Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1922-04-20
The
Chimney-Swifts
By MYRA c. LANE
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Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union.
Every spring, as soon as Mrs. Hale
had ceased to burn the fire in the par
Tor stove, the swifts would build In
the chimney. Sometimes there was
the fiutter Of wings against the iron
pipe, sometimes the "tweet tweetw Of
fledglings. s.
There's the swifts back again."
the old woman would say to her
daughters, Muriel and Rachel.
she liked to hear them. and how
ever cold that spring might be, Of
course the advent of the building
swifts made fires impossible.
Mrs. Hale lay in her bed upstairs.
She would never leave 1t again, but
ahe might live months, even years,
he doctor said. Rachel did all the
] ousework. Muriel was Z stenOgrapher
il the mill.
Burton Hendricks was coming to
zee Muriel. He was twenty-five, and
a travelling salesman. He was con-
tGISu ny lhC SlIlS vi
TIE village. Muriel knew as well as
lachel did that his reputation was
lot the best. But she was tired Of
tie mill. And Burton was infatuated
v 18th her. There was NO doubt she
could marry him.
Rachel found him nice too. But
Rachel was different from Muriel. She
believed in love, which, to Muriel,
meant only a fiat in town, a maid, per-
h,.ps car some day. Anyway, good
time. Rachel, who was only eighteen,
wondered.
see I'm Murlel. Did he not see how
shallow, how empty she was? How
blind all men were!
He was coming to see Muriel for
the first time In month. He had
written that he had made "killing"
on the road. He was to be made sales
manager for his firm..
That week was freezing cold. In the
pipe the baby swifts were twitterlng.
Mother, we must have a fire in
the parlor for Burton. What will he
think Of us?"
."Are the swifts come yet, Muriel?"
Che old woman looked at her anx-
iously.
''They haven't built yet. A little
smoke will scare them away. They
haven't made their nest, and Burton's
coming, Ma"
IF you're sure, Muriel :"
Rachel had not heard. Her sister
had sent her to, the village for pro-
visions 1t was four miles to that par
tlcular shop where alone you could
buy things good enough for Burton.
Rachel trudged drearily through the
slush. How blind Burton must be!
She loved him. She was jealous Of
her sister. She thought her unworthy.
When she came back she saw smoke
pouring out Of the parlOr chimney.
She threw the provisions on the
| kitchen table and ran to Muriel in
the parlor. Her face was white.
"Muriel" she gasped. "You-you've
lit the psrlor fire. The swifts-"
Bother the swifts!" said Muriel.
A little brown body, then another,
tumbled down the pipe and quivered
upon the logs. With a cry Rachel
, picked them up and carried them to
the door. The eyes Of the f1edglingS
were glazed. Their hearts had ceased
to pulsate.
Rachel stood there in horror. Then,
deliberately, she carried the dead birds
to thekhedge and put them under q
heap of loose soil. Her eyes were
blazing. Burton ought to be told.
Why shouldn't he be told? Muriel
was not fit to marry Burton, not fit
! for any man.
How long she crOuched there she
did not know. Long afterward, when
she returned, she heard BurtOn's
voice in the parlOr.
"Where's Rachel, wonder"
DAY dreaming somewhere, guess"
answered Muriel carelessly.
"Say, >Muriel, did l ever tell you
the story Of the drummer and the
fiea?"
Rachel listened. Muriel burst into
Shrieks OF laughter and Burton Joined
in. How coarse his voice sounded.
"Say, Muriel, when Is 1t to beT'
BE? What be"
"Why, you and me-church-parson
-ring-nice little fiat for two-hap-
by as turtle doves"
Through the doorway Rachel saw
Buttons fat, jovial face. She shud-
dered. How had she ever dreamed
she cared for him?
She was glad Muriel was going to
marry Burton. They were well suited
to each other Her eyes were opened
her heart, her understanding. She
had become a woman-through the
understanding of suffering, through
sorrow. ~