The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-03-17
CHAPTER xII-continued
wNU Service
Copyright by Frances Parkinson Reyes

watching her slow approach through y
the deep snow from the kitchen win
dows, and had waved a greeting.
Now, as she mounted the porch, she
shook her umbrella and stamped the
snow from her overshoes.
mo. amt bit wet" she said,
returning Mrs. Gray's hearty kiss.
"Pm dressed real warm. If we're
goin' to set in the kitchen. guess
won't lay off my overshoes. If |
keep 'em on my feet, it'll take 'em off
my mind"
This point being satisfactorily set
tied, the two ladies sat down In rock
ers beside the stove and started work
on their sleeveless sweaters. Mrs.
Elliott, as usual, scarcely stopping for
breath before she began her recital
of the recent news of the neighbor-
hood.
slave you heard that old Mis- Hun
ter, up to White Water Is married
again? Mr.. Taylor tried to reason
with her. seem he's buried four of
her husbands already. but she said,
as long as the Lord took 'em, she
would. Shockin', amt it?-How's the
baby? shouldn't have thought that
Austin could have borne to go off and
leave that little helpless creature, but
1t seems to be thrivin'. don't it?
don't s'pose you have the least notion
he'd want to marry again, not for
while. anyway. Yes, l knew he was
real fond of Sylvia. but men are hui
man. Writes you real regular. does
he? And Thomas. too? I'm always
real pleased to hear about your boys.
but | declare | steer clear of Violet
: Mannin' these days. You know how
set she was against Paul goin' TO war.
But now she's got the biggest service
flag in town and we are 100 per cent
subscribed on her Liberty loan card.
bet all she bought was $50 bonds,
don't you? Be that as it may, morn
in. noon and night she don't open her
head except to talk about her hero.
Goes around with letter of Panl's
in her hand, and"
"Does he write her regular?"
Seems to. | can't make out that
he's ben in any great danger yet, and
I've questioned her close. Enjoyin
himself considerable, | should say.
Them Mannin' children always just
itched and hankered to get out Of
Hamstead and shouldn't be a mite
surprised If that itchin and hankerin'
didn't have somethin' to do with Paul's
patriotism and Blanche's romance
And that brings me to my main piece
of news--Philip Stars numbers
been called and he's goin' to Devens
this week. Blanche's comm home for
the present and hear she's mad clear
through"
"Oh the poor childl"
"Poor child nothin'. l don't deny
Blanche is pretty and pleasant, but
there amt nothin' very deep about
her. bet she's lookin' forward to.
comm here with lots of good-lookin'
clothes and new ideas and putin on
airs with her old neighbors Mary's
got her faults. but I'll say this for
her, she amt near so high and mighty
as the rest of the family. Well.
must start along home. Clearin'. amt
it? Well. this'fl make nice sleighin'
and that's one thing to be thankful
for. It's lucky we got few comforts
left"
Philip had longed to volunteer in
the first days of the war and Blanche
had been so bitterly opposed to it that
ne had given in to her wishes. trying
not to let her see the bitter spiritual
struggle and loss of self-esteem which
it had cost him to do this. But when
the draft came. there could be no
question of evasion or hesitation. His
little income would keep her COM
Portable. and there was no child.
This, Blanche knew, had been a
source of disappointment and grief to
Philip while she had secretly rejoiced
at mot being tied down right away"
Now the fact that baby might have
kept him at home made her resentful
that she did not have one.
1t was out of the question for her
to stay on in the little Brookline apart
ment alone. and there was nothing for
her to do but to return. rebelliously,
to Hamstead. Philip. with never-fail-
ing understanding and gentleness, saw
how hard 1t was for her to do this,
and insisting that 1t should hereafter
be called "Carte Blanche" to perpetu-
ate his joke, urged her again to amuse
herself by having the little law office
renovated to suit the plans which he
had made so long before. This time.
the suggestion was godsend. Blanche
became genuinely interested and
worked harder and more happily than
she ever had done before in order to
have the tiny home in perfect order
for his first furlough. There was
merry little housewarming, when
Philip appeared. wearing his sergeant's
uniform, for all Hamstead wanted to
see him.
But after the last guest had de-
parted. he lighted fire in the wide.
shallow fireplace of the big, soft-col-