Gilpin observer., 1920-07-22
gSessSSSeSSSSSS SSSSeSSeeSee SSeeSeeSSSSSgSSSssee
g %
: THE FAIRY GODS0NSS
Hsy MARY ISABEL eoYNToNESe


the tail-end of nothin'." as one of her
neighbors expressed it. and might still
have cOntrived to keep her old home
II, on her SEVENTEEN birthday she had
not fallen down the cellar stairs and
broken her leg. Then, with no money
and nobody to take care of her. 1t
was generally agreed to be the sensi-
BILE 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 it 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
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 huge
maple tree, where 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-falling gently
As tender thoughts on the dust OF the
fwo who had lain there so many
years.
Everyone wns kind to Jane. but II
was such an impersonnl. sort OF pro-
fessional kindness it left an ache IN
her lonely heart: hut she never COM
planned, and Miss Boggs, her table
mate. often reminded her of how
thankful they all should feel to he In
"the place where Providence had seen
fit 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 be-
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 10
have food and clothes. and roof over
her head, but these things alone never
made n home. .r...
Then came the event, so great an
event that it shook the home to lts
very foundations. The great Limousine
rolled majestically up the modest
drive and. coming to 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 and little tremhly. came.
'Don't you know me?" the big mar
boomed 'Timmie Duanne. the iittl'
red-headed devil (AIrs. Boggs, listening
behind the door, gasped) who lived OF
the poor farm. and you helped out o
many n scrape? The boy who nere'
knew home nor father or mother, oni!
what you gave him? I run away an'
I've lived in wild times and Wilt
places. hut the memory of you KEEP
me clean and decent. I struck 1t ric'
in oil-and I come back to let yo'
know the black sheep had grown SOM
white wool. and find you here :"
.eTimmie Duanne" the old woman
cried. She tottered and he caught he
In his arms. kissing the silvery mai
as he swung her clear from the hoo
IN his strong arms.
"rimmie Dunnne himself" he cried
w came back week ago. and fv
bought the old place back and "
ready and waitin' for We. Even IN
old cat Is there. Nobody could cate
him. He's thin-but alive. Got dow
TO his ninth life. guess. hut We'll fee
him up! There's salmon and cream !
the larder for him. Hurry. get YOU
belongin's. Mother Jane. and we'll z
home. When l come home for m
vacation every year. you've got
squeeze me In somewhere, for sure W
belong together"
1t was like dream riding along
the swiftly purring car, with one fr'
pile hand held close in the big fist
Timmie Duanne, and when at last tn
old gray house came In sight 1t wa
through mist OF happy tears tina
she saw It. II was quite unchanged
as she wished 1t, only fresh and swet
from recent scrubbing.
Jane sat before the open fire-fo
there was chill in the alr-in the ol
rocking chair with its patchwork cove
that she had made herself. and III
cat. thin but contented. purred on hi