Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-12-17

observe indulgently of some village
beauty, II shouldn't wonder a mite
if she could "a had Bill for the ask
i'm: but this opinion would be met
by such a chorus of feminine in
credulity that its author generally
withdrew it as unsound and unten-
able.
1t was then, when Dick had gone
away, that the days had grown drab
and long, but the twins kept Letty's
inexperienced hands busy, though in
the first year she had the help of old
Miss Clarissa Perry, childless ex-
pert in the bringing up Of babies.
The friendship of Reba Larrabee, so
bright and CHEEKY and comprehending.
was never-ending solace. There was
nothing of the martyr about Lefty.
She was not wholly resigned to her
lot, and to tell the truth she did not
intend to be for a good many years
YETI
I'm not minister, but I'm the wife
of minister, which is the next best
thing" Mrs. Larrabee used to say.
II tell you, Lefty, there's no use in
human creatures being resigned till
their bodies are fairly worn out with
fighting When you can't think of
another mortal thing to do, be re-
signed; but I'm convinced that the
Lord is ashamed of us when we fold
our hands too sooni"
You were born courageous, Reba!"
And Lefty would look admiringly at
the rosy cheeks and bright eyes of
her friend.
My blood circulates freely; that
helps me lot. Everybodys blood
circu1ates in Racine, Wisconsin.
And the minister's wife laughed gent
ally. Yours, hereabouts, freezes up
in your six months of cold weather.
and when it begins to thaw out the
snow is ready to fall again. That sort
CT thing induces depression, although
10 mere climate would account for
Mrs. Popham.-Ossian said to Luther
he ether day: Maria amt hardly to
L'a:.lc, parson. She come from a
5.ny stock. The Ladds were all
g. my. root and branch. They say
I ~ die Ladd babies was always dis
-, uged two days after they was
i..lI'"
The cause OF Letty's chief heart
& ~, the enc that she could reveal to
b,dy, Was that her brother should
We hCr nowadays 50 completely to
] q own resources. She recalled the
me when he came home from Boston,
lalr. haSgard, ashamed. and told her
81 Ii marriage, months before. She
, III Ii read in his lack-lustre eyes. and
hear in his voice, the absence of love,
-Iat II
enough, but presently he said: Lefty,
there's more to tell. I've no money,
and no place to put my wife, but
there's a child coming. Can l bring,
her here till-afterwards? You won't
like her. but she's SO ailing and des-
pondent just now that / think she'll
behave herself, and I'll take her
away as soon as she's able to travel.
She would never stay here in the
country anyway; you couldn't hire her
to do it,
She came: black haired, sullen faced
Eva, with vulgar beauty Of her own,
much damaged by bad temper, dis
content, and illness. Oh. those ter
rible weeks for Lefty, hiding her own
misery, putting bn a brave face with
the neighbors, keeping the unwelcome
sister-in-law in the background.
! 1t was bitterly cold. and Eva ragged
against the climate, the house, the
: lack of a servant. the absence of
e gayety, and above all at the prospect
n of motherhood. Her resentment
Il against David, for some reason un-
known to Lefty, was deep and pro-
. found and she made no secret of it;
+ until the outraged Lefty, goaded into
d speech one day, said: Listen. Eva!
,. David brought you here because his
q sisters house was the proper place for
you just now. l don't know why you
a married each other, but you did. and
. it's evidently failure. I'm going to
Il stand by David and see you through
g this trouble. but while you're under
q my roof youth have to speak respect
c fully of my brother; not 50 much be-
: cause he's my brother, but because
n he's your husband and the father Of
g the child that's coming:-do you un-
q derstand?"
It Lefty had good deal of red in her
: bronze hair and her brown eyes were
s as capable of flashing fire as Eva's
: black ones; so the girl not only re-
e Trained from venting her spleen upon
u the absent David, but ceased to talk
n altogether, and the gloom in the house
e. was as black as. if Mrs. Popham and
d all her respondent ancestors were
: living under its roof
= The good doctor called often and did
8 his best, Struggling his shoulders and
: lifting his eyebrows as he said: Let
y iher work out her own salvation.
HsSGesESS z.z-sEE