The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1927-01-22
In Time of No
Choice
BY DUFoRD JENNIE


DSln SAlu Win Smlllng eyes,
4 have gorgeous plan for you. Now
you shut up your little Puritan self In
a handy closet and listen to meIg
Alice smiled family at her room
mate, but it surely was a faint smile
A long month at great city hospital
that leaves one weary Of life, without
a position, and with savings gone does
not make happy smiles; and Alice had
reached that point, in spite OF her
CHEEKY roommate, who never let life
get the best of her, where she was let
ting go.
"Ted's folks invited me to their
place-after he died. He was black
sheep, you know, and when he mar
ried me, an ornery city girl with wild
habits, that finished the both Of us for
them. So / never visited them. They
never saw me and they never will, and
I'm going TO send you to them-under
my name. In other words, you are to
be for two precious weeks-Mrs. Ed
ward b. Hale!"
"Oh! / never-it would be-" Alice
objected.
Listen! They never did a thing for
Ted and'me. They seemed to be sorry
afterwards, but / don't forgive them
Then, you can't get me out among the
cows and the crossroads. It's just
right for you. You should never have
come to the city, anyway" Beth rat
tied on. III never 90 to see them.
And you're just plain going to die, lit
tie one. You've got no choice!"
Zoo weak to argue, too weary to
care much about the deception, DON'T
mated by the gay girl who took every
challenge that life offered, at the end
Of the week Alice found herself speed
ing on the southern train to the home
Of the people to whom she was to be
Mrs. Hale-the girl they had refused
to accept, to whom now they would
make redress.
More than once, Alice was in q
panic Of shame and doubt as she
thought Of the deception. The keen
est moment Of anguish came when,
as she stepped from the train at the
village station, tall, smiling man of
about her own age stepped up.
Mrs. Hale? / am Alfred-Ted's
brother. I'm to drive you homeland
tell you that we are mighty glad to
have you come" he said.
His smiling, friendly face stilled her
fears, and before she knew it she was
in his car, sweeping away into the
country. She was silent, but he chat
ted along In his cheerful way, explain
ing gently how sorry his father had
been for his sternness toward her and
Ted, and added:
Mother has been strong for you all
the time, but dad rules the roost, and
he's one of the old-fashioned, stiff
backed kind-up on his uppers one
moment, then the next, sorry clean
through. He'll try to make it up to
you-and SO will the rest Of u.s.
They did, without question, and
Alice had reason to grieve over the
deception many nights thereafter as
she lay in the coy upstairs best room
Win Tie hluC pC1SC VI lhC QUILL
night about her.
One day Alfred looked at her oddly !:
Beth, you were a little white ghost
when you came. but you begin to look
well, you look mighty good to me"
he suggested, his eyes merry.
Then he began to take her to happy
times in the village and at different
farms-dances, suppers, picnics-and
after each came the long drives home
through the fragrant, singing southern
night; and a little slow ache began
to form in her heart-she did not want
to 60 back to the great city.
Then one night, as he went to the
house with her after joyous evening,
he paused in the kitchen and pointed
to a calendar.
Beth, you see those little checks?
/ have been marking off the days you
have left-and II wish / could get
you to stay here always. l shall miss
you" he said simply.
She trembled at the deep undertone
Of emotion in his voice, and her lips
parted to form the words, "Oh, | wish
I could"-then she remembered, and
fed to her room.
The next morning, as she went down
stairs, Alfred caught her arm, and his
eyes were so tender and gentle, the
tears almost came, but she said firmly !:
ALFRED, / want to tell you something
and your mother and father-I-
wasn't Ted's wife,"
He slipped an arm around her and,
somehow, the touch Of the firm arm
was comforting
Little one, we have known it all
along, for the real Beth wrote just aft
er you came, the whole story. We
didn't want to tell you we knew, and
Beth didn't want to tell you she had
written-and then mother and dad fell
in love with you; then seeing that l
did at the start; it seemed as If"
words eIuded him. and he paused for
a moment. "All ! know or care isl
love you, and If you think you could
be happy with me, / don't want you
to 20 back-everP
a sweet sense Of happiness closed
about her, and out Of 1t she spoke
IN a whisper: And / don't want TO
20 back, ever-for I love you'll"
DeddIiest Of H0GDk Tribe
Tho poshawk Is the fiercest OF all