News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-12-07

minutes with small messages or gifts
| With her bare, bright head, her bus!
white hands, her voice all motherl,
amusement and sympathy and sweet
ness she had never seemed so muol
q Wife She had the pleasantest laugl
In the world and she often laughed
The slck-room was kept with exquisite
simplicity, with such freshness, bare
ness, and order as made it a place OF
delight, One day Cherry brought home
a great Vikory bowl of silvery glass
and a dozen drifting goldfish, and Mar
| tin never tired Of watching them idly
| while he listened to her reading.
CHERRY" Peter said, on a wet Janu-
airy day, when he came upon her in the
dining room, contentedly arranging a
fragrant mass of wet volets, II think
Martins ont of the woods now l be-
iieve I'll be moving along!"
"Oh, hut we want you always, Pc
terri she said, innocently regretful
The ghost of panied smile fitted
across his face.
Thank YOU he said, gently. But
think | will 60" he added, mildly
She made no further protest.
But where?' she asked, sympa-
thetically,
81 don't know. shall take Buck
start off iowa the big mountains.
I'll write YOU i 'v nd then, of course
I'm going home, nrst!"
Just now" Cherry mused, sadly,
perhaps it is best-for you--to get
away! Now that Martin is so much
better" she added, in a little burst 81
do feel so sorry for you, Peter!
know how you feel shall miss her
always, of course" said Cherry, "hut
| have him."
u try not to think of her" Peter
>aiA hnging UP his head.
"When you do" Cherry said, earn
estly, giving him more of her attention
tlian had been usual OF late, Here is
something to think, Peter. It's this;
we have so much TO be thankful for,
because she neyer-knew 1t was
madTCsS,' Cherry went on, eagerly,
sheer nladueSs-that is clear now. l
don't try to explain it, because it's all
been washed away by the frightful
dining that happened. I'm different
now; you're dillerent-I don't know
now we ever thought we could"
There was silence during which
she looked at him anXiousy, but the
expression on his face did not alter
and he did not speak.
>"And what | think we ought to be
thankful for" she resumed, lis that
AliX would rather--she would rather
have it this way. She told me that
she would be heart-brolien if there had
been any actual separation between
me and Martin a.d how much worse
that would have beeu-what we.
planned, | mean. She was spared
that ana we We're spared-I see it
noW-What would have ruined both our
lives. We were brought to our senses,
and the awakening only came little
sooner than it would have come any
way!"
Peter had walked to the window,
and was looking out at the shabby
winter trees that were dripping rain,
and at the beaten garden, where the
drenched Chrysanthemums had been
bowed to the soaked earth.
Here in Dads home" Cherry said,
coming to stand beside him, Il see
how wicked and how mad l was. In
another twenty four hours it would
have been too late-you don't know
how often / wake UP in the night and |
Shiver thinking that And as it's, |
am here in the dear Old house and |
Martin-Well, you can see that even
Martins life is going to be far happier
than it ever. was It's such joy to
me-" she added, with the radiant look
she often wore when her husbands i
comfort was under consideration, "to !
feel that we need never worry about |
he money end of things-there's ;
enough for what we need forever!"
You must never worry about mon
~" he told her. "And if ever you
need tiff it is a question of long
rip or of more operations-if there is
my chance"
II shall remember that | have big
Drother!" she said.
sThe room was scented by the sweet,
lamp flowers, and by the good odor
IF hzily burning logs; yet to Peter
here was chill and desolateness in the
lir Cherry took up the glass bowl in
10Th careful hands, and went away in
he direction of the study, but he stood
1t the window for a long time staring
lully out at the battered chrysanthe-
NUNS and the >swishing branches, and
he steadily falling rain.
A few days later, on a day of I'M
certain sunshine and showers, Peter
eft them. To Cherry Peters going
vas a relief; it burned one more
bridge behind her. 1t confirmed her
n the path she had chosen; it was to
Ter spirit like the cap that marks the
accepted student nurse, or like the
'iack Golf that replaces the postuant's
White veil of probation.