Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-11-02

N{Kte&:s!NNEE &::sNE| 3 x2E::EI /; i
This Was AIix's Grave, Newly Covered
With Flowers
the hills, in the ccmctery-tniS was
AliN's grave. nr"ly covered with Wilt
ing masses Of llowerS. and he was
keeping everybody waiting. He muir
INJURED an apology; the waiting men
were all kindness and sympathy.
lie got back into the motor car i;
the man who drove them quickly to-
ward the valley talked easily and
steadily to Peter, attempting to inter
est him In the affairs Of some water
company In San Francisco. When they
got to the valley a city train was ar
Giving, nnd Peter saw people looking
NJ uim i'Irt!vely and sorrowfully. He
rV!urMn"rsd the many, many times
hlir iaS naltcd for him at the trains :;
ns glanced toward the big madrone
puGc" which she always parked her
ear She was usually deep In q book
~ "a 'fnsscG from the train, but she
MnU'' ,iinE X into the back seat and
max l"J.a for him beside her. The
dog wuIG 0uund into the tonneau,
Ally wuniG nand her husband his
muH. thr r,,r would start with a great
pio"g" to~Nrd the mountain toward
th" >oyt 6Ult,cn high up on the ridge
INSfvy looked small and pathetic in
her fresh black, and her face was
marked by secret Incessant weeping.
But the nurses and doctors could not
say enough for her self-control; she
was always composed, always quietly
helpful and calm when they saw her,
and she was always busy. From early
morning when she slipped into the
sici-room, to stand looking ut the un-
conscious Martin with Il troubled, in
tent expression that the nurses came
to know we'll, until night, she moved
untiringly about the quiet, shaded
house. She supervised the Chinese
boy, saw that the nurses had their
hours for rest and exercise, telephoned,
busted and arranged the rooms. saw
callers sweetly and patiently, filled
vases with flowers.
Every day she had several vigils in
the sickroom. and every day at least
one long talk with the doctors. Every
afternoon and evening had its callers !;
she and Peter were rarely alone.
Martin was utterly unconscious Of
the life that flowed on about him !;
sometimes he seemed to recognize
Cherry. and would stare with painful
intentness into her face, but after Il
few seconds his gaze would wander
to the strange nurses, and the ro, m
that he had never known, and with
a puzzled sigh he would close his eyes
again. and drift back into his own
strange world Of pain, fever and un-
consciousness.
Almost every day there was the
sudden summons and panic in the old
house. Peter going toward the sick
room with q thick beating at his heart,
Cherry entering, white.fuccd and with
terrified eyes. doctors and nurses gath
ering noiselessly near for the last
scene In the drama Of Martins suffer
ing. But the release did not come.
There would be murmuring among
the doctors and nurses the pulse was
coming. not losing. the apparently
'"'1'. ."'. ymptoms were proving
I",hnf i'" nor final. The tension
''"AN L'.N. doctor would 20,
Ho."' F'l rom the room; Cherry,
ioaN'"a 49, ously from one face to
""'n'N 10 I'D breathe more easily.
II "'@ uses. able, she knew that now
but 'l "n- not to be this minute; 1t
was not - be this hour
MY dear-my dearv Peter said to
her one day. when spent and shaken
she came stumbling from Martins bed
side and stood dazedly looking from
the window into the soaking October
forest, like person stunned from n
blow. MY poor little Cherryl II I
could spare you this!
Nobody can spare me now!" she
whispered. And very simply and
quietly she added: III I have been q
fool--if have bean a selfish, wicked
girl all my life, I am punLshedl
'Cherryl" he protested, heartsIck to
see her 80.
"Was It wrong for us to love each
other, Peter?" she asked in a low tone
II suppose 1t was! suppose it was