San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-06

"Alone-I am all alone" -
She struck her fist against hel
mouth at this treason. Thinking NJ
herself. Oh, she was the callous, self.
ish thing. She had gone off and left
that poor darling alone in this last
terrible hour. She had said SO brazen,
ly: "A gorgeous day, Miss Mother
lou will like it sitting here"
What thoughts had rushed through
Margaret's aching heart; what wild
longing to hold Nora Lee with her
what sublime unselfishness that wouhl
not make the demand even knowing
the day might be her last
But Margaret had not thought hel
cruel. Margaret had known that she
could not guess. The blessed com
fort of that reassuring smile-the last
smile her mother had given: mo
not eruel-darling girl-talk-I want
your voice"
HOURS OF REGRET.
| Nora Lee sat here hours going over
this. Her eyes fell on the magazine.
1t was lying on the floor where she
had swept it in her. hot resentment.
If she had not gone to the school she
might have reached Margaret before
| she dropped to the grass? Her
mother might have leaned on her and
she would have borne her so gently
| to the house hours earlier
Then all this might not have hap
pened? The thought went with a
splitting violence through her mind.
She sobbed in a panic of anguish and
remorse: "Oh, mother-mother darl-
ing ~
The nurse came in then as she was
half staggering to the bureau-pick
up the magazine. Why had she not
brought it to Margaret-why had
she not given her this little, little
joy? How proud that would have
made her-what a gladncss to carry
with her drought the silence
She said to the nurse quietly: Il
left my mother alone, yesterday.
That's why she fell on the grass"
The nurse smiled sadly: Must
you torment yourself. Miss Mead
ows? Must we all have regrets?
Your mothers time had come. You
could not have stayed it. No power
on earth could"
"She was so beautiful"
IN DEATHS PRESENCE. -.
"She is beautiful now Would
you like to fix her hair?"
"oh, mol"
"Yes. dot will be thing to re-
member-you will want her lovely
She said easily: "Wby, Of course
no one else could do it."
And she went smiling into the liv-
ing room where they had laid Mar
garet on a bier, gray chiffon coYer-
ing on the still form. She pushed the
nurse from her.
Moments passed. Nora Lee stood
on the threshold unable to force her
steps across the room. The sun. in
a long golden beam, flashed slant
wise. through the lowered shades.
Her mother, who loved the sunny
morning, lying there unseeing-oh.
she could never look in the still
dead face-she, must run away from
this
Then a great pity swept her. She
went, with little sobbing rush, and,
shutting her eyes, touched Mar
garet's hands. Cold-they were so
cold.
But the lips were parted-warm,
seductive, smiling-al their beauty
carved anew-and the lashes of her
full, deep eyes made shadows on the
pale. scuIpturcd features.
Nora Lee bent down and kissed
her mothers forehead. She muir
INJURED: -Oh-you look so beautiful
what would you say--what are you
thinking"
She brushed the rich, lustrous hair.
When her tears fell on il, it shOne.
She smiled. She turned sharply
with an overpowering sense that
Margaret was standing near-was
watching and thinking-slad to see
her strong.
IN GRAY CHIFFON.
She sank on her knees-her cheek
resting on Margaret's hands. She
whispered: Il love you. mother
oh, love you So"
She half expected an answer-hah
expected the lips TO move.
IT was 50 quiet in the room. She
wnited, staring long time at Mar
garet's face and the cold and the
terror went dumbly through her
heart.
They were parted. She had gone
her separate way. They would not
meet again
|. Suddeply she noticed the gray chit
fon. She pushed it from her moth
er's neck. Margaret hated gray.
Why had they put this thing about
her
at IS only for the present"
She answered crisply, as though II
were a gown for some great feast.
"She loves laycndeS lavender"
and she remembered IAN exquisite
thing Of shaded orchid hues with
long panniers pleated and falling
from the shoulders, held at the
waist with a broidery of pearls. Ii
had been in the French room OF one
Of the shops that time they went
for the dress that Margaret wouldn't
buy.
The salesgirl had brought IL out
lust TO delight Nora Lee and her
mother had tried it on because she
insisted.
She had turned with an arch
smile, not quite able TO hide the
thrill the wondrous gown had given
her. And Nora Lee had stared at
her entranced because OF the lus-
trous pallor in her skin; the star
like beauty Of her eyes. She had
cried, ooh, take it, mother-take il
II ] could see you dressed in that! !"
She remembered the half wistfuI
gayety Of Margaret's smile as she