The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-01-02

other berry-picker would attempt to be
sociable, but Bretna refused to re-.
spond. But one very hot noon hour a
gray-haired woman. bent and tired
looking. awakened her sympathy: she
offered the stranger cup Of cold cof-
fee. The woman extended her red,
work-stifrened fingers staring. but
made no move to grasp the cup.
"As live. it's Bretna Sterrett !"
Bretna opened her eyes very wide.
She honestly did not recognize the
hollow-eyed, shabby dressed woman.
"Bretna, don't you remember me.
Nancy Dover
"Nancy Dover" she gasped, and all
the old bitterness sprang to her lips.
"You, who stole" and stopped quick
ly, flushing.
"Yes, took Clifford away from
you," finished the woman listlessly. 81
got him and all that went with him.
All the heartaches. the misery, the
gambling, the debts, disgrace and
shame, even abuse! And you'll know.
Somebody In the village met May
Brownley; they told me how happy you
were, how the whole Brownley family
ad0red you, how you brought up the
children, won their love and respect
Oh, what's the use of talking about
It'll"
Bretna, who stared In amazement,
suddenly felt something In Nancy's
tired voice pull at her heart. She took
one of the roughened hands within
her own. NANCY" she asked, softly,
"you have not been happy"
"Happy" interrupted the other
woman rising. ''Bretna, such poverty.
such Indebtedness as mine, you have
not known! I must be going. No,
don't live In the village. I won't tell
you where; don't come. I'd rather you
would not see my home life."
And when she had disappeared Bret
ma still sat there with wide open eyes
and parted lips. Like racing steeds
thoughts came and brought clear,
bright pictures of her wasted years
of little May cuddled in her arms, the
boys couched around. listening to some
fairytale. Oh, she could feel their
warm, childish kissesi Again, she
saw herself tucking Jimmie in bed,
hearing Stuart's tale of woe. Then q
candy pull on stormy night. how the
old kitchen echoed with laughter!
And the halloween parties! Oh, the
time William had insisted upon her
dressing up as Old Mother Hubbard
The Christmas dances when the chill
dren were older, how the boys had al
ways insisted upon her dancing, too
And their love affairs Jimmie had
fallen in love so often and she alone
knew how to soothe his broken heart
or mend his enthusiasm over the
"new" girl And when the boys had
married came Mays admirers. She
could see herself crouched on the girls
bed hearing the recital Of an evenings
triumph! And when May was at par
ties, she and William had sat In the
old comfy living room talking and
planning. She remembered now how
he had come to her with each little.
problem about business or the chill
dren. They had laughed and wept to-
gether.
Wasted years she had called them
Those years so golden with love and
joy! What memories to feast on In
the years to come! How rich she was
Twenty years full to overlooking of
happy days Furnished with the love of
six persons. surely such remembrances
were bright enough to last hundred
years!
To the first villager she must speak,
for the warmth Of her heart demand
ed communication with fellow-beings,
and happy with the success of the
cheerful smile she had won, walked
quickly up the lane to her little lonely
cottage.
At the porch steps she stopped short.
incapable Of moving, for there stood
William, big, handsome, smiling visit
fully.
And when he had led her to the hard
little bench, he asked reproachfuily:
"Don't you ever go to the post Office
for mail? We worried, we waited.
Something was the matter. We knew
you could not forget us. Bretna," after
a pause. at didn't work, my living
with the honeymoon couple. I've been
lonesome, homesick, the kind. that Is
slow death. Every moment. every
where, I was looking for you, and
was lost, Bretna, and suffered. Too
old to transplant, guess" His voice
grew low and tender with pleading. II
wanted the evenings back again when
we two sat by the sitting room lamp;
do you remember, Bretna7 They were
happy evenings; outside, the rain and
wind inside, the warmth and light;
you mending and I reading aloud.
Don't you miss 1t at all, Bretnaf' he
asked anxiously. Then. when. she
nodded ever so slightly, he went on:
"Ive arranged with the tenants TO
move next week. Will you come back
A. A. oId bovoo WITH v1a a. nv