The Crittenden press., 1922-03-17
CHAPTER vnL

NNN NNH HNNH WNH AN NNN' h"NNNNH =
Costa valley. and be- and Chcfy had
q small house ln Red Greek. the only
town u amy size near the mine. Rel
Greek WAS in a fruItiarm.ug and
dairy region aud looked iis pneities'
on the spring evening when Cherry
saw 10 nrst.
Her little house was a cottage with
porch running ncross the front
where windows looked out from the
sitting room and the front hedrupm
hack u these rooms wcrr a dark llt.
he bathroom that connected the front
bedroom with another smaller bed.
room. little dining reom aud =
kitchen. Martin. man fashion. had
merely camled 10 Kitchen and bedroom
while aWalting bis wife: but Cherry
butioued on her crisp little apfon on
the first morning after her arrival. and
attacked the accumulated dishes On
he sink and the scattered shirts and
collars hmvely.
For a few weeks the novelty lasted
and Cherry was enthusiastic about
everything. She lacked out across her
dishpan 90 grcen fields and the begin.
n.ng Of he farms. she saW The iIiacs
burst into fragrant piumes on the
bare branches u her dooryafd trce
spring flushed the whole world with
loyellness. and she was young. and
healthy, and too busy 10 BE- home.
slck.
The DAYS went on and on. each
bringing lis round u dishes beds.
sweeping. marketing. foldlng and un.
folding tahlecloths. going back and
forth between Kitchen and dining
room Martins breakfast was cfher
promptly served and well cooked. in
which case Martin was silently salts.
ned. or q was late and a failure. when
BE- was very arilculately disguised; Ia
either case Cherry was lcfi % clear
and wash and plan Tor another meal
in four hours more. She scaled fruit.
beat up cake. chopped bones into
klndllngs heated q kettle Of water
and another kettle ~ water. DRAGGED
sheets from the bed only 10 rep'ace
them. filled dishes with food only %
md them empty and rcady 10 wash
again.
u gei sick % iti" she told Martin.
swell. Lorit" be- exclaimed. Don't
you think everybody docsi Don't I
Eei sick of my worki You ought %
have the responsibility of Il all for
a WHILE"
Ills tone was humorously fcprovinr
rather than unklud. Iui such q
speech would ON Chcrry's eyes with
tears and cause her % 20 about the
house al morning with q heavy
heart
She would md herself looking
thouehtfuily ~ Martin in these days.
studying him us n be- were On utter
stranger. u hewiliercd her % feel
that be- actually was ~ more than
that. after two years of marriage. She
not only dli not know him. but she
bad a hafiied sense that the very
nearuess u their union prevented her
from seeing him fairly She knew that
sho hi him Injustice IN her thoughts.
Il must be- injustice. decided Cherry
For Martin socmed 20 her lcss clever.
less just. less intelligent. and less
generous than tho average man ~ her
acquaintance. And yet hc dId not
seem TO Impress other people ln the
way De- Impressed her.
iie was extraordinarily healthy. and
had small sympathy fur Illness weak.
hess Or tie unfortunate. and ihe
comp'a.n.ng ile vhIsilcd over Dis
dressing rad the paPer 90 breakfast.
aud uas goue. A. nom hc rushed In.
Hiuuys lnic. doFuuui h's luuch uu-
rrec.aiIte'y. uni vas gone an.n AZ
rIelf ie uu9 usually tirrd luC.Inci to
quarg. uinut small matters ucIIuci
90 d.unrr1,o oi ihe uru Positions Of
the bedroom furniture. or tle way
Jhpuys hl.r was dressed
he ioyel io p.s poker and was hes.
pltah'c TO a crra|n extent DE- would
whistle aHi Joke over thc prepam.
lions for mrchlt after a game. nnl
would willingly walk i've blocks fof
beer II Cherry had forgotten % get li.
on suadsy be- llkel o. see hsf prcilly
Fuwnrd. nov and then they mutorcl
with bis friends from the mine. more
often walked, ate a hearty chicken
dinner and went TO a cold supper ln
the ne'ehhorhood with "Flye Hun.
dred" to follow. AZ ten their hostess
would nuticr Into her Kitchen. there
would De- lemonade and hpcr and rich
layer cake. Then the men would be-.
glu 90 match poker hands aud the
women 20 discuss babies lu low tones.
Cherry never saw her husband sn
animated or 30 Interested as when
ftan La InN Ifutt.u Irf.... .H........E a.