Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-07-16

Inc tnlng 10 40 II " eahe Sooo AOoh
at them. Like Bird. you know, and
that sign on the bridge. l wish you
hadn't begun to think about this at
all until"-his arm crept back shelter
ing around her-'until you were big
ger. It's so much easier then. But
since you did, maybe if we went back
TO tell Jim Sanderson's body goOd-by,
because he Used to live in it, as you
and I might go to our house to tell
that good-by if We were going to move
away to another town. why, maybe
then you'd feel that there's nothing
strange or ugly or terrible about it.
But you mustn't unless you really want
to, you know"
Il think II think I really do
father"
She shut her teeth and held herself
stiff and straight beside him as the
phaeton rolled briskly along, and
thought over and over, Il won't be
scared! I won't be scared!'
They walked hand in hand up the
side steps TO the porch.
I'll raise the shades first he said.
Everything looks strange in the dark"
He went in and raised the shades
and let in the long, mellow rays of
the summer sun. Then she saw him
turn down the sheet at one end of the
quiet mound on the stretcher. There
were roses in the room and a bee went
in right behind him and began to
buzz among them as if it gathered
honey there every day. The bee made
it easier to go when he called. But
she was trembling and her heart was
beating hard.
She looked steadfaStly at her fathers
eyes and didn't look away until she had
his hand and her hand had received
the quick, hard comradely squeeze that
she liked better than almost anything
in the world. Then, holding tight. she
looked into Mr. Jim SandersOn's face.
Almost all the fear went out of her.
Her grip on her fathers hand relaxed.
She stood for a long time in wondering
relieved contemplation.
Hes" She stopped. You didn't
say that about men. She looked again
and said it. Hes beautiful. And
he looks happy
Her father nodded. Happier than
that day we met him in the woods,
doesn't he? But he's not here, you
know. That's not him any more than
his old coat is"
All mixed up with the buzzing of a
bee and the smells of box and rose
geraniums, a little door seemed to open
somewhere inside Of her, and she felt
that that wa true.
She faced him suddenly. Father,
do you know where he has gomez"
NO, darling; not positively. But
wherever he is, I think he finds it as
natural to be there as you and I do
to be here"
You mean-being dead isn't any
any queerer to him than being alive
is to us?"
Yes" he said, and walked out with
her into the shunshine.
They logged along home behind
Birds Sunday trot. They didn't talk
much, but they felt very close together.
She was tired, and purged with weep
ing, and she felt older. She lay peace
fully in the lap of the summer Sun
day, breathing her fathers love in and
out like air, not thinking of Mr.. jim
Sanderson any more, done for awhile
with sensations.
When they stopped in front of the
house, Tell mother III be back in an
hour" her father said. i've a call to
make" and she went inside in a little
daze.
Mother" she called. "Motherl"
And knew instantly that the house was
empty.
She stopped short and caught her
breath and listened hard. She couldn't
hear a thing. She went quickly into
the kitchen and stared at the piled
up unwashed dishes, and Hannah's
apron on the floor, and the butter that
had melted and hardened again into
a wide yellow wafer. The drops from
the faucet were still going pink! pink.
pink! into the sink. She turned round
TEN HOLDS NEEnEn To