The Glenwood post., 1924-01-24

On the way back from the post office
Anita Prescott stopped at the turn of
the road, where the old apple tree was
shedding its rosy petals, and looked
down at Miriam's house. Just so had
she first seen 1t on that day four years
before, when she and Michael were
on their honeymoon wandering; yet 1t
was not that moment of companioned
ecstasy that had brought her back,
but the remembered peace Of it. Peace
-tlfpt was what she had wanted;
all that was not peace. all that was
disillusion, sudden vision had come
to her Of the little white house under
the elm, the red roof and the smoke
wavering up from its chimney. and
the strong. smiling woman who had
given them milk to drink. Peace-a
refuge during the long year that she
must wait for freedom; peace that she
must have. and that she told herself.
she should find here. Determination.
vision, flight; then visit to lawyer
who took" cases like hers-as If
there could be any other like hers =
and, finally. speech with Miriam at the
door of the white house
You don't want to board here
Miriam had told her. 81 have room
yes And I'd just love to have you
But this isn't the place for you. You
don't know anything about me-"
"As much as you know about me-"
The other shook her head. "I guess
it's different" said she Folks around
here don't have anything to do with
me. You'd be lonely"
II want a place where I can be
alone"
The woman gave her steady look !;
then she said, calmly, as though offer
ing an explanation that did not touch
herself at all. "My names Miriam.
Around here they seem to thing 1t
ought to be Hagar."
Anita flushed little under the bald
ness Of 1t; but she said. "Well-there's
a wilderness for must Of US. I AMIN
flight. too"
Come in," Miriam had said; and
SO far that remained the fullness of
explanation between them. Anita was
thinking Of 1t today, because of the
letter she had brought from the VII
lage. the letter postmarked Cleveland
and forwarded by the man who took
cases like hers. you will remember
that you were warned" her mother
had written. ''Your hiding yourself
away now is nothing more than n pose.
1t doesn't help things. You can get a
divorce here as well as wherever you
are, and you will come home at once,
where you belong. The sooner 1t is all
over, and we can forget the unfor-
tunate affair"
Anita's lips twisted In bitter little
smile; her eyes hardened. She crossed
the road to the grassy bank under the
apple tree. and leaned her elbows on
the fence looking OFF across the mel
lowing fields. Beyond, tremulous
breath Of green along the river; early
plowed burrows cleaning where the
setting sun touched them; purpled
shadows under the hill, appleblow In
her hair, bluets and violets under her
feet, world pulsing to new lIfe-this
quietude, this peace, peace but for her
thoughts-her being here pose Oh,
yes, they had warned her! Heavens.
how they had warned! She had been
won by the glamour Of uniform; they
didn't know anything about his people !:
he wasn't their sort" He was poor
worse. he was visionary, with those
talked-of Inventions of his; did she
suppose she could be happy as poor
mans wife, even though she did have
n wee bit Of money Of her own. And
look at the day his lips set, and that
hard look TINT came into his eyes
when he faced their perfectly natural
opposition to the marriage She had
always been headstrong, always want
ed her own way; did she think she
could get on with man Hko thA11