Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-27

T HEY looked like hcufeS III
painting by Millet Michael
Chapln. rough, rosy. medlta
tive: and his wife Esther. gray
smiling. fisureless. They We're
7O.something. and life had taken
life from them. There had been ~
wears on the ohio farm 80 for HIM,
for the farm had been his father =
and he had worked round there
since he could remember.
Life had taken life from them.
They sat by their kitchen f'arlh IN
Iamplight and knew that tonight lheN
must talk about what Was lett.
It's time for Luther Burns I" be
here. II he's coming, said Michael.
Not hardly" Ills wife always held
out a hope.
oh hen come. said Michael grim
Iy. IF it's about the money.
1t can't be" said Esther because
he knows we haven't got II.
He smiled at her. The amusement
Uf finding himself superior 10 her III
wisdom never failed him. lie loved
her. hut he had few recreations, and
feeling superior To his wife Was one
of the best OF these.
"If it is that" she replied. 1t ;
Minnie that's put him up to il. She II
want a nice wedding Tor little Minnie.
and what we owe them would help
out"
she fell silent. but he knew. If
their own little girl had lived and had
married a F,sther's age they might
now have been planning their grand
daughters wedding.
Into that silence filtered the roll uf
wheels. and Luther Burns spoke gen
flv 10 his horse and came TO the door.
came SO softly and swiftly that he
was pushing it open before they knew
that he had alighted.
They said the little things that
peighhOrs say. Then Michael ana
Esther sat silent. as If they We're wait
ing for some sentence. All three
knew that. if Burns wished he could
order their little farm sold at sheriff :
sale And yet he sat there. 40 gentle,
so quiet. even so deferential His
voice was so soft 1t seemed impossible
THAT he could order a sheriff = sale.
Michael and Esther liked him.
Little Minnie all ready for her we'd
ding" Esther asked at length.
Been all ready for six months, :"
"a id her father and flying round
like a scared hen. doing everything
over twice. Her mother. too. In fact,
her mother the most
THAT must he nice" said Esther.
Women like doing nothing twice
over Michael offered. There was
something terrible In his eagerness to
stress his fellowship with this neigh
Dor. to recall their common ground.
And Burns responded met Michaels
eye. srinned.
costs like the dickens though" he
offered in his turn. looking to Michael
for sympa thy. Michael nodded. a
swift fear in his eyes. SO 1t was the
money That's what l come to see
\ concluded
X *r
"T KNOW YOU haven't got it"
Burns voice went on gently. Il
won't pretend | don't know that.
There's been some bad years.
know how it's all come out. Same
time I need a little money. SO
I've come with a proposition"
They listened. as helpless as two
IN an invisible net.
That was it. The proposition hung
~ The room like a cloud. Like a
boil 1t echoed in the silence. AT the
end or a long day. a gray cloud and
the tollinS of bell.
Mother and I'll have TO talk this
thing over Michael said at last. She
had always been mother" since that
one swift. sweet year; never another
year like that one. but the old title
held.
NO hurry, said Burns. and rose
"Suit your own convenience. YOU
know." There could not have been
q more perfect host for a mortgage
rs your wife pretty well?" Esther
wanted 70 say something. so she
repeated query with which she had
welcomed him
The first note OF hardness which
had come to their visitors voice
touched along his words.
Shes the same old captain said
Luther Burns. checked his tone with
q laugh and went away.
Esther turned to Michael. Her
eyes held the terrible grief of old
eyes.
"Oh. papa" she said. Papa"
That was all. Then she straig light
ened. frightened and almost made
51im think that this fitted in with
sNvhat came next. "Ain't this won
PEieFful way out" she concluded.
Michael turned To Esther.
Why did this hapr'n l" Us he