The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-02-11
SHORT
SHORT
STORY

accord. Nothing remained but the
bit of real lace in the neck to tell
of past splendors.
"I can't ever wear it to church
again." she murmured and her face
wore an expression of despair.
To Martha church was as much a
habit as brushing her hair or wash
ing her face. Yet she might just
as well wish for an automobile as
the price of a new gown.
The clock on the mantel struck
five. Martha lifted her eyes and
looked down the darkening road.
Here and there on the hills farm
house dotted the landscape. Not far
away rose the spire of the little
church. Suddenly she uttered an
exclamation. From out of the sky,
as it seemed to her, with noise
like the discharge of fireworks, a
huge airplane was vending its way
downwards. After a series of cir
cles, like a bird with enormous
wings, it landed almost at her very
door.
To say that Martha was startled
would have been putting it mildly.
Never in all the ffty-odd years of
her existence had she experienced
such a shock. The old silk dress
slipped from her lap unnoticed as
she rose hurriedly and crossed the
kitchen to the door. By the time her
trembling fingers had opened it the
great bird-like thing lay quiet.
A curious looking figure had
jumped lightly to the ground.
Martha felt momentary inclination
to slam the door and shut out such
an apparition, but innate hospital
ity won. The approaching figure
had by this time removed a pair of
goggles and unfastened the side flaps
of his helmet, displaying most re-
assuring bronzed young face and
eyes blue as the sky from which he
seemed to have come.
81 hope l haven't frightened you
half to DEATH" he said, a pleas
ant smile displaying the whitest
teeth.
81 heard you coming. You
wouldn't had to knock" Martha
answered. She was recovering
somewhat from her nervousness. 81
never seen one of them things be-
fore, only in pictures. Goodness, I
should think they'd scare the birds
something awful"
The young man laughed heartily.
"Wel, I'm wondering as long as
I'm here at your very door if you
could give me a bite of supper and
a bed for the night A cup of tea
and some bread and butter would
be plenty. I'd like to tinker on the
old plane a little before it really
gets dark. But 1 wouldn't want to
put you out any," he added.
Martha nodded. This was the
biggest adventure she ever hoped to
experience in her life.
"You get your tinkering done. It's
getting dark fast" she answered.
"And I'll get supper"
That was memorable evening
for Martha. The young aviator told
her of adventures above the clouds
in distant countries during the war
that fairly exhausted the strength
of her imagination. Everything else
was forgotten. The old silk dress
remained a crumpled heap on the
floor 1t might have remained there
until the next morning had her COM
pany not gone to the window for
one last look at his airplane. There
was a sound of ripping as his shoe
caught in the folds. He stopped
quickly and picked it up.
"Oh," he exclaimed, "just look
what I've done now
"My goodness" said Martha,
shamefacedly, "if my old dress
hasn't been lying there ever since
you came. was seeing if couldn't
mend it once more for church."
well I've finished it sure enough
with that great foot of mine. I'm
awfully sorry"
In the bright sunshine of the fol-
lowing morning Martha said good
by to her unexpected guest.
Don't forget, Aunt Martha" he
said, holding her hand for a mo-
ment, "I'm coming back in April
on my honeymoon. I'll give you a
good trip then above the clouds.
Only you must teach my wife how
to make sugared doughnuts."
Guess you don't get me off terra
Gotta" calculated Martha, shaking
her head energetically. "But I'll be
watching the sky every day when
spring comes for you and your
bride"
A few moments later and her
company had made a noisy fare
well. Nothing could be seen but
a mere speck in the distance.
There were tears in Martha's eyes
as she watched out the window
wistfully Then for the first time
she saw white envelope lying on
top of the old silk dress. She
opened it hastily. Two slips of
paper fell out. On one was writ
ten:
Dear Aunt Martha-The enclosed
is for a new Sunday-go-to-meeting
dress I'll bring a better one from