The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1923-05-24
A First-Year
Happening
By BE-THA M. JONES

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20. 1923. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
Thursday was the day. and clothes
washing was Mrs Andrew Ayers Oc
cupatiOn. Now Thursday was not Mrs
Ayers usual wash day. Monday was
and on that very Monday the regular
laundry. which now lay neatly folded
in drawer or cl0thes-press, had been
washed and dried as per schedule in
that little home.
And yet this morning, dark. f0gsy.
hopeless sort Of morning It was. too
found Mrs. Aver splashing and rub
bling clothes over wash board. a
checked house dress, pale blue after
noon dress. striped, street dress and
one of MIR. Ayers best shirts were be
ing treated to an impromptu cleaning
A picnic. perhaps, was coming the
Ayers way when the sky cleared. OF
an evening at the theater If the moon
broke up cloudland.
Oh, no! Mrs. Ayers plans were as
gloomy as the morning. She was pre-
pairing to leave Andrew forever. and
to make her way alone in the world.
She had arrived ut this decision the
night before as she lay sleepless,
listening to the angry stunning OF
leaves as Andrew progressed with the
book he was pretending to read, and
to the tower clock nearby which thun-
dered it's strokes (forty-eight in alD
directly at her aching head. Even the
clock seemed TO have turned against
her, and was driving home the terri
BILE words Andrew had hurled at her
that evening: go! If you don't like
my ways, go! I've lavished my love
on yOu and done everything 1 could
do, and you don't like my ways. and
you don't like my friends"
"Go! Go! Coz Numbered the
tower clock. And Mrs. Andrew lay
with great big hurt on her heart
and pOndered ways and means for
living without Andrew.
Morning came early In the Aver
household that Thursday. for neither
Of its members had had a night of
rest. hut only horrible. black waking
hours
Mr.. Aver descended to the kitchen
in semi darkness. and. starting the
gas, prepared his light breakfast. Mrs.
Aver followed, and found her hus-
band seated sternly at the bare dining
table, eating toast and drinking strong
coffee.
On happy mornings he was. never 30
hurried that ,he could not walt for
Mrs. Ayers pretty touches to the table
and her fragrant, steaming breakfast
dishes.
Have an omelette this morning. An
drew asked Mrs. Aver casually.
a. she passed his chair on her way to
the kitchen.
mo. thanks" was the cold response.
'Don't let me make you any trouble.
Tn going at once"
"Good-by," crustily, a minute later.
"Good-by," hoatei pertly In from the
kitchen. Mrs. Aver was busy cleaning
up the mess that her husband had
left on the kitchen table when he
made his toast
She came and stood In the dining
room door. Mr.. Aver stood In the hall
way. hat in hand. They locked at
each other for a moment. II was too
dreadful. parting this way--Mrs Aver
impulsively held out her arms. Her
husband crossed the little room In two
strides, and she put her arms around
his neck They kissed each other.
though not so warmly as usual. and
the door banged after Mr. Aver.
To Mrs Aver It was their last part
ing. She turned and looked out Of the
window hopelessIy. The yellow cat
was sitting just outside waiting for
its breakfast. She had always dis
liked the thing, but now 1t assumed
the proportions of dear pet.
The tiny backyard garden which An
drew had helped her to make into
vegetable and flower plots never be-
fore seemed 50 alluring. How beau
tiful that ugly board wall would ap-
pear when covered with sweet-pea and
morning-glory vines, the seeds. for
which she had tucked into the little
trenches Andrew had prepared for
them. How delicious the fresh let
tuce and radish would taste Just a
few weeks later! How Andrew would
exclaim with delight when he came
home and found them garnishing the
dinner table!
These were yesterdays thoughts.
Now her world had turned upside
down. She had fallen hopelessly
among her broken plans. and the only
way out of the mass Of troubles had
gloomy. forbidding appearance.
She turned resolutely from the WIN
dow and opening the kitchen door.
gave the yellow cat his breakfast.
The fog had raised slightly by the
time her dresses were ready for dry
Ing and she hung them on the clothes
line outdoors. Then she took the
lit n,