The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-02-18

Mister, and if you don't mind I
won't 60 up. My hearts not good
and them stairs is something aw-
full"
James did not want her to 60 UP.
He was about to look upon the face
of his dead wife, the woman who
had betrayed him, but whom he had
never forgotten nor ceased to love.
He was vastly stirred-stirred and
Mortified that she had been living In
so sordid a place. He had pictured
her sharing a life of luxury with
her Italian lover-had even attend
ed the mans concerts in the futile
hope of catching a glimpse of his
beloved amid the audience. 1t was
plain now that the fellow had de-
serted her-damn him!-left her to
die in poverty and among stran-
Ascending those steep and narrow
stairs, James Lambert's heart
pounded with indignation. His whole
form trembled as he stepped into
the gloomy room. Out of difference
to the dead a shade at its one
small window had been partly low
cred, and, closing the door, he stood
for long moment with his back
against it, breathing heavily.
So this was where his adored Iris
had lived-and died! The mans sad
eyes dragged slowly around the
place, avoiding instinctively the bed
where lay all that was left OF some
thing he had cherished. God, what
a room! The dim light could not
hide what seemed to James its
dreadful poverty: the broken win
dow stuffed with an old skirt; the
sagging bureau propped with a
block of wood; the shabby rug, a
small, mute pair of shoes beside a
chair
His stricken glance came to the
bed at last, and seeing that rigid
form beneath a sheet, hard tears
that had been suppressed for seven
years, suddenly blinded him. More
shaken than seemed possible after
so long a time, he took one dazed
step forward, then, dashing the mist
out of his eyes with an impatient
hand, he Saw-Nora!
Wholly unprepared for her pres
ence, even for her existence, James
was for the moment without speech;
but something about the patient,
dropping figure-the soft, gold hair
like that of his lost Iris, gripped him
strangely. He came still nearer,
staring down at the child with pity
ing eyes.
"Whose-whose little girl are
your" he questioned. though he
knew the answer.
"Mamma's," said Nora. She
looked up YEARLY. care you my
father-the dear, kind father who's
going to take me-home?"
''She told you that?" he asked,
and his voice trembled.
eyes," said the child. Then, quite
without warning, her mouth worked
pitifully, dreadfully. Her small, cold
hand extended the crumpled paper.
''She-she gave me this-for you.
I'D like to go home now, please,
if you don't mind. It's bedtime,
isn't it? I'm pretty tired" And then,
her strange calm breaking, she
walled suddenly: 81 want Mamma!
II want Mammal"
Her tears were the best thing that
could have happened, for both OF
them. In comforting Nora, James
himself found comfort. For those
painfully scrawled words on the
scrap of paper tore his heart. De-
serted only month before her baby
was born, too proud to appeal to the
husband she had wronged so griev-
ously yet giving the child his name
because she had no other, Iris had
at the last turned to him, asking
protection for her little Nora.
Nor did she ask In vain. From
the moment when James lifted the
heartbroken, lonely child into his
arms, Leonora had never lacked
father. Indeed, the knowledge that
Iris had known he would not fail
her, was the mans greatest COM
fort. Nora was barely six years
old at the time. She grew into
happy, sweet-tempered little girl
who accepted the good things which
came to her without question, and
often without thanks. They were
part of life. The bare, cold room
where she had kept her unchildlike
vigil, became at last only vague
memory, a memory dimly painful of
something she must have dreamed.
Not until a tragic day when she was
thirteen did James Lambert realize
that the child had accepted him lit
orally as her own father He re-
turned from business late one after
noon to find her sitting clone in the
twilight. This was unusual, for Nora
loved gaiety and young companions.
He asked, puzzled and a bit wor-
ried: "What's the matter, dear? Not
sick, are your"
ssNo," she answered. II was try
ing TOTO remember"
Her voice was husky. and, still
troubled, James came nearer.
Remember what?"
'sThings," said Nora. "Things
about-about my" She hesitated,
looked up at him; and it seemed to
<~~ko- f1<Ia~ that the Girl had