The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-09-07

Fiann1ng thus, cOmpetentiy, she
| raised her eyes-to see coming
along the path the two boys who
had of late been Evans close COM
panions. She spoke to them as they
reached her. Cant you stay
minute? I'll make you some lem
onade."
They stopped and looked at her
in a way that startled her. eve
can't" Arthur said; we're going
over to the Follettes. We thought
we might help"
She stared at them. Help? What
do you mean?"
Sandy gasped. ooh, didn't you
know? Mrs. Toilette died this morn
ing :"
Evans had found his mother at
noon, lying on the couch at the foot
of her bed. He had stayed at home
in the morning to help her, and at
ten o'clock she had gone upstairs to
rest a bit before lunch. Old Mary
had called her, and she had not
answered. So Evans had entered
her room to find that she had slipped
away peacefully from the world in
which she exaggerated her own inn
portance. 1t would go on without
her. She had not been neighborly
but the neighbors would all come
and synpathize with her son. And
they would miss her, because she
had added to the community some
measure of stateliness, which they
admired even as they resented it.
Evans had tried to get Baldy on
the telephone, but could not. Jane
was at Grass Hills. He would call
up at long distance later. There
was no reason why he should spoil
for them this day of days.
So he had done the things that
had to be done in the shadowed
house. Or. Hallam came, and 9TH
ers. Evans saw them and they went
away. He moved in a dream. He
had no one to share intimately his
sorrow-no sister, no brother, no
one, except his little dog, who traiied
after him, wistful-eyed, and with
limping steps.
The full force of the thing that
had happened did not come to him
at once. He had feeling that at
any moment his mother might sweep
in from the out-of-doors, in her white
linen and fiat black hat, and sit at
the head of the table, and tell him
the news of the morning.
He had had no lunch, so old Mary
fixed tray for him. He did not
eat, but drank some milk. Then he
and Rusty took up their restless
wandering through the silent rooms.
Old Mary, true to tradition, had
drawn all the blinds and shut many
of the windows, so that the house
was filled with a sort of golden
gloom. Evans went into his moth
er's little office on the first floor,
and sat down at her desk 1t was in
perfect order, and laid out on the
blotter was the writing paper with
the golden crest, and the box of
golden seals. And he had laughed
at herl He remembered with pang
that they would never again laugh
together. He was alone.
He wondered why such things hap
pened. Was all of life as sinister
as this? Must one always find trag
edy at every turn of the road? He
had lost his youth, had lost Jane.
And now his mother. Was every
thing to be taken away? Would there
be nothing left but strength to en-
dure?
Well, God helping him, he would
endure to the end
He closed the desk gently and
went out into the darkened hall.
AS he followed it's length, a door
opened at the end. Black against
the brightness beyond, he saw the
two lads. They came forward with
some hesitation, but when they saw
his tired face, they forget self
consciousness.
eve just heard. And we want to
help" Sandy was spokesman. Ar
thur was speechless. But he caught
hold of Evans sleeve and looked
up at him. His eyes said what his
voice refused
Evans, with his arms across their
shoulders, drew the boys to him.
'It was good of you to come
Miss Barnes said," again it was
Sandy who spoke, that perhaps we
might get some pine from the little
grove. That your mother liked it."
Miss Barnes? Is she back? Does
she known"
1--WE told her. She is coming right
over"
Baldy drove Jane in his little car.
AS she entered she seemed to bring
the light in with her. She illumined
the house like a torch.
She walked swiftly towards Ev-
ans, and held out her hand. my
dear, am so sorry"
II thought you were at Grass
Hills"
eve came back Unexpectedly"
"I am SO glad-you came"
He was having a bad time with his
voice. He could not go on ..
Jane. spoke to the boys. did you
ask him about the pine branches?
Just those, and roses from the gar
den, Evans"
"You always think of things"
"Baldy will take the boys to the
grove, and do any errands you may
have for him." She was her calm
and competent self-letting him get
control of his emotion while she di-
rected others.
Baldy, coming in, wrung Evans
hand. "The boys and will get the
pine, and Edith Towne is coming
out to help l called her up to tell