was
awful sad, lady-is you-scuse, me
should say are you-dadda don't ike
me to say is you-he saysit is--it is"
and evidently Lila had forgotten, for
she could go no further.
Eyes, dear, / understand; 1t isn't
good form, but why do you think l am
sad dear"
"Well, l spected you was and-and
do you get pains here, too? and Lila
pointed to her heart. Il get some
pains there when I'm sad and want
and want"
and want what, child?' but Lila
refused to say any more on the sub
ject.
81 trust my little girl has not in
truded" and Lawyer Belle smiled
kindly at Ann and her mother.
Not at ALL" replied Ann. Il only
wish could see more of her-may
II"
And Albert Belle as he looked into
Ann Joyce's sweet trusting face knew
he could trust his child in her keep
ing. IF she will not annoy you he
said.
"Mother is not we'll and we are
strangers here at the hotel, and l am
sure we should be delighted to have
the child with US little while each
day if you haven't any objections"
The next morning found Lila and
her father chatting away with Ann
and her mother. Il dreamed of you
last night" Lila cried. "Oh! was so
happy and"
They all waited but Lila would say
no more.
The following day AIMS mother
died. The girl was wild with grief'
Lilas father attended to practically
everything anu lllSu W SON'HN
calm the stricken girl The body was
shipped to AIMS home. 1t was Law
yer Belle who attended to the funeral
arrangements-every
"You cannot stay in this house any
longer, Miss Joyce-please listen to
me-if your mother had lived she
would say the same thing. Come as
COMPANION to Lila-she needs you and
loves you-we'll go back to the noun
tain-those mountains that make one
feel so near to Him that sends us con-
ISOLATION with our sorrow"
Back on the mountain the three
sat together on the veranda of the
hotel and watched the sun go down.
Lila was thinking seriously, Ann was
longing and the man was thinking OF
n promise given to one on deathbed.
Lila went to bed, but Lawyer Belle re-
NAMED UP all night, saw the cold gray
dawn ushered in, and then came the
glory OF the dawn--the sunrise. With
the glory of the sunrise came his de-
cision and he looked up into the beau
tiful sky and the sun as 1t shed It's