The Crittenden press., 1920-08-17
THE FAIRY GODS0N'
BY MARY ISABEL soYNToNe


the tail-end of nothin'," rs one OF her
heighbors expressed Il, and might still
have contrived to keep her old home
II, ON her seventieth birthday she had
not fallen down the cellar stairs and
broken her leg. Then, with no money
and nobody to take care of her, II
was generally agreed to be the sensi-
Bile thing for her to 20 TO the Old
Ladies' home In Dixville.
The interest ON the mortgage on her
home being considerably In arrears,
Deacon Small promptly foreclosed, do
mating fifty OF the one hundred dollars
necessary for her admlttance to the
institution. the nelghbors contributing
the other tifty. and In September Jane
became an inmate Of the home.
or course II was the sensible" thing
to do: nobody realized that more than
Jane herself; only for the kindness OF
her old neighbors she must have gone
tn the poorhouse. But oh how her old
heart ached for the weather-beaten
old house where she had gone AS
bride; where Billy. her only baby, had
been born and died: where, later, her
husband had died; the spot where all
her memories had once had life.
Two graves there We're lust outside
the "south pasture lot" under huge
maple tree, where a dozen times daY
as she went about her work she could
see them. As she sat In her little room
they gave her small room. she
was so little and fragile she could NJ
In anywhere-she saw In Imagination
the leaves turning TO gold and red and
russet. and then falling-falllng gently
as tender thoughts on the dust OF the
two who had lain there 50 many
years
Everyone was kind 10 Jane, hut "
was such an impersonal sort OF pro
fpssional Kindness II left an ache IN
her lonely heart; hut she never com
planned and Miss Roggs her table
mate. often reminded her NJ how
thankful thav all should feel To he In
"the place whore Providence had seen
Al to place them" Miss Roggs spent
many miserable hours In being thank.
fully resigned.
When spring came Jane spent long
hours gazing In the direction where
sixteen miles away. she knew her he
loved home was. In Imagination she
saw the buds swelling IN the maple
above the roof: saw the lilac bushes
turn from brown to green saw the
tulips and daffojlls pushing their tiny
heads ont Of the brown earth by the
kitchen door. She was fortunate To
have food and clothes and a roof over
her sead hut these things alone never
made a home.
Then came the event. So great an
event that II shook the home To 's
very foundations. The great limousine
rolled maiestically up the modest
drive and. coming Ia stop before the
front door. disrorred big man with
flaming red hair showing from beneath
his glossy silk hat. and with merry
Irish blue eyes and under whose tread
the steps fairly tremhlrd. He asked
In n hooming voice for Mrs. Jane Jud
son. and Jane. big eyed and wonder.
Ing and 4 little fr,lnhlv. came.
"Don't YOU know me-" the hle man
hoomed. "TImmie Dunnne. the little
red headed devil fMrs. Boggs. listening
behind the door. gasped who lived on
the pour farm. and you helped cut Of
many scrape? The hoy who never
knew home nor father or mother. only
what YOU gave him run away and
I've lived In Wild times and wild
places. hut the memory OF YOU kept
me clean and decent ! struck II rich
I'm oil-and come hack TO let You
know the black sheep had grown some
whit. wool. and I find YOU here"
"Tlmmie Duannr :" the old woman
cried She totterrd and he caught her
IN his arms. kissing the silvery hair
as he swung her clear from the noor
IN his strong arms.
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