The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-03-30
Chapter q.
GROWING FEAR.
Somehow November had pa

Somehow November had passed,
4 somehow December had come, and
almost gone. Ruth paused in her
. work to glance out of the window at
the flying snow flakes 1t was one of
the first SHOWS. She wondered vaguely
/, whether there would be enough to
make the ground white.
b. She hated the winter-probably be-
> cause in the past the big house had
= been insufficiently heated And there
was less activity in Marketown in cold
!, weather. In the summer there were
& picnics. and long evenings when
, crowds of young folks gathered on
each others porches, to sing or play
: games, or make fudge.
- Its cold out" Mrs. Bedding re-
marked. taking off her shabby hat and
coat as she came into the kitchen.
a.. You are back early" Ruth said,
> with surprise. Have you had lunch?
4 I'll get you some; I have just baked,
and the tea is still fresh"
& Thank you, kindly I will get myself
something" Mrs. Belongs gentle
little voice contained both gratitude
g. and protest While the girl finished
,- her work she fixed herself meal
2 on one end of the kitchen table.
,- Mrs. Gerhardt got sick, so had to
stop work there early. Guess she is
going 10 have baby-got dizzy stand
of i'll for weeks now
She reflected over this situation, her
rstea cup held aloft in one hand, the
: arm Of which rested comfortably on
the table. Always holding the cup in
the air, she took occasional sips, and
retailed the gossip she had picked up
during the day Mrs. Bedding was
as good as the local newspaper; in
fact, much better, for she repeated i'll
her gentle. pessimistic way, items of
gossip and scandal that no paper
would have dared to print
She was a curious little person
Amelia Bedding. She had been born
in Buffalo, and at some extremely
: early part of her career she had eloped
4 from that'town with a travelling sales
man. She had gone about the country
- with him, usually in wagon-for in
those days craftsmanship was a differ
ent ding from what it is now-and
she had thoroughly enjoyed the rowing
gypsy life they led.
Contrary to all rules of convention,
Mr.. Bedding did not desert her in some
distant city, nor did it turn out that
he already possessed a few wives. as
friends in Buffalo cheerfully predicted.
After many years they settled down.
too many babies having arrived to
make travelling easy. Mr.. Belding
took sick and Mrs. Bedding began US
ing the little talent for sewing she haG
shown when young girl
Some of the children grew up. But
by this time they had died, and so had
the handsome-once handsome-Mr
Belding. The woman was left alone,
so many years out of touch with her
family in Buffalo she had almost for.
gotten them, alone with a measre in
come and an indifferent ability to cut
and fit and baste-alone, the product
of another generation, scarcely not
iced by this.
This will be Mrs. Gerhardts fifth
child in six years. she reflected
There's a boy baby born at the Per
kins's too | hear. Oh yes, and the
Gainsly's are going TO move out OF
town, to Philadelphia, think. Lord,
remember that place! Must be lots
bigger now. Is there more tea, Rutn!
By the way. l had to stop on at