The Washington times., 1923-10-09
A Delightful Narrative of Domestic
Life by a Popular Magazine
Writer.
By Charles G. Norris.

s he turned away from the
N telephone, Rosemary's fig
a. ure stood silhouetted black
" in the doorway, the lamp-lish!
In the room beyond shining past
her in a golden flood.
els it the judge? she asked.
1.-The doctors there now; thinks
he may not pull through the
night. I'm going over"
I'll go with YOU"
She said it simply. It was char
acteristic of her. thought Harry,
as he bent over his shoes, lacing
them whit swift fingers, that she
should want to be with him, and
although Hal was sick, there had
been no hesitation. He spoke Of
the boy, but she replied she had
implicit confidence in Mrs. ReQua.
She would ask her to move over
with Patsy to the ranch house
during her absence.
The Hurried Trip.
Twenty minutes later, In the
jouncing Ford, Joe was racing
them toward Vacavflle. The car
lurched from side to side and
Rosemary and Harry. in the back
seat, chung to the worn upholstery
to steady themselves against the
rocking dance. There was a bleary
moon and the sickly shadows Of
lies of trees appeared weird, spec.
trail, as they swept past. An &C.
casional dog, walked by the racket
Of the flying car, pursued them
with angry lclamor.
Behind trim palings, the white
cottage, sitting amidst its riotous
flower-beds. purple-hued and deep
toned in the summer night, was
dimly lit. The doctors car stood
at the curb In front, proclaiming
by its extinguished lights a long
vigil within. Against the drawn
window-blind of the room in which
the judge lay was thrown a dis
torted shadow that Harry recog-
nized as his mothers.
Inside prevailed the intenseness
Of grave expectancy. The little
hallway with its low white cell
ing, the nickel-plated urn with it's
frivolous flowers on the gilded
metal table, the old-fashioned wall
paper, and the tall ebony-framed
mirror. illy-proportioned to the
space in which it hung, were IA
miliar enough to Harry. Yet the
moment the door was opened and
they had tiptoed in, the house
seemed strange. 1t was full of an
atmosphere of oppressive change.
Mrs. Baldwin, slipping out of
the sick chamber, closed the door
behind her with careful gentle
ness, before she spoke.
''Joe,s gone for Lucy?" Her
HIPS barely formed the words.
Harry nodded. How Is he?"
His mother indicated by a slight
gesture that the Judge was sink.
ing. She did not appear agttated.
Perhaps she was more depressed
than usual, but hers was not q
nature to betray emotion. She
seemed to Harry just the same as
he had always known her. The
0canty hair, brushed back from
forehead and temples. was grayer
no doubt, but the placid, cold
face. the penetrating eye, the thin
lips that rarely smiled, the curious
expression of understanding and
wisdom, were unchanged. Even
heI uress was the usual polka
dotted thin percale, and tonight
she wore fresh ruffles about
neck and wrists. But in spite
of her accustomed demeanor,
Harry felt there was a new
suggestion Of frailty about his
mother. She was a little woman
after all, and just now seemed
helpless and not any too strong.
He wanted to put his arm about
her, to comfort her; yet he hest.
tated: he had always been afraid
70 show her affection.
Rosemary passed on into the
kitchen, and presently he heard