The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1937-01-21


ffth birthday, but / haven't ussl
them time out Of mind"
Grandmother set herself to wosk
and throughout the morning thought
aloud; hurried Hepsy in Z cheerful
way that could not be resented
made errands for Eli to and frcsn
the barn. While she poured SUI.
gestions upon grandfather thick ana
fast, until he finally asked for his
coat and cap and disappeared -
ward his workshop as fast as his
two canes and disabled leg would
carry him. saying something ~ he
went about the cold being sure -
break up in snow and that he must
have Eli get out the bob-sled ana
see that the runners were In order.
But when he closed the workshop
door and found that Eli had already
made the fire so that the room was
comfortably warm, he threw coat
and hat aside, and taking the heavy
felt cover from his bit Of machinery,
he put his arms about it as IL Il
had been a human being for which
he craved a blessing, Whispering:
"At last I've done what Emery said.
I've made something that people
will need. 1t isn't the money. you
know that, dear God, but it is that
perchance through this. son and I
may draw nearer together and I'M
derstand mi another as men, and
that through this his boyhood faith
in me will return when he thinks l
am quite q failure"
At eleven o'clock Eli drove White
face up the glen toward Wcstover,
the rockaway filed with wraps, hot
foot-stones and what-not. then watt
ing, the hardest work of the morn
ing. began. For the irst time that
day grandmother began to fuss. She
pulled the shades in the living room
this way and then that to get the
best possible light upon Emery's
portrait over the mantel shelf. She
tried the carpet rug in front Of
the fire and then decided that the
oval one Of gay-hued braided rags
was the most in keeping with the
| old-time chairs. Twice in an hour
| she went up to Tommy's room to
look for possible omissions. on the
second trip. finding that the latch
Of q door leading from beside the
bed down q pair Of long unused
back stairs was loose. She had
started for hammer and nails to
fasten it securely. Just at that mo-
ment Hepsy, who haG gone to the
little fan-shaped window in the attic
peak. rushed down calling:
They're coming, they've crossed
the open by the lower bridge and
by now they'll be up by Twin
ponds," then whisked into the kitch-
en- to put the final touches to thu,
dinner. such as browning the chic
en- gravy and adding to it exact
the right amount Of carefully pre-
pared giblets.
Grandfather started forward,
hitching his chair along until he
could command the little side win.
dow by the chimney. But grand
mother looked in as It were. In
stead Of out, standing by the hearth.
one hand grasping the rnantel sheif;
her breath came quickly and she
swallowed as If choking. Thel
crossing to her husband she knelt
beside him, clasping her hands
| about his.
A draught from the outer door
which Hepsy threw open sent the
flames on the log fire leapink up
ward with a roar. Here they arel
Best put on your long cape, Mis'is
Vance, it is on the rack" then with
unusual shyness she fed to the
kitchen.
Grandmother. I've brought my
dearest dollies so that they sha'n't
have the red fever and have to 60
away in the ambulance" chirped
Bess, drawing the two beloved but
much worse-for-wear children into
the embrace in which she herself
was held.
Grandfather. ! want to e the
axe that belonged to my father that
grandmother promised ! should cut
down the Christmas tree with"
shouted Tommy. having taken
the icy bit Of path between gate
and step in one long joyous slide.
Eleanor followed more slowly. Al
il the ground she was covering
meant more to her than the mere
stepping Of it; in truth, though she
could not know it, she was that day
crossing the Bridge Of Decision
ITO BE CON1INUEDJ