The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-07-26

like to send Nancy away either.
Especially to Miss Rosa's, while
James there" she went on
quickly = "Jane doesn't care
much for children, and she rubbed
me the wrong way the only time
she ever saw Nancy. Very foolish
of me, | suppose, but she-well,
she said that Nancy wasn't a
pretty child and / resented it.
/ keep on resenting it, too, in a
small-lninded maternal way"
Amy you're funnyw
"But Nancy is pretty. even if it
isn't in the pink-and-white cherub
" style. And I won't have Jane
Terry criticizing her. You think
Nancy's pretty asked you a
while ago, remember? Of course
pretty isn't the adjective for her.
It's too obvious and limited. It's
a tinkling sort of word"
"Why Amy, you of all people
let chance remark like that
rankle so! Does it matter what
Jane thinks?"
ooh, no, it doesn't, of course.
Not really. But if anyone had told
you Howard was plain little boy
would you have been pleased?"
"Pd have been as mad as hops. F"
"There-you see? And even
if it wasn't any question of ex-
posing Nancy to James comments,
wouldn't have you go anywhere
else for Christmas for the world. I"
There was such earnestness and
sincerity in her voice that Mary
Jackson smiled with qualification.
cts very sweet to have you say
that. But truthfully, it doesn't
matter so vitality to me to spend
the time with Howard as it does
you. Ever since he's been grown
I've trained myself to be con-
tented just to know that he's well
and happy somewhere, even when
he's not with me. 1t saves such
lot of emotional wear and tear
on both of u.s."
Amy shook her head doubtfully.
81 don't believe I'll ever feel that
way about my son." she said.
If she had not had SO many
things to do Amy could hardly
have existed through the last
weeks before Howard came. To
everything else she added the
making Of two new frocks for her.
self, but at this her mother took
firm stand. "I'll give them to
you for a Christmas gift" she
said, provided that you don't set
a single stitch in them yourself. l
mean it, not one stitch"
So that matter was settled, but
it did mean visits to the dress
maker for fittings. Both dresses
were blue, one very dark and the
other the shade of Chinese coolie
cotton, bright, yet soft.
Her beauty bloomed in expect
ance. Sometimes Mary Jackson
and her mother spoke Of it. There
was something beyond reality in
it. Her eyes did not see them but
only her great happiness. her
mouth was curved and red and
soft, her skin was translucently
fair. She was luminous, radiant,
waiting. In the very last days she
did not talk very much. She was
with Howard as he took his way
toward her. She knew the hour
when he started. the moment of
each stop, just where his train
would be every mile of the way.
He would come in the evening.
She made last turn of the house.
drew the blinds, lit the lights and
looked about her approvingly.
The room had order and color
and warmth and comfort. There
were wreaths in the windows and
a garland over the mantel. Pro-
fessor Ellert had sent her a box
Of wine-roses and she had cut off
the dead branches of the mag
nolia tree in the garden to burn in
the hearth fire for their good
smell. Towards books waited
staidly on their shelves, his cop
per smoking tray was on the table
by his chair. 1t was almost as if
he were there.
And then, miracle, he was
there! Tall and strong, cold
from the keen winter outside, but
with living and hearty cold that
is akin to heat, dropping his cap,
his gloves on the floor. smother
ing her against his greatcoat,
holding her. saying her name =
"Amy, Amy-Amy-Amy!" tell
ing her all that she needed to
know in. that one word.