The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-05-21
The Dramatic Story Of
Gickie's Attempt
to Come Back"
CONTINUED from Yesterday
CHAPTER Xxx.
Farewell.

qulet-nO murmur1ng about 1t.
Farewell to Life and smiled.
Not glad to go, dear Life. But
since one must, why then, smile
for death. Who knows-Death,
too. may prove a friend? Who
knows what new adventure she
may show?
That rich ana questing look
was on his face and a majesty
come now to dwell upon its regal
line and color. In death, as in
life, 1t was the face of a king.
Midnight-the hundred friends
were gone. ChicIxIe came to pay
her tribute-oh, to give service
to the we'll loved friend; see that
things might be as he would wish
them.
Jake's lips were red and smil-
ing-the kind, iron1c smile, as
though he were just speaking; or
as though he were about to say:
well, gone alone, you see-after
all, alone. Whar-crying? Not
for your old friend Jake, my dar-
ling. Why, look at the man! He's
well enough, God wot. and always
win be!'
She touched Jake's hand-the
warm, magnetic hand that had
SO clasped on her whenever ways
were hard; that mad so steadied
her, not once, but many times.
Had she half thanked him? Half
enough rejoiced in all his princely
ways?
Oh, she had-and always glad
to see him; always writing five
or seven letters to his one. She
loved Jake-grateful now that she
had told him so; loved him great.
ly, even as the cherished Jonathan.
There would be a great alone
ness with him gone; a chillness
and a want. She would miss the
black eyes wooing her: miss the
deep exuberance of his laugh.
But more than this, that high,
unalterable faith of his that she
was sweet; that she was white
and as pure as any.
Did Jake know how dear such
words could be to her? white
darling'-he said she was that
thing and he would shout it to
her.
She was not that to a judging
world-never that to others. They
saw a stain. But He was one to
look beyond a deed; beyond a
troubled surface to the crystal
spring beneath.
How she wanted that! Not even
Jennie, who was her mother, had
such a trust as Jake. She looked
at the glossy waves Of hair, the
smiling mouth. How mellowed
and how fine he was! How DESC
late that he should here lie quiet.
There would never be a second
friend as he had been; never an
other to look with such clear
vision to the inmoNt soul AND
know that it had not been hurt:
that it was sound and true and
grown very strong.
She was indeed alone now
most piercingly alone-and must
be always
David came then and stood be-
side her-a great sadness In his
winning eyes. Strange that he
should walk upon her thoughts
then-strange that seeing the
grief in his face there should
come upon her such a flood of
aching memory; such a gratitude
to the dear and silent friend, that
she must speak.
Her words poured out like a
blessing-a holy ointment of her
thanks. 1t was due to Jake.
AS though to her own thought
she spoke: "Once when life
seemed done for me; when it was
very hard, Jake came. He said
the noblest things. He was as
kind. No one can know, not any
one, the greatness that he did"
David looked at her white face
and her deep, tremulous eyes.
They were filled with tears. He
would have told her that he knew
Jake's service and blessed him:
that he heard Jake's murmur:
"Sweeter-whiter- Helena"
and that he bowed to Jake for
that.
But she seemed not to see or
care. She seemed then to him
more lonely than the dead
lonelier than the picture Emerson
had drawn Of her that had
whipped up in him such a mad
dening desire to rush down and
look at her; see IL her face might
be the same; speaking to her; say
out his thoughts
She was standing now with an
infinite, yearning tenderness on
her face as 1t had been In that
last moment when she stopped to
put her arms on Jake.
The friend who had helped her
and who had her trust was gone.
He wondered what she would do
now. She would become more
aloof-more shut away than ever.
More tragic than a death is
He said softly: "Yes-theIe was
a greatness in him--he under
stood"
She turned away sharply, won
dering how he came TO say a
thing like that. Then she added:
How sad that there should come
a time when we cannot do any.
thing at all for those we love-
when we stand silent and let
them pass-It seems to me as
though all gladness leaves the
earth with Jake"
She tried to smile, but the tears
were in her throat. Jake's friend.
ship and his love for her kent
her in tune with the brightness
of life. 1t was his way TO bring
her joys-a flower or @ jewel
No other did this. She had
Jennie and Jonathan: Mary and
Janina. They had her love.
In these last years, though. it
was always she who brought the
merriment to them; moi they to
her. In these new times It was
Chickie who surprised Jennie
with a new waist; Jonathan with
a richly colored tie;s or the two
of them with little pastries for
dinner.
An when she called on Mary
there were the children, OF course