Evening star., 1924-07-06
BY HELEN TOPPING MILLER.
Wise Old Doctor-The Way of the Dornineer-
ing Susongs With Their Woman Fo1ls-A Son and
Heir-A Moving Story of Action and Feeling.

Action ana Fee1n4.
, ment squirt condemned lot of steers
on me and we had to work 'em up
into something, SO Luella made soap
and candles. She likes 'em. Saves
filing lamps"
D UMLY let a little picture dance
for a minute before his eyes
\ picture Of Luella under a great
rose shaded light. He let the pic
ture burn until he had tramped
through the dark, chill hall and into
the wide, dim room, the door of which
Fred Susong flung open. And then
he called it back frantically and
cherished 1t, for this woman sitting
so patiently in a wooden rocker, her
thin arms holding tight long bundle
from which a nuff of blondish hair
protruded, was somehow not Luella.
1t was Luella only as the quenched
ember is the fame; as the pale, sad
dened light OF dusk is the day; as
the shadow is the woman.
She looked up apprehensively, and
then, seeing Rumly, relief lightened
her face.
"Oh-you came, I'm so glad Son
ny's sick. His little hands are burn
ing up and he can't hardly get his
breath"
why didn't you keep that kettle
boiling?" asked Fred.
II couldn't tend it and him too.
Your mother had to go home-Carver
came after her. He said your father
was fretting for fear she wouldn't be
there in time to tend the calves in
the morning."
Rumly looked at Fred You'd bet
ter mend the fire. This room is cold.
And bring q lamp-bring two lamps.
And teaspoon in glass of water"
He sat down by the bed. when did
he take sick?" he asked Luella. "A
couple of days after Minnie Owens
washed here, wasn't it,?
ut was yesterday he began to be
drowsy and cross. He got sort of
cold last night-his father rode him
down the lane to fetch up some
steers. He had fever last night, /
know. Open your. eyes, Sonny. and
look at the doctor"
The child opened his eyes They
were soft-fringed eyes like his moth
er's. In them. too. lay that half
hidden question which seemed to
weigh down every look Of Luella's.
He clutched his mothers dress with
thin fingers, pointed and transparent.
There was nothing husky about him.
He was a shadowy little alien in the
clan of the hard riding, red-blooded
Susongs.
I've got to see his throat Lay
him on the bed, Luella- Straighten
out, Sonny, and open your mouth
wide. Give me that teaspoon, Fred
and you hold this f,ashlight."
Fred stretched himself across the
bed from the rear. TIE springs creak-
| ing under his weight.
open your mouth he commanded
the child; "open 1t wide"
/ The child finched from the viii te
glare of the light. His baby fea-
lures convulsed, and Rumly saw fear
| in his eyes - and the beginning OF
| something else-hate. And just then
| Fred Susong looked up and Rumly
| knew that Fred had seen, too--seen
dread and dislike in the eyes of his
| own son. He was suddenly sorry for
| Fred.
You scared him." he said as the
child writhed to the other end of the
pillow. open her up. Sonny-lemme
see how many batty cakes you ate
| for supper. Lemme count now-got
to count 'em with this spoon. HE
| Observation-Disclosures now-thats s
all right He bent the tiny tongue
down swiftly, looked at the swollen
throat and Strengthened himself
sternly. Il expect it would have been
better if you'd given Minnie Owens
her rent this week, Fred" he said.
| Fred stumbled, up the flashlight
| making a white moon on the wall
his young mouth grim.
| What you going to give him
| Doc?"
GLE needs antitoxin. And I amt
| got a shot. Get some from
| Parrotsville in the morning-but he
| ought to have some right now
| Wood getting scarce. Fred? Got to
keep this little feller warm. You
better fetch another load, come day
light. It's sleeting now or I'm get
ting deef Wished I'd told Nahum