The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-11-23
THE FAIRY GODS0N'
BY MARY ISABEL eoYNToNE'

the ldll-tHu VI uothlH, US ohc VI hci
neighbors expressed 1t. and might still
have contrlved to keep her old home
if, on her SEVENTEEN birthday she had
not fallen down the cellar stairs and
broken her leg. Then, with no money
and nobody TO take car Of her. II
was generally agreed to be the sensi-
bic thing for her to go 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 neighbors contributing
the other fifty, and in September Jane
became an inmate of the home.
OF course 1t 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
to the poorhouse. But oh how her old
heart ached for the weather-beaten
old house where she had gone as a
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 were just outside
the "south pasture lot" under a huge
maple tree, where q dozen times a lay
as she went about her work she could
see them. AS she sat in her little room
they gave her a small ROOM. she
was so little and fragile she could nj
in anywhere-she saw in Imagination
the leaves turning to gold and req ana
russell. and then falling-falling gently
as tender thoughts on the dust OF the
two who had lain there so many
years.
Everyone was kind to Jane, but II
was such an impersonal. sort OF pro-
fessional kindness II left an acne IN
her lonely heart; but she never com
plained. and Miss Boggs. her table
mate. often reminded her or now
thankful they all should feel to be In
"the place where Providence had seen
At to place them" Miss Boggs 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 De
loved home was. In Imagination she
saw the buds swelling on the maple
above the roof; saw the lilac bushes
turn from brown to green; saw the
tulips and daffodils pushing their tiny
heads out of the brown earth by the
kitchen door. She was fortunate 70
have food and clothes. and a roof over
her head. but these things alone never
made a home.
Then came the event. so great an
event that il shook the home to It's
very foundations. The great limousine
rolled majestically up the modest
drive and. coming to a stop before the
front door, disgorged a 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 trembled. He asked
In a booming voice for Mrs. Jane Jud-
son, and Jane. big eyed and wonder
Ing anu u iittit tltnibifs GAME
Don't o know me?" the big man
doomed. 'Timmie Duane. the little
r~ed-headed devil (Mrs. Boggs, listening
behind the door. gasped) who lived on
the poor farm, and you helped out OF
many a scrape? The hoy who never
knew home nor father or mother. only
what you gave him? I run away and
I've lived in wild times and Wild
places. hut the memory of you kept
me clean and decent. I struck II rich
i'm oil-and 7 come back TO let you
know the black sheep had grown some
white wool. and I find you here!"
Jimmie. Duanne!" the old woman
cried. She tottered and he caught her
In his arms. kissing the silvery hair
as he swung her clear from the floor
In his strong arms.
'eTimmle Duanne himself" he cried.
II came back a week ago. and I've
bought the old place back and IT'S
ready and waitin' for We. Even the
old cat Is there. Nobody could catch
him. He's thin-but alive. Got down
TO his ninth life. / guess, but we'll feed
him up, There's salmon and cream In
the harder for him. Hurry, get Your
belongin's. Mother Jane. and Wen go
home. When / come home for my
vacation every year, you've got to
squeeze me in somewhere. for sure we
belong together"
II was like a dream riding along In
the swiftly purring car, with one fra
GLE hand held close in the big fist of
Jimmie Duanne. and when at last the
old gray house came in sight IL was
through a mist of happy tears that
she saw il. II was quite unchanged.
as she wished II. only fresh and sweet
from recent scrubbing.
Jane sat before the open fire-for
there was a chill in the air-ln the old
rocking chair with its patchwork cover
that she had made herself, and the
eat. thin but contented, purred on her
lap. Jimmie came In softly and knelt
beside her chair.
This is the happiest day of my