The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-01-07
SHORT
SHORT
STORY

concerning a lunch
to be prepared for a days trip,
observed the listener interestedly.
Hannah intrigued her imagination;
so, presently, she said impulsively:
fWhat do you do with your leisure
time, Hannah?"
"There is very little leisure time"
returned Hannah, smiling. ''That
comes in winter. I am here the
year long, you know. I read and
sew, rest and think, put the house
in order, and visit with my neigh
boris"
CAN winter!" said Lois wonder
ingly. Then with quick enthusi-
asm: "Oh, it must be grand in win
ter-all the land so white, the ever
green's dark against the sky, and the
sea out here crashing against the
cliffs. Oh, be- tiful! But how lone
ly!"
"You would like it," said Hannah,
with sudden, swift insight. "It
would be one of your kinds of
pleasure Everyone wouldn't care
for it. The lunch shall be ready"
Lois, walking away, nearly col
lided with an elderly man, an old
time resident of the little seaport
town, now guest at Sea View.
"Uncle George" she said abrupt.
ly, "who is Hannah?" ...
He turned to fall into step beside
her. 49,,
Hannah belongs to the first fam
ilies-literally, the first family, for
the Breens were the first settlers
here. The little house where she
lives has sheltered five generations
of Breens and this was all Breen
land hereabouts. Hannah married
late, after spending her youth in
caring for an invalid mother. Her
husband died soon. There was one
son.
Hannah brought him to young
manhood and mortgaged the place
to send him to college. He disap-
peared with the money she had
put to his credit"
"Do you know her we'll enough
to take me to call?" asked Lois.
''Known her since we were chill
dren," he returned gruffiy. "Of
course you shall call if you like.
Didn't know you had so much
sense"
A quiet friendliness sprang up
between them, and on a certain
day, touched the deeps of friend
Up. Hannah, leading the way up
broad stairs with the purpose of
displaying some treasure of a by
gone generation, hesitated with one
hand on the knob of a chamber
door, turning her clear regard upon
the interested young face. AS if
satisfied, she swung open the door
and drew Lois within.
'This is a beautiful room. There
is something unusual about it. I
feel-hushed."
The response was swift and I'M
reserved. Hannah said gently:
''This is my chamber of peace.
I was born in this room. It was
here that first ',new that, whatever
came or went, there was always
God. l came here whenever Pm
weary or distressed. I've had the
feeling that it will be just a step
into a still more peaceful room
perhaps there's only the wall be-
tween"
The clear look of kindred souls
that meet and greet passed between
the young eyes and the older ones.
In Topt11vrxy IF
Uncle George said to Lois:
81 often go for day or two, in
winter, at Sea View Hannah al
ways puts me up. Care to conner"
Care to? Love to- returned
Lois with emphasis.
1t was showing when they left the
city, and the storm increased in
fury as they travelled eastward.
Changing at the junction to the
local train, they found that even with
a snowplow ahead, progress was
slow and uncertain.
Full IL hours the journey took.
The station master at the little town
shook his head at mention of Sea
View.
Shows too deep to get there
tonight" he warned. "Try the vii
lage inn. The roads will be broken
out as soon as the gale subsidies"
"What a lark" laughed Lois.
"Never had an experience like it,
Uncle George"
"Well, not so much of lark"
said the station master grimly.
vessel went on the reef here to-
night-only two men saved. One Of
'em, George, was Hannah's son.
Down and out, if you ask me, and
carries a prison record in his face"
"Oh, poor Hannah" breathed
Lois.
why, say, you don't know, do
your" said the man concernedly.
Hannah won't ever have to know.
She took sick yesterday and died to-
day, jest about the time the vessel
struck"
Lois struggled hard with a sudden
choking in her throat.
Hannah has passed into her
chamber of greater peace" she
said at last.