Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1922-04-06
CHAPTER x.

There was trouble at Linda's house;
trouble so terrible that Harriet's unex-
pected arrival caused no comment,
caused no more than a weary flicker
of Linda's heavy eyes. Pip. the adored
first-born son, lay dangerously ill, and
the whole household moved on tiptoe,
heartsick with dread. 1t was diph-
iberia, very bad, Fred stated lifelessly
Linda hardly left the room; they were
afraid for her, too, 'if anything hap
pened." "If' anything happened!' !'
Harriet thought she had heard the
phrase a hundred times before the
dreadful night came.
She had taken Linda's place for an
hour, but before it was up the mother
came back. and they kept their vigil
together. Fred answered the strange.
untimely ringing of the doorbell,
brought in packages. conferred in the
halls with the doctors. Midnight
came, two O'Clock, four o'clock.
Suddenly there was panic. Har-
riet, by chance in the hall, saw Linda
and Fred and the doctors together.
heard Linda's quick, anguished Yes"
and Fred's Anything r. Her heart
pounded; the nurse ran upstairs. Har-
riet fell upon her knees with a sob
bing whisper, "No-no-noT and Lin
da cIung to her husband with a cry
torn from the deeps of her heart, 'Oh,
Pip-my own bOy!"
Dawn came slowly and reluctantly
at seven; the village lay bleak and
closed under a sky of unbroken gray.
Here and there smoke streamed up
ward from a chimney, or a window
pane showed an oblOng of pale light
Harriet put out the light that was
becoming unnecessary. But her heart
was singing for joy, and the house
was brimful of an inner light and
| cheer that no winter bleakness could
| touch. The girl had been crying until
she was almost blind, but it was a cry
ing mixed with laughter and prayers
of utter thankfulneSs.
She met Linda at the door, a weary
Linda, CHASTITY as to face, grayer as
to struggling hair, but with such. radi-
ance in her eyes that Harriet, clasped
In her arms, began to cry again.
"Oh, Harriet-if 1 can ever thank
God enough!' Pip's mother said, be-
ginning on her breakfast with one long
sigh. '"Oh, my dear! He's sleeping
like a baby, God bless him, and dear
old Fred is sleeping, too. Oh, Harriet,
to go about the house, as I just have,
covering Nanny and the girls, and
feeling that we're all going to be
happy together again, in few days
my dear, I don't know what I've done
to be so blessed! My boy, who has
never given anyone a moments care
or trouble since he was born-my dar.
ling, who looked up at me yesterday
with his beautiful eyes"
The f1oodgates were loosed, and
Linda laughed and cried, while she
enjoyed her breakfast with the appe.
tite of a normal woman released from
cruel strain, whose whole brood lies
sSfely sleeping under her roof. Nam
my's light illness, Pip's wet feet, Lin
da's unwillingness to believe that II
was anything but a cold, every houl
of the four awful days of danger, sht
reviewed them all. And oh, the good
ness of people. the sOIicitude of nurs,
and doctor, the generosity of God!
It was the afternoon of the next da,
when Harriet could first speak of he
own affairs. Linda listened. over he
mending, nodded, pursed her lips, O.
raised her eyebrows.
If Linda might ever have bee,
worldly minded, she had had her les
son now, and the viewpoint she CAV
Harriet was the lofty one Of a WON
an who has faced a supreme sacrific
without shrinking and with unwayer
,, ing faith.
you did right, dear" she assure
her sister. You could not Stay there
under the circumstances. Whateve
their code is, yours is different. your
has not been vitiated by luxury an
idIeness. AS for Mr.. Carriers talk @
marriage, that, of course, is simply a
insult +"
mo, don't think it was that" Hal
riet said, feeling herself revolt inward
ly at this plain speaking.
II don't see what else it could be,
Linda pursued, serenely. "a marie
;, man-you would be no better than hi
= WELL it's not a nice wOrd-but hi
= mistress!''
: mot at ALL" Harriet said, tryin
= hard to hide the irritation that ros
y rebellious within her, "he is legal
free, or will be soon, and so am II"
81 am speaking of Gods law. NJ
s mans" Linda said, gently but awful