Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-02-10

not cneery outlook, with rain making
pools OF the deep worn ruts, and SOM
Der clouds turning the twilight to dark
ness. But Saran took in the view phil
osophically, just as she took the
cheerlessness and somberness of her
own life.
Time had been, years ago, wEeL the
roadside cottage was a house of mirth,
merry with young peoples laughter
and comfortable with the protecting
presence of the old.
Sarah's parents had long since
passed to their reward, while the sis
tiers, who were all older than she, lived
in various distant homes, more or less
selfishly absorbed in their own fami
lies. Sarah had chung to the old place,
at first through duty to her older in
valids, then because there was no place
else to go.
She managed to keep the cottage
heated and comfortable; to tend and
sing over tt vegetables in her garden,
to keep there, aside, a little plot of
flowers with which TO cheer the sick
or rejoice, perhaps, in some affair of
the living.
Sarah was always glad when the sto-
ries ended happily, and sometimes,
after she had laid the paper aside, she
would sit in the coy, silent room be-
fore the fire, picturing to herself a
romance which might have been her
own. Sarah was sixty nova good,
wholesome, pink-cheeked sixty - but
she had put her hope of love aside,
She lighted another yellow shaded.
lamp in the small yellow dining room
and moved about setting the supper
table.
She smiled with a sort of weary
amusement as she put down a second
cup and plate opposite her own then
added a knife and fork for company
For twenty years Sarah had been do
ing this same useless thing. 1t seemed
less like being alone to see that other
place ready-and waiting, almost as if
the door might open at any moment to
admit her companion. Then when the
supper was quite ready Sarah went
out to the stable to shut up old Moll
for the night.
Moll was the white horse, and Sa-
rah's desolation so pre.ed upon her
out there in the rain and the darkness
that she was tempted to linger beside
old MOll, just to feel the comfort of
a living presence. And as she stun
bled up the steps Of the back porch she
came all at once face to face with the
human presence of a smilingly apollo
getic and very wet old man.
RaindrOps were cleaning on his
white beard, rivulets ran from the brim
of his felt hat.
BEG pardon, ma am" said the old
man gently, "but l reckon I've come
pretty far in the storm and can't get
on to where was goin'. Kin dry up
a spell by your fire which shines
through the window? 1t looks invit-
ing, must say" And as the old mans
request was coupled with very evil
dent shiver, Sarah's protective heart
Immediately responded.
"Go right in ahead of me-" she said
cordially; sit amt no time for formali
ties"
But when the old man was rid of his
overcoat and was resting in Sarah's
fathers arm chair he smiled again in
his deprecatory way and took a card
from his pocket
''That's my name," he said, "Ebe-
nezer Styles. Reckon you're acquaint-
ed with young E. Styles? Well, he's
my son."
"Eben Styles" Sarah repeated, awed,
''the lawyer down to the yillage-him,
your son? Hadn't you better telephone
to keep him from worryin' for fear you
amt coming back"
The old man sadly shook his head.
"The only thing that'll worry Eb.-
or leastways Eds wife," he said slow
ly, "is the fear that ! will come back.
Seems I kind of make 'em shamed all
the time. Eds wife she amt been
used to my kind. An reckon"
The wrinkled face lit up with grim
humor. "Reckon don't never want to
get used to her kind So when I tele-
phone 'em it'll be just to say that I
amt goin' back"
"But what" asked Sarah wonder
ingly, "be you goin' to do?"
THAT" Ebenezer Styles replied,
twill be decided later. I've sold prop
erty, an get my interest regular from
the money what sold it for"
"Jest now, them" Sarah said briskly,
"come an have little supper"
The old man looked hesitatingly at
the table laid so neatly for two "You
was expectin' company" he said.
"ain't | putin somebody out?"
"For twenty years." she said, Il bin
expectin' somebody, an until tonight
nobody ever came''
Long the man and woman sat in
the sunshine of the yellow lamp, with
the storm but an echo outside, pouring
into each others sympathetic and I'M
ears story of lonely
years past.
For being with just folks" Ebe-