Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-07-19
CHAPTER vIII.-continued.


$50 you see what mean. I'm all
a1one-all alone
"Yes."
"AIl aIonel" repeated Mrs. Sanders,
her voice rising to shrek. "Oh, it's
awful. never been alone before. /
hain't told you how twas, but-two
years ago-I lost my husband-my
mother-then my brother. It left me
absolutely alone. don't get
over it. Sometimes" Her words
sank. Sometimes think l shall go
crazy-that may end it"
Mrs. Penfield regarded her calmly.
"Guess most of us feel that way, first
or last. But it's only selfishness talk
qng to us. Easiest thing we can do is
to CO."
Mrs. Sanders stopped In her pacing.
The keenness of her establishment
drove the tension out Of her bearing !;
she was suddenly limp from the shift
ing of emotion.
"Youl" she exclaimed
Mrs. Penfield gave het q smile that
had nothing in 1t of amusement II, !"
she confirmed. my dear, you didn't
s'pose did you, that the Lord had
singled you out to see If He could
break a string in your hearth"
But you'll I'd never thought AS
you"
Mrs. Penfield's face settled into
lines that Mrs Sanders had not seen
before-into the rigidity of forced
control. 81 don't speak Of it." she
said jerkily. 81 can't. It hurts more.
Amt nobody here knows. l
had a pretty home once. My-my
husband was a contractor; he had a
fine income. We had th-three chill
dren." The words trailed into silence.
Her brown eyes, with heightened
focus, were fixed on the wall beyond
her hostess, as if she were seeing pic
lures out of a past that had receded
but not grown dim.
Presently she went on, her voice
lower, her breathing uneven, speaking
more to herself than to another, so
far was she withdrawn from the pres
ent. ave were happy = happy =
until There was an epidemic The
worst of it had passed. We had
escaped; we thought we were safe.
The relief from anxiety made us
more thankful, happier, than ever.
One night we've had jolly sup
per-the five of us, at the round
table. There was green peas and
custard pie. Little David loved to
see it tr-tremble. He was
three. His curls were like
twists OF sunshine, and his. eyes
were the deepest blue. And
Katherine and Bobby They were
all so well, rosy, full of laughter
But-that very night-frst one and
then another. In the morning
they were-gone. Think Of it! Be
fore day broke, they were-all my
babies-gonel" Her eyes lifted; the
lines of her face were twisted in
agony. She had forgotten her sur
roundings, re-living those hideous
hours.
"Oh, my DEAR" said Mrs. Sanders
softly, show did you ever stand itY'
stand itY' Mrs. Penfield took up
the words with momentary vehe-
mence. ST didn't stand it. went mad
raving mad. Everything I'd ever be-
iieved in, went down." Her sad eyes
came back to her neghbor's face Mrs.
Sanders gaze had lifted to Mrs. Pen
aeld's heavy hair, nearly white,
strangely out of keeping with the
look of youth that fingered in her fea-
lures and expression.
Mrs. Penfeld caught the glance. ut
turned that night" she said indiffer-
emily. at didn't natter"
And your-yOur-"
Mrs.. Penfeld's lips worked. at
killed my husband" she replied slow
ly. "Not at once, but-he never got
over it. He was devoted to his
family. he hadn't been well. +.
He ran down fast. We sold-trav-
eled-ev'rything 1t didn't
help. In six months"
"Oh, my dear!" repeated Mrs. San
ders pityingly. "That was when"
Mrs. Penfeld nodded. at would
have been easy-so easy-to go, too.
The hard thing was to stay-in an
empty world. Nothing"
Ell know how you felt. You-you
cared"
"Cared" Mrs. Penfeld's tone
shook tbs word to shreds and cast it