The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-02-18

OoBynght l&e. By Ths wheeler Syndicate, IAe.
"Back?'
Yes" she said taking fresh grip
on the telescope and lurching the child
higher on her shoulder. Then she
struck out up the railroad track, down
foOtpath running parallel with the
sheep chutes, past two blocks Of the
bOx-shaped houses and diagonally
across the street Of a third.
Her gate creaked, but the garden
lay newly turned, thick clods Of earth
smooth yet from the spade On edge and
ready for seed. Within that kitchen
the table lay Uttered from a single
breakfast, cup and a saucer and eggy
plate piled together and beside them a
I lof OF bread, torn. not cut.
Otherwise little change, except that
| her row of tins over the indoor cistern
had furnished and a wreath of red
| peppers had rOtted from their string.
| Blinking back tears that would rise,
Annie Kineady laid the sleeping child
in the rocker, fitting 1t. and the teie-
| scope In corner beside a basket of
| piled up vegetables.
Set about washing the small litter
| OF dishes and reiaying the table. this
time with a white fringed cloth gar
| nered from front room and the dishes
| laid out In form. The stove, too clOgged
to draw, smoked out of every fue, and,
| covering over the face of the child,
twice she staggered out beneath the
| load of two ash-pans TO q dump at the
end Of the yard, the white dust en-
velOping her.
| At Ave o'clock the sun got low and
with her fire believing and the window
curtains pinned back the strong smells
| OF strong foods rose off the stove,
drifting out into the freshly turned side
| garden.
At six o'clock the medley of steam
whistles rose like rockets from the
various roofs Of the Wellington-Lowney
Wire works, and with her face so red
that IT stung, she knelt beside the low
| rocker. shaking the small figure there
Robbie. Baby! Wake up, smoky
ums! So long mommy's darling beer
asleep, Wake up, Robbie darling"
The child came out OF sleep, smiling
and gOuging his small fists into hii
eye-sockets.
Robbie, darling. wake up so nom
my can fx baby's new lace collar nice
on straight. Wake up, mommy's dar
ling" She lifted him to the bed Of nel
arms. burrowing a kiss down upoI
him.
Smoky -ums. wake up! Whoop Il
la! Way-upsky! Whoop"
And set him to laughing in the fal
setto. hiccOughy fashion Of childhood
his short, fair curls bobbing as sh
tossed him. Then set him down, jerk
ing mt the fresh wide collar.
Tell mommy now, darling, wha
mommy learned her baby to say a.
the way on choo-choo. What my dal
ling say when big man with big puffy
puffy cheeks like this cemesT'
"Choo-choo carl"
NO, no, darling. whatf
He beat at her in small fashion 70
release, scrambling from the edge @
her lap.
mo, mol Mommy's darling sta.
right here till big man comes, and the
. big man with cheeks pulled out lik
a this. See! Now give mommy Frenc
v love-pat."
He lay back In her arms, small han
= up against her cheek, stroking it.
"Mom-mie!"
That's right darling, love mommJ
q And now-and now tell mommy whit
w. | To I pnhh
q learned on choo-choo. When big ma
. comes, what Robbie say? Da-what'
a "Da-dee"
q Yes, yes. darling. and then what
>. Then whatT
"Da-dee,''
n YES. da-dee. Giddy-whatf"
10 "Da-dee. Giddy-app! Da dee, gidd
q app"
=, Around the side yard. his big tres
~ dumping on the plank walk, can
Steven Kineady. and she rose to h
D. approach, moving toward the frame
"a the door. ~
- At FIRST glimpse he paused on II
Al outside, blinking to verify the sigh
and strobe in. gathering her.
. "Annie-why-wh Annie girl
+
"I know, Steve" she said, lookil
through dry eyes down into his al
CO. their cistern-like depths, Il kno
10 Stevie."
e. His face was so close to hers, rea
ing down into 1t so clearly, so silent
and so long, that at their feet {
child fell to tugging and pulling.
.'Da-dee, giddy-app! Giddy-app, d
dee!'
THE END
lie.
me CRACKER LUNCH ROOM
ain