The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-02-13

annie, girl"
"The-the way he looks when he
comes home nights and-and nobody
here but me waiting. The way he
looks! | tell you, he's backsliding,
Liddy, straight to HI. With our baby
gone, he's backsliding, and I can't stand
it with him, Liddy. | can't. / won't"
"Annie, Annie, my poor. poor An
ME- cried Liddy Kineady, folding the
crumpled figure close to her spare one
"My poor, poor Annie" And huddled
there. they wept with the wind
whinnying down the fiue and the
sound of the flashing and washing of
rain in their ears.
"You can come home with me, An
| ME, and stay few days"
"No, no; that don't do no good. He
knows 1 can't hold out against him IL
I'm only across the tracks from him.
He knows the minute he's himself
again, with his head up, he can get
me back. That sort of going don't do
no good, Liddy. You can't do me no
good"
"God knows I done my duty by you,
warning you that morning in April,
Annie, Steve wasn't no saint, but as
fine boy if"
Yes, and / took the chance. Took
the chance, with Orrick Lowney crazy
| wild to ditch over his grandfather and
a million If I'd close my millinery shop
| to be his misses and off to Europe with
him. Took the chance and stuck In
this burg with him through those first
two years Of HI before the baby came
took"
Annie, you're making yourself sick,
girlr
| TOOK a chance! And even with
everything wasn't sorry. But I'm done
now! What got left I'd like to know,
with my baby gone and the thirst back
on him? I amt got the strength to
stand 1t, Lfddy. From the gayest girl
In two counsies I'm a wreck, Liddy
Look at me, wreck, Liddy. Both my
babies gone, one worse than"
"But, Annie, dear Lords sake, An
ME"
Done, tell you. Sister or no sis
ter Of his, can't help what you are
I'm done. ! swore to him last night
and he was too silly to hear me, but
swear to You now, Liddy, and to Goo
above"
"Annie!"
that I'm done. And IL you don't
believe me. look at my packed tele
scope there In the corner and my vel
on my hat, and"
annie"
| HE had enough respect for his jot
all these years never to show up there
tipsy; he had enough respect for his
baby never to let him smell the vile
ness on his fathers breath. He-he'!
got enough respect for his sister never
to- want her to be here, at the house
when he-he comes home silly, but
but what's he got for me? His wife
For me! What, Liddy, what7 What? ?
And she fell forward in her own arms
drenched in bath of tears.
Hes your husband, Annie; befor,
God. he's your husband, and nothing
can change It."
Il tell you, Liddy, If he comes hom'
red-eyed tonight, so help me If there
anything can change me. There's tn
seven-fifty St. Louis Accommodation
out of here, and I tell you I'm done
I Done"
mo, no. Annie girl. You come to me
For Gods sake, you come to me. I
1t amt all well tonight, I'll keep tn
lamp burning for you in the side win
dow and the shade up so you'll see II
Annie, when you reach the tracks. r,
stay here with you. Annie, only
makes Steve sore If I stay to-to Sc
him come like that. I'll keep the light
girl, and-and you come to me. Z
mel"
mo, no, Liddy, that amt the kind O
done I am. Beasley's always got
corner for me somewhere I'm her room
ing house. I can get Job trimmin' Il
Einstein's there easy as anything. an