Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-12-06
,gesued. l nummeu it unuer my

gesred. 1 nummeu IL under my
breath.
Fair and free, night and day,
Fair and free is the Kings
Highway =. :"
How the tune fitted the morn
ing! Hug myself in wealth
of state -. empty purse hath care
less gait thou must watch thy
chests and bags naught has
the beggar to lose but rags
Wine for thee f. for me a crust
:. king and beggar ;. they both
are dust /. and dust to dust +. f.
must return some day ;. cen as
now on the Great Highway -"
In this mood what was more
natural than that 1 should turn
towards the street where Mimi
dwelt. IF could not see her, 1
could at least look upon the casket
which contained her! Thus I told
myself POLITICALLY.
I had known that she lived in
an apartment house, but l had
fancied it would be a glorified
place, not cast in the mold of ordi-
nary habitations. But it was moth
ing of the sort. It was a dingy
brick, and I was to learn later that
the LIE Bruins were on the third
floor and that one had to walk up
two fights of stairs as there was
no elevator.
I passed the house twice, secure
in the thought that as Mimi was
out, there was no one who knew
me. The wind was from the east
and the smoke drifting over the
city dulled the sunshine. But it
could not dull the brightness of
the day for me. This unpreten-
tious habitation gave me hope.
Surely the time would come when
I could provide a finer nest than
this. My dreams leaped forward.
I saw the play a ~Nccess. saw
other plays. With youth and love
a man might move mountains.
I like to think of the boy I was,
treading the streets Of the old city.
Of his lightness of heart. Of his
faith in the future.
AS L went along thought of my
father, and wished that he were
by my side. I wanted to hear him
speak in his tense, ecstatic voice of
the goodness of God. knew that
God was good. Through all these
years he had led me at last to the
woman I loved
Turning back again finally to the
boulevard, I saw coming straight
towards me-Mimi, walking with
her free step, and talking to a lit
tie woman who battered along be-
side her.
Jerry" she said, when she saw
me, what are you doing down
here ?"
Looking up at Juliet's balcony"
mot really?" but the pink in
her cheeks was lovely.
She presented me to the little
woman, "Aunt Lucille, this is Jerry
Chandler. Mrs. Merrick is helping
with my lovely dresses, Jerry. We
have been down town, matching
some samples. Aunt Lucille made
my christening robe, and I hope
that some day she will help with
my wedding things"
Tile little lady was, could see at
first glance, no ordinary seam
stress. She wore old-fashioned
and somewhat shabby black. But
she wore it with the air Of small
princess. She had little feet and
little hands, and straight back.
Mimi told me her story afterwards.
She was not blood relation, but
she belonged by birth and breed
ing to that inner circle of which
Mimi was a part. She had been a
beautiful girl, but had made an I'M
fortunate marriage with a man
who had squandered the fortune
she had brought him. With a fine
pride she had refused to be de-
pendent. She lived in an ancient
house which she owned, and she
rented rooms. She was convent
bred and did exquisite things with
her needle. Her ola friends en-