Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-23
The Secret of
MARGARET YORKE
BY Kathleen Norris

afternoon In the st. Francis Hotel II
months after the talk with old Trow-
bridge.
Stanley had Just reached home
Uplands was always homeland had
found her lying in chaiSe-longue on
the side porch. Over the whole silent
world the peace and warmth and
sweetness of harvest time was lying
like a tangible glory; the air Smelled
of fruit and dry grass, the sinking
sun was making dazzle of pure gold
through the leaves of the peppers and
eucalyptus trees.
Jim, who had been in swimming
three times in the last eight hours,
was now climbing into the spreading,
gnarled branches of great oak near
the house; Nora was darning, below
it, and Tony was sousing the bright
borders of ZinniaS, and the stock and
hollyhockS and yellow daisies with q
stream of glittering water.
Margaret was in white and was sat-
isfled to lie still, but she had regatned
all her old color, and the face she
turned for SANKEY'S kiss was surely the
happiest in the world.
Stanley took a basket chair and
drooped his fingers cautiously above
the smoothly adjusted fine linens and
pink woollens that lined the white bas-
ket that stood next to his wife. And
from the fragrant cocoon within he
felt the grip of small, firm, notified
fingers, and STOPPING, he could see the
portentously concerned, scowling, Sleep
ing, saffron colored face Of Stanley
Potts Crittenden, Sd.
The thrill of it went all through his
being and he looked at Margaret with
something pleading In his shamefaced
grin. He didn't know why the hand
clasp of this totally unconscious little
fellow should bring the salt tears
smarting to his eyes.
But she did not laugh at him. In
stead she said reverently
isn't he gorgeous? Imagine-17 days
today and he's gained exactly one whole
pound. Now, really, Stan! He's going
TO be big, raw-boned, red-faced thing
like you'll"
"Red-faced is right" Stanley agreed,
staring at him in fascination.
Il said my last trouble was overl"
Margaret reminded Stan. my dear,
Jim has made up his precious little idiot
well, cry about 1t, why don't your"
Stanley said.
well, 1t did sound so sweet" she
defended herself, smiling and blinking.
"You know how silly he's been about It'll
He would stick to that foolish 'Margar,
and neither Nora nor could persuade
him to change i'll He calls you dad
simply enough, but he'd gotten one OF
those baby completes on my nannel But
yesterday, when the baby and got
home, he was terribly interested. ]
think he had had some idea that we
were going to leave Stanny at the hos
pital, because he kept walking about
proud and excited and even q little
i nd Tc hn IN Cfo
here? Is he ours, for keeps? Won't
he ever go back?' 1t was awfully cum
ming.
Finally, this morning he came ur
here, where / had the baby, and told
him that after a while little brother
would begin to talk and would run
about. And he said, VIII you be his
mother?' I said of course would. He
said, And what will he call you?'
said, mother
Jim went of and thought--you
know his way-for a long time. And
then he came back and said, You
were my mother first, and If l don't
call you mother" I don't think he
ought TOT. said, You can begin to
cali me mother" just as soon as you
like! And instantly he put his hot
little dusty arm up about my neck and
said, 'MotherP And, my dear, to hear
| wv
wouldn't believe that he'd ever thought
Of giving me any other name"
so that hideous trouble is over?'
Stanley said. And we can raise oul
heads and try to live the memory Of II
DOWN."
She did not answer in words. But
she smiled at him. and stretched towarc
him her lean, exquisite brown head
And for long time they sat without
speaking, while all about them thu
golden day depend toward the sunset
and while the clean slishing sound o.
the water, and the lazy, distant below
ing of the cows, and the ringing noist
of bees, shooting like bullets over The
invisible roadways of the scented garder
air, came dreamily to their ears.
Jim, from the higher branches Of thu
oak, gave an occasional triumphant
shout: Hang, in the distant kitchen
chartered half audibly to Chung, I
screen door slammed, and there wa!
stiffness. From the dark velvet wall
flowers came waves of rich, warn
scent. And In the pink and whit
! depths Of the cradle the baby snuffeC
and fused, half opened eyes fllmet
with sleep, and slept again.
cts all so beautiful, STAN" Margare
unused, after q while.
He looked at her, with his half-seri
Gus grin. And the thought of wha
! he had been q few years ago, and wha
her inspiration and her love had mad
him, came over him suddenly ant
made him feel somehow proud and ye
humble, ashamed and yet exultant.
Its all-you," he said.
- CHE ENUA