The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-11-08
AMY AND JORDAN
Chapter 2


Mrs. Talbot fluttered when she was
excited and she was visibly worked
up over the appearance of the letter
She declared that she could not read
1t without her glasses, and she did
not remember where she had left
them.
In your sewing basket upstairs"
Amy told her. Let me open the let
ter and read it. I'd love to-"
So the girl opened the envelope,
while everyone stood about to listen,
including the postman who, of course,
knew all the family affairs.
Dear Mother: Well be down
Thursday. on the train that's due at
Hornbrook at 8:35. Claire says she
will come with me. l hope you will
like her and that she'll like the farm
She hasn't been in the country for
years, so | suppose the inconvenience
Will seem strange to her. But fix up
everything as nice as you can, won't
you? I've been a little i'll, so we'll
stay several weeks and | can help
father around the place.
Your dutiful son,
Luther"
Your dutiful son, Luther" Amy re-
peated and giggled at the quaintness
Of the phrase
What's wrong with that?" came
the rebuking voice of her father Il
taught him that when he was a boy
There's others might show a little re-
spect now and then"
Amy accepted the rebuke silently.
If she heard it, it had little, or no ef-
feet on her. Praise and blame rolled
off her as lightly as drops of water
from the polished wings of a bird.
Amy pursued her own way, serene
except when the blame fell too heav-
lily.
You'll stay for dinner, won't you ~
Mrs Talbot asked the postman, who
accepted promptly, and for greater
comfort took off the coat and cap of
his uniform. Bills route was long
and tiresome, and it was the custom
for him to eat with whichever family
he came to at meal time. He had the
distinction of refusing at least three
invitations daily. He was indeed a
valued guest, for he brought all the
news and gossip from every house be-
tween him and the nearest town of
Hornbrook. He gathered gossip as a
rolling SNOWFALL gathers more snow,
and to many homes he was the sole
break in the monotony of the day.
And this was in northern Pennsyl-
vania-only few hours from four
big cities and one metropolis.
Amy Talbot did not rest until every
dish had been put away from the
evening meal and until it was too
dark to see the weeds that grew in
her flower beds. By this time in sum
mer it was almost bedtime, but there
was a brief interlude.
She came up to the porch, and
dropped down on the top step. She
always seemed to collapse at this mo-
ment of the day, the first moment
from the time she opened her eyes
that she allowed herself to relax. She
was As and looked more. She had
possessed superb health and strength
in her youth-only that had kept him
from being worked out long before
this.
She was as faded and dry as long
forgotten rose pressed between the
leaves of some old book Indeed, she
gave much the impression OF q rose
that had once bloomed, for her figure
was not large. There had been a
daintiness, and a red and white pref
tiness, full lips and shining eyes and
cheeks that flushed easily-but it was
long ago. She was hollow chested
now from bending over low tables
and kitchen stoves, round shouldered
from wash-boards and scrubbing
floors. Often she worked too fast to
stop and straighten up, so her walk
was often a sort. of slide and shuttle
from place to place
Her eyes were pale gray, and they
peered narrowly at objects that were
near. Some have the wide-eyed ex-
preston of those used to looking over
long distances, a look Of space and
great comprehension. But Amy Tai
bot had gazed so long at the tiny triv.
ial things Immediately about her that
she could no longer see the greater
things that were beyond her imme
date reach. And this applied to her
physical and her mental eyes as well
Her whole mind had been taken up by