Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-01-22
The Old, Tender
Mocking Voice
BY MARGARET WIDDEMER
"a. poubIeday. Page . Coz

FUlCcs independently Hall A@uShAAe'
wholly casual.
He turned. 1t was really Kitty,
lying back in her chair, with one
Whitehead foot OH the fender IN the
old luxurious way. The freight gilt
aered ON her hair and made rosy Snad-
ows on her lowered gown. And yet
four years of absence and silence lay
between this moment and their last
parting.
He cried out, kitty! kitty, dar-
sing!"
Really /, Cliff" said the old, ten
der, hooking voice.
She smiled over at him.
But you always knew our love was
eternal. That would never belong
TO anyone but you. ..
He reached out his hands to her,
little and slim and rosy in the big
chair they had always called hers.
mo, dear" she said, lifting her
hand, the bracelet he had given her
little chilled. He wanted to touch
her and hold her, now she was here
again and his But she had always,
been like this elusive He mus De
patient He would reach for the little
hands, the little body, when she was
talking intently and off guard And
she would laugh and yield caressingly
in the old way.
She leaned to him again, talking In
that quick, earnest way he had been
waiting for. 1t always came, slipped
in between her laughter.
"Cliff, did you dream about me
lately? Oh, Cliff, do you remember,
when we'd only been engaged week,
how one night dreamed that we We're
In wood together, talking and love
making, and we promised in the dream
that we would always come to each
other when we needed each other
and that night you'd dreamed it. too9'
Eyes, [ remember" he said, thrilled
We did that FIVE times. And we al
ways found out that we had had the
same dream"
But hasn't it come to you since
lately?" She looked at him wistfuily
Because twice lately-it has come
to me-"
He stared at her, half-territied.
Such dreams had been very far from
him since Kitty's departure. He had
fought all dealings with the unknown
those half-gay, half-serious affairs
With the borderlands that Kitty had
led him into. "A man drops such things
as he gets older And yet-how did
she know? 1t was true. Twice lately
he had walked in dream wood with
Kitty, whom he had tried to forget
And now he did not need to forget
her-now she was here, and his for
always
Twice, lately, to nre, too, Kitty" he
said awed ssThen we were right"
She laughed out, as child does, for
sheer happiness.
Yes, we were right Our love was
forever but we always knew
it was.
"Yes," he echoed her grayely. I'VE
always knew it was. And vet !"
There's no yet'-there's only
always z
And after time she suddenly rose.
Il must go now--for little while"
she said, smiling. She flushed little
as she said it. Her crisp summer
frock. thin, white, with its printed
pink roses. nearly brushed him, and
her eyes looked thoughtfully into his.
Il wonder why thought you needed
me so dreadfully.'
II always dol always will !"
s'Yes-that way-I, too. But just
now-the particular urgent thing.
Don't you know? You always knew
before"
He shook his head. That was Q
trivial thing compared to the fact
that, for ever so little while, he was
not to see her.
But it won't be moment nOw-Or
it will only seem like moment
before we are together for always.
Our loves forever, you know, dear
[ wonder what it was you needed me
so for
kitty" He flung out his arms to
keep her, but she was gone, with a
little laugh, before he could clutch
more than her dress. .
He stood up, catching his breath
suddenly. Something was still in his
hand, brittle something like but
terdy's wing. He knelt to the freight
and opened his hand, slowly, carefully,
40 If in a dream Yes there
lay something in his hand-it had been
lowered muslin once; it was ashy
and crumbling now, and the tracery
of roses was dingy brown. He rose
from his knees, white and trembling,
and the ash fell in his palm such an
ash as muslin might make after four
years shut underground
There was sound of many feet on
the stair, and voices calling him.
"Cliff, she's ready now. Helen's
ready"
Helen came down slowly, tall and
smiling in her going-away gown, ready
for him.
How could he tell-how could he
have known it was eternal; that mar
riage with Kitty, who had died when
their first child was born? How could
a lonely man go through all the years
unmarried? And yet
He looked down with terror at the
damp ash, clinging to his fingers
still
"Come. Cliff!" called his brides
voice from the stair-foot He went