The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-02-24
The Stained Glass Window
Woman Editor Devises Ruse to Convert Grasping
Husband Who Would Erect Memorial to De-
ceased Wife Who Had Been Enslaved
in Farm House in Hills
Copyright by Adams Newspaper Service New York;
in Farm House in Hills
By EARL DERR eiGGERS.

stepping to the window of'the Eagle
!lbaice, stood gazing out on Main
street In the bright light OF the Au.
gust moon. Mapleton looked tdyllic;
its little brick business blocks ex-
uded warm glow. as II they were
there to give, rather than to receive;
It's white stone courthouse was sud.
denly the abode Of a kindly Justice;
its library harbored poets; the citi'
zens wha walked It's streets were
friends AID brothers,
The August moon, however, did not
deceive Miss Parkins, For thirty
years SIZE had translated Mapleton's
daily life into news items for her pa
per, and IT was too late now for her
to see the town as idyllic. She knew
that, like the people who made 1t up.
Mapleton was a mixture Of good and
bad. Humanity 1t strove to be virtu.
Gus; humanity 1t often failed. She
could forgive 1t, serve 1t, even love
It Fundamentally. But she could not
be fooled by the August moon.
A few Of those who passed in the
street looked in at the plump, cheer.
ful.eyed spinster in the window, and
smiled. Advanced" Mapleton called
her, and said 1t with sheer. 1t mat.
tered little to Mapleton that her vision
was the broadcast 1t knew, her sympa.
tales the warmest-that she was, In
truth, a great woman among little
men. It was enough for Napoleon
that. when her old father had died,
she had herself assumed control of
the Eagle, nor felt 1t necessary to call
men to her aid save in subordinate
positions. 1t was enough that, il her
paper, appeared strange talk Of new
and wonderful era dawning for wom-
en-an era at which Mapleton shifted.
But Miss Parkins smiled her calm.
restful smile, and helped the people
Of Mapleton even while they smiled.
Many OF those who passed by her Of.
fco now had come to her at some time
OF other with stories she had no de-
sire to print, and gone away warmed
and comforted by her understanding
She was Mapleton's guide, philoso'
pher, and friend, and, though the town
might deride her philosophy It &C.
cepted her guidance and. deep down
IN its civic heart. loved her as Its
friend.
Down the street, q market basket
on his arm. his wife by his side, came
John Willets. Two years before, the
woman had sought out Miss Parkins.
10 tears. with the news that Willets
had found the struggle in Mapleton
unbearable. and had run away. In
q dark corner at the station, where
he was waiting for train. Miss Par.
kins had discovered him, and sent
him, shame.taced and repentant, back
to his family. Out on the asphalt,
the new automobile Of young Jack
Hemphill sped by. Once, in panic
times. his business had lowered on
the edge Of ruin, and 1t had been Miss
Parkins. with her own money and
her own courage, who had set him
back on the road to prosperity. Fan.
ME Jsynes passed. a good-looking
young man at her side. Only q year
ago Fannie had tired Of the factory,
and had looked with willing eyes at
I the primrose path. 1t had been Miss
FParkins, alone Of all those In Msple-
ton. who had seen and understood;
1t had been she who secured for Fan.
ME another position, and drove the
bitterness from the girls soul.
So they came and went, those who
had known this little spinster IN the
cr1seA OF their lives. And II Miss
Parkins great heart had done much
for them, It had also done much for
Miss Parkins herself. for It had kept
her from getting angular and queru.
ious and old as the years went by. and
It had preserved for her the curves
and the bloom Of youth. Her face was
wsinkled. but they were the wrinkles
Of long years Of smiling. y
Through the plate glass window she
caught q faint echo Of melody. and
remembered that It was band con.
cert night" She opened the door:
from the direction Of the band-stand
IN the park the Tilt Of q new tune drift.
ed In. It WAS the very latest thing In
turkey-trots, but Miss Parkins did not
know this. She only knew that she
liked II for It's cheerful swing. Tap
ping one foot on the floor, she began
to hum the tune beneath her breath
Then she started suddenly. and the
giddy song died on her lips For It
seemed to her that crossing tho street
toward her came Mary Underhill, the
friend OF her youth long, long ago.
Surely that was Mary Underhills step.
alive, eager: her face. fine, iun.loving;
her golden hair. cleaning In the
moonlight. The long years rolled
away. and Miss .Parkins was young
again, waiting for her friend.
BY the time the girl got to the
door, however. Miss Parkins was back
In the present. and It was Mary Tn.
derhill's daughter that she stepped
forward to greet. She noted quick.
" that the girls eyes we're red with
weeping, and that her hands moved
Historically despite the library books
that weighted them down.
Come In. Ina" Miss Parklns said.
holding open the gate BY the counter
over which the classified ads" were
!sesiveA = Vas hoping you'd drop