San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-06
CHAPTER xxx
NORA LEE ALONE

Nora Lee cluns to her mother
hand. "She is talking! Let m
hear"
"She will not talk again.
She dropped at the bed and buriet
her face on Margaret's arm. Passed
All. no-she could not die like that
that eoon = there were things Z
say
"Oh. please, Miss Meadows.
must close her eyes"
Close her mothers eyes. Admi
that she was gone. She said, fran
ticglIy: "Oh. / wouldn't do that. Wait
till the doctor comes. 1t must MOI
be! You can't be sure"
Il am sure" She pushed Nora
Lee from the room.
The girl stood clinging to the knot
! of the door, her car against th'
panel. as though the voice mus
come again-one last word-one dear
dear look.
But no. The doctor said: "PooI
ehild-she is not coming back. You
mother is. dead"
| EMPTY WORLD.
Nora Lee stole down the hall anC
stood at the kitchen steps. Cold, I'M
| familiar place strange, destitute
world. Shr went into the back yard
quietly picking up the robe that only
yesterday morning she had tucked
so gaily at Margaret's feet. She sal
in her mothers chair and pressed
the robe to her face.
"She could see Margarct's lip:
smiling up at her when she STOPPED
to kiss her; to command, eagerly
"MOthcr-now you'll wait here til
l come? The sun is good for you"
And Margaret teased gently: "Havt
1 ever disobeyed you, Nora Lee"
A few hours ago. sitting in Thu
chair; watching the sunlight polisl
the leaves; watching the blue, blut
sky and dark, uplifted hills. Now
lying in that room and some on
closing the beautiful eyes. ...
All this happening TO her mother
to that Margaret who was Lowell!
as a statue; who could laugh in. sucl
a happy, happy way; who had 81
often swept those loving arms abou
one-her own mother.
Nora Lee stood up suddenly, hel
| hands flung out shaking witt
a desolate terror-a numb aloneness
Her mother gone; never comint
again; never to run a tender hanC
through her hair; never to smile
goodby from the window, never tha
beloved murmur, Dear gypsy girl y
Gone. Oh, where! o..
The darkness closed about the
garden so that only shadows, indis'
tinct and wavering, were visible II
a leaden pallor Of the coming day
Nora Lee walked out, touching thu
shrubs; pressing her face in th'
honeysuckle. Here, there, some
where must be her spirit passing
somewhere Margaret must be watch
ing, her dear. protecting arms yearn'
ing 10 fold about her child. Nora
Lee would know those lips again
those tender, perfect lips. She would
have her mother back an instant
BE BRAVE"
The leaves Of the honeysuckle wer,
wet She said aloud, lin not cry
ing
~No-little one-be brave-for me
you will"
Distrinct as a voice memory brought
those falling echoes memory brought
the touch Of Margaret's check. An.
then the clutching Of her fingers ir
the frantic moment Of the passing
that sad, lonely moment when tht
dying cast about them such poor, b.
seeching look as though astonished T.
be abandoned 50; as though they won
der why love fails them: love sits anc
watches, yet love lets them 90.
And she had watched her motlIe
pass in a moment Of terror. She press
cd the leaves hard against her face
Yes-let her pass-gone now. Thel
were sure Of IL. This brought Dewll
the mute shock of realization.
She went blindly toward the house
She must see Margaret-see for her
self.
ALL ALONE
The nurse said to her: go to bed
and rest a few hours, Miss Meadows
II is too bad, but there are manl
/ things that you will have 20 do"
She smiled distantly and in a cold
/ formal voice that she could not recdg
nize as her Own, answered; I'm no
tired. It's quite early. Why SHOULD
I go 20 bcdE' "a
ats almost morning
But she sat in her room, her hand