The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-07-22

No man would right this wrong!
Indeed not! She had gone down
alone. If she came, back-it would
also be alone.
She said that to Jennie, smiling,
but her heart quick and smarting.
Jennie's face turned red. She
looked at her worn hands: <Why
don't you come then, Chickie, dear?
Mary keeps wondering all the time
If you're coming. She's longing to
have you back. ;"
The way she said it Chickie knew
that it was Jennie who wondered
and longed.
81 can't come yeti can't"
do you mean that you aren't
coming at all, Chickie? You don't
want to be with us?"
ooh, it's not that, mother. It's
SO many things
On two or three mornings after
this Jonathan went sneaking off
after breakfast and didn't return til,
noon. The fourth morning he took
the two of them with him, grave
Importance in his look. He kept
saying: "Perk up now, Miss Jen-
nie"' But he wouldn't tell where
they were going.
They drove out and out till the
houses became scarce and only here
and there was a vine climbing over
a porch.
Chicl1ie whispered, "1e wants you
to see where all the millionaires live
Il -. f0e l.
Jennie smiled. But she kept her
eyes before her, and she wasn't
Hurried or excited at all today. She
kept pressing nervously at her lips
with her fingers.
They took a turn to the right,
away from the lofty homes. They
went down block neat with small
bungalows. They passed this and
came to the very outskirts Of a sub
urb.
Here Jonathan stopped. took a
long breath. Now isn't this air
fine, girls? Take a breath of 1t,
Jennie
The street was quiet. There were
three little houses. One was white,
its garden flaming with dahlias. An
old woman sat on the little front
porch making lace. Next to this
was a gray cottage. 1t was vacant
and overgrown with weeds.
Jonathan swung the front iron
gate. Lets take a look" He had
key to the door.
Chickie noticed then that her
haT'S CT
the hair struggled down seemed all
at once pathetic.
And she thought Of Mary's letter.
"Oh-if you choose the easier way"
SO this was the reason Mary
wrote, was it?
Jonathan called to her. "Step in
here, young lady. Now, isn't this
fine? And look here-cabinets in the
kitchen, Jennie. Why, with a few
coats of paint, won't we be shining,
thought"
Jennie leaned her hands on the
sink. She tried valiantly to smile.
She ran her finger along the enamel.
She said, ooh, there is chip here
Chickie said, You didn't buy this
place, Jonathan?"
He swung his shoulders. He
opened the back porch. marched
them down to the yard. They could
hardly find the path because of the
dry, grassy weeds. But wait-wait
till Jennie planted roses here and
there! And a magnolia tree and
orange blossoms!
How about that, Jennie?"
She stopped down and pulled UP a
purple thistle. 1T will take a long
time
Suddenly she turned to Chickie,
her lips shaking. TITS nice, isn't
It? You think it's as nice as our
own, do your"
There was a kind of wild appeal
in Jennie's look. Oh the years and
years of love that had gone into
Jennie's garden-the years and
years of gentle memories. The house
was a living thing and the roots of
these two old ones struck deep be-
meath it-deep as the roots of the an
cient lilac tree. Lilac trees take long
to bloom. Jennie loved that one of
hers.
And was this dingy. weed-grown
place as nice?
Jonathan came over and put his
arm about the mother. He said:
You like it, Jennie?"
In the faintest, gentlest voice she
answered: ooh, yes"
She didn't say a word riding home.
She took off her gloves and rubbed
herr hands together. Finally she
looked at Chickie, wiping a great
tear from her eyes: "WeIl all be
together again"
Chickfe's heart was mute.