The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-11-12
ARRIVAL
Chapter 6


Amy intended that the shabby place
should look its very best. and she had
the good sense TO know that fresh flow
ers, even In cracked. jars, helped enor-
mously. 1t was the last and the pleas
ATTEST Of her household duties, and
she did not get around TO it until the
very hour of their arrival. Meantime
their own early supper had been eaten
and cleared away, and Mr.. Talbot had
gone off TO Hornbrook with the team
of horses and wagon large enough to
hold the trunks.
Mrs. Talbot. stiffly dressed in her
best gown-which had been her best
for the last five years-sat in a rocker
on the porch. She was thoroughly ex-
hausted although thoroughly happy
Biscuits were ready to go into the oven
as soon as the team should appear the
table was spread for a cold supper in
the little used dining room in the farm
house. The whole place was spotless
and as stiff in its immaculate precis-
ion as the high collar on her dress.
Amy, in her black serge skirt and the
new waist Mrs. Talbot had somehow
round time to make, sat on the lawn
below her, trimming the edge of the
flower beds. Amy had to go on work
ing. She was very much excited over
the coming of the new sister-in-law,
and when she was excited she could
never keep still. In the fading day her
hair shone with a light of its own. a
coppery-red flame that made a halo
around her head.
Luther was a good boy" the mother
har
chief with the lace friIl He didn't
get into mischief like the other boys,
and he didn't like to play pranks He
used to be lot of help to your father
around the place here when we were
TOO Door to afford a hired man He'd
finish up his farm work first before
he'd do his studying"
Then he sat up all night studying
10 pass his examinations" Amy said,
having some recollections of her own.
He worked almost till dawn. and at
dawn he had to get up to do the milk
ing"
He passed his college examina-
tons" Mrs. Talbot said. as though this
ended the matter.
Yes, and he got sick as soon as he
was in college, and went on studying
lust the same. He was sick when he
took his first job, and he's never got
ten over trying to work and study at
he same time. Father might have
hired man and given Luther fair
chance, or else not done so much work
around the place"
You shouldn't criticise your father.
it's wicked, the mother exclaimed.
angrily
Amy did not answer but worked fast
er trimming the ragged grass around
the flowerbed. She remembered those
huge grey eyes of her brothers that
stared so out of his hollow face when
he was trying to do double duty-his
duty to his father, who demanded man
ual labor, and to himself to get out of
the sitting atmosphere of his home.
Luther had always been so gentle. so
very good, so strict in all his princi-
pies. He never rebelled against his
fathers harshness nor criticised his
mother for her narrowness. He lee
tured Amy in the gentlest fashion for
her childhood fibs and her little decep-
tons, and nothing ever would tempt
him TO do anything he did not approve.
Jordan Talbot, recognizing his sons
goodness. thought of making him
minister, and was bitterly disappointed
when the boy himself decided to be-
come civil engineer
Luther, in spite of his gentleness and
goodness had a sense of fun and was
adored by his two sisters.
There was a long silence while AMY
pouted at her scolding and went on
with her work, and while the mother
thought back over her sons childhood
and her own married life. It had been
bitterly hard life. She herself could
not possibly know how hard. Two chill
dren had been born and died at birth,
after Luther had come
Jane had been the fourth child and
the second to grow up. She was %
now, and between her and Amy lay
sever years of struggle with deadening
poverty and hard work. Another child,
son, was born and lived only a month
and after that Mrs. Talbot had been
i'll, and for three years did not 20 fur
Their than the grounds of her own yard.
Amy was born when there was a
little more money, and Amy, according
10 her mothers standard. had been
spoiled. Amy wanted things beyond A
mothers comprehension. Amy said
things she could not approve Of She
was afaid whenever she thought Of