Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-04-26
ON THEIR
THIRTIETH
ANNIVERSARY
7ONNON1ONNOVN
(O by d. ]. Walsh.)

Cable, hurrying home from work,
looked toward the familiar window and
saw Nell standing there, a welcoming
sight in her blue dress. They had been
doing this for thirty happy, helpful
years. Only 1t hadn't always been the
same corner or the same window.
Nell ran to open the door, and Sid
ney dashed in out If the rain. His
face smelled of tobacco smoke and
fresh air as he kissed her. Nell's face
smelled of spinach, roast pork and ap-
pie dumplings, with dash of rice
powder. They smiled, glad to get each
other back.
"WellT she inquired.
"Good day, take 1t all round. What
you been up tor"
"Curtains. Washed six pair. They
dried beautifully. Hurry up and wash.
The roast's getting Overdone."
They sat opposite each other at the
dainty table. They ate with keen en-
joyment of the food. Nell was good
cook. They glanced at each other with
satisfaction, two middle-aged married
folk with grazing hair, clear eyes,
steadfast hearts.
"Rose was in this afternoon. She's
going to have her dining room done in
panels and change the draperies,"
Nell related. ibid you see Paul?"
ave lunched together as usual"
Paul and Rose were their children,
married and taking right after their
parents. "Paul reminded me that we'd
been married thirty years day after to-
morrow. 1t don't seem so longW
paul was our first anniversary pres
emit And Rose came near being our
third" Nell unused tenderly.
"This time we're going to celebrate%
Sidney announced.
"What do you mean%
"We're going back to Cedarville,
where we started together; where I
earned So a week. And we tried he'
roically to save 50! We did 1t, too"
"Till Paul came. He upset our
schedule" Nell laughed softly. "And
Rose upset 1t still more. We had to
have more money. So we pulled up
stakes and came here. You've always
been q good provider, Sid"
"And you've always been a man.
ager. What say to the trlp?'
They talked a lot about the trip.
Nell got excited. She called up Rose
and consulted with her, Sidney called
up Paul and consulted with him. The
children, too, became excited, for ia
ther and mother were dear old steadies
who always stayed at home. You
couldn't pry them off the front porch
in summer or away from the radio in
winter. Cedarvllle was a days jour
| ney away, and to review old memories
was something of an adventure.
Nell admitted that she had been
itching to go back this long while.
CedarvilIe called her louder and loud
er as she grew older. 1t must be some
thing about the dear little white
house where she and Sidney had set
/ up housekeeping.
All next day they Travelled toward
Cedarville. They had seats in the pull
man. Nell wore n trim tan coat and
close-fttlng hat that made her look
almost glrlish. Sidney might easily
have been taken for bridegroom.
Their bags were new. Sidney read his
newspaper and Nell tried to get inter
ested In magazine. But her thoughts
strayed to that Hateful day now almost
quarter of century past when she
had last come this way. Sidney car
rled Rose and the biggest satchel; she
led Pau. and carried another satchel.
They we're tried, yet eager and hope
full. Rose had the snuffles and 1t took
n good many hankies to keep her little
nose clean. And Paul was at the age
where he asked question every other
minute. Sidney answered the child
patiently, although his mind was busy
with the why's and wherefores of the
new job he was undertaking.
Evening brought them back to Ce-
darvile. Cedarville, they found, hadn't
been standing still In their absence.
Cedaryille had grown up. They TAXED
TO great new hotel. They were bit
bewidered by this lively new Cedar
vile. Not a soul they knew anywhere
In sight.
Next morning they started out to
find the little white house. Suppose 1t
had burned down or been moved away
or built over into some unacceptable
shape? Nell's eyes mlsted.
They found the street and 1t was
much the same, for Cedarvllle had
moved on toward the railway station.
And they found the house. Nell
grabbed Sidney's arm. She couldn't
speak.
"Gosh-all-FrldayI Look at that
maple! II wasn't any thicker through
than my finger when I set 1t outl"
Sidney exclaimed.
Upon the front door was a. sign
"For Sale" They peeked in all the
lower windows. 1t was 80 dirty and
shabby. 1t needed mothering dread
fully. Nell, remembering how 1t had
looked when she left 1t, felt a lump
rise In her throat.
They went round and sat down upon
the sagging back steps. Nell saw that
the valley-liles she had set out were
a great patch now. She stared at them
wistfully, recalling the April morning
when she had set out the few plants
somebody had given her. 1t was one
of those times when their income and
expenses refused to come out even,
and they had only mush and milk for
dinner. But what matter2 They were
young and healthy and happy and aw-
fully in love.
Voices, steps. a child came first,