The central record., 1920-02-12
"GLADDIe"
ny JEANNE L. DARLING.

%se~ssssss~s~ssssss
90 i51o. By Mcclure Newsp.Dsr syndi, It,
lllllcrrst people have not set fpr.
gotten the ccccntricitics Of Peter
Tromr When BE- hugt hts house. the
best situated In the VILLAGE. IL had two
fronts one. with biz piazza. facc1
the street here Katie. bis wife. ~nt
aud scw-d or visited The other far.
ed the meadows behind the hill town;
here. silent aud mooly. Peter used tp
~ and gaze nt the fnrnWay blue ont.
lines ~ beautiful eastern mountains.
They were not ~ friendly n hus.
band and wife should hc-peter and
Katie weren't. There were no chill.
drcn to bind their hearts together:
then. too Katie loved her nelghhors
aud Peter did not. lie would not
even go to the little meeting house on
sabbath days. aud Katles heart was
bitter about this. The minister once
eXpostulated. but Peter led him
through his house ana onto the back.
or rather the front porch.
That there's my church. and good
enough for me-" he answered. point
lng toward the mountains. which lay
serene majestic. understanding. In the
purplc-rcd colors ~ sunset. and no
more would he say
Two days after Emma slmonds died.
Katie went into Peters garden and
found Emma's four-year-old daughter
there playing "mudpies" with Peter.
They seemed the hest ~ chums
At sight of Katie Peter drew the
bare footed. roguish-cycd child down
beside him. His great. gnunt body
lremblcd with tenderness
4 shall keep her. he snid deilantly.
Katie looked at Gladdie's irrrspon-
sible face and shuddcrrd
The idea 2" she objected. You're
crazy. Peter Her aunt Ellu1l have 20
take her. It's mighty risky tnkiu' 9th
er folkscs' young uus 20 bring up Re-
sides. don't have M time 10 look NJ.
ter child. anyway. And what would
the neighhors thnkf"
Peters eyes hlazed.
"IIlllcrest aln't my Judge" he an
sw,red shortly
Peters wife smiled snrdonlcally.
"wcll. slong = she don't bother me.
she can stay" and she went back into
the house.
Peter and Glnddic sat on. hand in
hand, on the steps.
Daddy" she said joyously. ana
struked his face lie gathered her In.
To his arms and sn. cuddled up
against his breast ana slept The sun
on vague. haunting outlines In the
darkening distance: peace lay over
the valley world. ana ieters eyes hun
grily took In the signt 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 ~ her. II i,. PeterT' she
hared. "She's probably got her death
Of cold" oh. yes. Kate knew how her
words were hurting the man she had
married. "She'll 20 60 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. crestfallen. conscience struck
Not for worlds would he have harmed
the child he was learning 10 love pas
sionatcly. In time ne got back some
of his dignity.
"You let me have her" he com.
manded firmly. II want 90 look after
her myself. and I'm goin' to keep her.
too" he added not 50 firmly.
TIN mornin'." Katie agreed. grlmly.
and went out 10 sit alone ON her porch.
Gladdie was wide awake now and
her happy laughter came out 20 Katie
somehow II drove the anger out Of her
heart and filled II with a strange des-
olate feeling.
what's that. Daddyf" Gladdie was
asking Gladdie's up-bringing had
been woefully deficient In some lines
"A nightie gownf Is u GlaJdle's. dad.
dyf
Its Gladdle's tonight" she heard
Peter say. gently. "we'll get Gladdie
one 81 her own tomorrow
"Who has IL when Gladdle amt
here" the child persisted.
katie" grufiy.
"Who's Katie. paddyl"
"She's-she's." Katie knew her hus.
band was cropping FOR words. "she's
your new mamma"
Katie rose angrily. To put such no
ITEMS into the childs head
Peter" she called. "you harness
Ned and take that young un 10 her
N..ls ~