Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-03-07

butler lOSC MS pOSltioH anu IdtSI
Mary's father came. Her mother,
also. but the mother remained in the
railway station, refusing to set eyes
upon the cottage. 1t would be enough
to ride back to the city with her silly
daughter. Mr.. Martin had stern
though kindly words for his girl, and
would not consent to remain to dinner,
when John would be home. Mary
babe him an affectionate goodbye.
Two silent parents returned to their
mansion alone, and their eyes were
blurred
Marys days were keenly and frankly
lived. On Sundays John wrote verses.
She remembered the night she had
gone to him, and laughed a little. at
that early idea OF love, which had
seemed so complete. Now she knew
it had been but guess at the wide
sweeping truth. Summer warmth
raced full through her body. Her
arms grew round, and she breathed
more deeply The cosmic life and
beauty that were herself, Mary Lev
|
In September when the yellow
grassh0ppers danced zigzag across the
scorched grass, and the sun ripened
the apples in the orchard around
DOwagiac, Mary began to breathe for
two. An overwhelming devotion pos
sessed John Levington-his sacrament.
The flood of his desire seemed to have
reached the sea, and he lost himself
in alteration. He asked for nothing.
trying only to serve, to smooth the
way for his beloved end the coming
of her child.
Sometimes she would say to him:
"JOhn, | almost believe | feel his pres
ence, our W-cOmer-sOmebody so
friendly and brave. His personality
And John would nod quickly, timid-
Iy, without speaking, for the miracle
was beyond his understanding, and the
path of the gentle newcomer was not
all clear to him. A thousand lovely
gifts he had in mind for Mary and
her guest, but he could not buy them.
There was the lOwly but important
chased. His department in the fac
tory had filed the warehouses, and
the men were laid off. There were
many cold sitting-rOOms in DOWaglac,
many chill stoves; and in February
John was no better provided than his
comrades. The grocer had a way OF
asking for payment, courteous Sab
bath-h0und that he was, until he got
it, but his wagon stopped no more IN
front of the LC~ingtOn's. John cut
down a shade-tree for fuel to keep
Mary warm, and the neighbors were
good to her until he got out of jail,
where he went because unable to pay
the fine. Then he approached her
parents.
The new butler remembered lnstruc-
tons and carried them out.
'There is no one to receive you,
sir"
81 am out of work. and my wife
needs some things. I thought, per-
haps-"
"Ycu have been in Jail, sir"
eyes" said John "Will you let me
have a word with Mrs. Martini
''No, sir
"But nv wife is in need of so many
things and a baby is coming. I'm not
asking for myself. If you won't let
me come in, you'll tell Mrs. Martin
for me?"
A buzzer sounded within the house.
"Good-day, sir" The butler had
turned to answer the summons.
you'll take the message?" cried
John. The door clicked shut in his
face
Before taking the train for Dowa-
giac, he sent a short letter to Mary's
father.
In the little stove town again, he
trod through the fresh snow. The
chimney of his cottage was crested
white. and no smoke was there. Mary
was in her room. She had gone to
bed to keep warm. Clustered about
her, wrapped in shawls, were the
neighbor women. husllily commiserat-
ing. They turned accusing eyes upon
John as he entered. Somehow they
had learned of his writing. and he was
condemned. He permitted "this poor
young thing, in that condition" to
suffer want. One especially soiled
lady had been coming twice every day
to see if Mary might not be getting
worse. In truth, Mary was. John
knew it. He banished the harpies
from the room. Even the patent hap
piness in Iary's eyes seemed to re
proach him, and he went out into the
snow, fearing the gods of the slated
skies.
The city poormaster called, and
corn meal followed his visit. There
was no sign from the city mansion.
Winter broke, and even the cold
was no longer a decent white. The
world was bedraggled and sodden.
John Levington's dreams had wither-