Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-27
ELEVENTH INSTALLMENT.

~ NE day when the Spring had
come Missile was allowed to go
to the cemetery. Old Ishmael
~ drove her up and sat doing
In the sunshine while she
worked over Stella's grave. There was a
small white headstone. 1t said: stella
Colfax. 1850-1S92"
It surprised and touched her. They
had not told her.
When she had finished, she sat on a
bench and looked at it. Forty-two
years! Would she live as long as that?
How could she bear it if she did? At
least, Stella had lived, had Savored to
the full this strange adventure called
life; had laughed and cried, loved and
suffered, paSSionately, with JUNCTION.
For her, Missile, there would be only the
huskS of life; going on, drying up, per-
haps like Adelaide finding her solace
in little stolen meals, finally dying like
that.
She clenchsd her hands.
She was still sitting there when she
saw Mrs. Colfax's brother old Archi-
bald Kennedy, coming toward her, pick
ing his way slowly among the graves.
She had not seen her for months, and
in the Spring sunlight she was shocked
to see how old and how shabby he
looked.
"That you, MiSsie?" he said, peering
back and for minute I Thought it was
your grandmother. You sit like her"
He lowered himself onto the bench be-
side her and she saw the handle of a
truwel protruding from his pocket He
wiped his forehead. Thought I'd do
little work on them today. They kinda
sag through the Winter. But she's
stayed pretty good, hasn't she? I sup
pose they graded when they set up the
stone"
"Im glad they've marked the grave"
s'Well, whether they like 1t or not,
she was q Colfax at the end. And the
sCoafaxes mark their graves. ell
hgt-" he stopped and chHckled-"I'll
bet she'll put a stone over me! And
haven't spoken to cher for long time.
Not since you were born"
"Am I what you quarreled about?"
she asked, astonished.
4 well. it wasn't only that, Of course,
but it didn't help any. You see, she'd
dotted on Bert. Adelaide-well, you
know Adelaide: and as to Cecily-."
He stopped, glanced sideways at her.
you mustn't sit like that, Missile. It's
HE her. Don't you get like her. Missile.
Better get away, If that's happening to
you"
"I couldn't hurt them like that"
swell, perhaps. And maybe you're
safer where you are. It's hard world
for the poor, although the poor live,
Missile. Don't forget that. The poor
I've"
There was q silence before she spoke
again.
~Mr. Kennedy, what about Cecily?
They never speak Of her"
he cleared his throat, hesitated, took
on his wide hat and sat turning it in
his hands. at don't know that ought
to tell you. Still, you're almost
woman now. There's nothing wrong
about Cecily; she's good woman. Life
played her a dirty trick; that's all. She
ran away with man and he got killed
mother learned she was going to have
9 baby she turned her out"
SAnd the baby? Did 1t Hve?"
"Oh, 1t lived, all right. Love children
mostly do. They've got vitality That's
the great thing, Missile. Your mother
had Q lot of it. Yes, she lived. She's
2 crown woman by now"
seen a hard father. He deserved what
he got. Sarah, now-Sarah would have
been different, married to another man.
But every man left his mark on his
woman. Old Williams mark was on
sarah. Old Williams was hard; used
% lock Bert In at night, but Bert got
out window and down tree.
That's what started Bert off," he
said. HE was all right when he was
little. Too much Scolding and not
enough living and loving IN that
house"
Before he went away he stood near
her, hat and stick In one hand, his i'm
pegishable dignity not impaired by the
trowel in the other.
you're q pretty GIRL" he said mot
as handsome as your mother, but still
but don't you worry about things Some