Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-15
I'D BY Edith Barnard Delano

them. Anita watched his mired a,..
touching their pink and whitene,,
ressing them. laying them 80 th,.
stems protruded. Then he climboa
and knelt beside the Lox on the ,rorss
"Would you want to see NV, !
kcd.
"Oh, yes!" Miriam mu,n,.
STOPPING; Anita had all she cou,s =
not to draw back. But she coma -.
take her eyes from those soil. .,,,..
hands with their nails broken h, ..S
as they unfastcned the paper 80
hands were shaking, shaking; III. NV NV
did not look up.
"It's velvet. see-white vc,v..v
Miriam knelt and touched N. -.
fabric. "Oh, lovely, lovely" Oh. s~
"Twins,' the man said, hi. ,.,..
husky. They're layin' in tber. % ~.
their arms around each other, N.
look like little dolls"
1T isn't everybody has twins" M,,,
lam said. you've had them"
That's what my wife said. ~.
glad we had them anyway, Ben, =.
said.' He laid the little bo, dov,
upon the soft bed of flowers.
Anita, feeling as though the w,p,, 4,
her spirit were beating agains. n.
heart, stumbled away into the vo.A.
Last years leaves underfoot; A 49,
thrush in the path; ferns unfo,d,n.
and-nnd the earth falling from ~
spade, back there =. = Life, that ~.
life, everywhere honest life, tb,,
gave and gave, and made Won M,
'' Bread Of understanding = =.
Water Of comfort 80 Micbao,
CHE found their little house ,o.,.,
~ and unlighted; she guessed that /.
had not used It since her flight, Al.
found him on the old couch in nj. n.
flee, an arm thrown over his ere, !,
the gesture II sleep that she rem,m.
bered. Her picture was still on A.
desk; but the Uttered untidiness a. N.
papers, his crumpled clothes, the w.,r,
relaxation Of him, all impressed her !.
never before with the pitiable helplen.
ness Of the male, his unconscious A.
pendence on woman made comfort
Observation-Disclosures" Oh. on h,
knees-just to touch him "ss
The eyes that met hers were like tb,.
other mans who had lost and suffered,
blackened from a fire that had burned
too hot and too long. "Nita!" hs
whispered. Then, sitting up, "Ni.sl
It's-Nita!"
Not sob-speech first, and Ia,
hands upon him. "Michael! I've coma
back. I'm sorry. Michael. didn',
understand! !"
Understand"
"It's you I want, Michael--and III,
to be together. I'm willing to pay
His grasp on her arms hurt her, bu,
the hurt made her glad. "Nita! wha
are you talking about? Pay?"
"Pay-yes! I've found out. Michat
I've thought, oh, thought! I va
l. wrong-I wanted happiness. and
wasn't willing to pay for 1t. though
you could have, without paying.
know better now. You have to pay 10
everything-life makes you do that
whether you want to or not. But Il
worth it, Michael, It's worth It,"
His face close to hers. his eys
II smoldercd, with glcam of fire
e them deep. "Worth it,"
"Ah-yes! You and me, together
Il That's the great thing. Nothing els
q counts. Life-I want all Of 1t, 900
;, days and bad; all our joy and even
d even sorrow. And children-I war
children; and work. and-and wantn
and hoping-oh, I want you! Yov
IS Michael! I'm willing to pay whats''
q Now 1t was his arms that hurt, an
his heart on hers that made the singinl
"Oh. my darling! Life cant be 10y
!. enough. to pay for oil that! ns'
t. Oh. spring ana blossoming summe
Is and the fall of leaves. Oh. life and !
p song and it's battles! Oh, the del
weight of his head on her breast, h
:, hand on his hair! Oh, promise-fu
tillment.
|. "Yes. dear yes! I'm here wi
!; !; you ="
~ Copvrtght. 1898. bv United Feature syrdloo
n All rights reserved. Reproduction prohihted.