Glacier County chief., 1940-08-23

ro iHeS III the winter, year In,
Miranda glanced up at the graceful
arcn OF the doorway, at the four sup
PORTING white pillars that rose to the
! foot, monuments to the greatness of
me Farnsworth family when the clip
per ships sailed the seas.
How many times had she hated this
massive prison! In her twenties, she
had rebelled against it in bitterness
and despair. Then had come the dull
acceptance of the thirties, the grad
ually growing importance of little
Things. the clutching tyranny of pos
sessions
There was nothing left to take pride
in but. the house, and she had come
! to make a fetish of it.
The love she might have bestowed
upon husband and children. she had
!laVlshed on this one remaining SYM
Dol of family success.
1t meant more to her than she
would admit to herself, even, to have
Occasionally, they would ask to come
IN. and she would show off the broad
hall and the winding staircase, the
spacious rooms with their varied treas
ures brought from far distant places,
pride glowing under her stiff reserve
with a sudden shock OF surprise
, Miranda realized that she had come
to care more for the things of the
past than her mother did.
Yes, she was older in spirit than
her mother! But then, her mother had
lived. She never had.
If she had not let herself mourn
so long for Ralph, she might have
grown to care for someone else. There
had been chances now and again, in
her younger days. But what chance
was there now? You didn't get sec
ond chance at 40! She never saw a
man. from one years end to another
And II she did. what man would even
look at her now?
Children might have been running
in and out Of that gate in the picket
fence as a matter Of course; not
strange, foreign children, but her own
Bitterness welled up in her again,
sitting. the instructive deep down
wave Of compassion the thought of the
refugee children brought TO life
For a fleeing moment she had found
herself wishing passionately that she
could be different.
She didn't really want to be SO
SHARP and tart, but the words Just
came out that way, as though she
had withered inside, and nothing was
left but dried hard seeds that pelted
out at the world.
/ Even with her mother, whom she
truly loved, she was snappy and dis
agreeable.
Abruptly she turned to the front
door, stopping moment to wipe a
smudge OF dirt from the fresh white
paint.
She would train those children from
the first to come in the kitchen way
At least she could keep the front Of
the house decent.
! Waiting at the station the next aft
ernOon for the train, Miranda was
amazed TO find how excited she was,
actually glad that she was one of the
anxious nervous group waiting to see
what they would draw in the human
lottery. But no one could have known
! the inward STRINGS OF her spirit from
her stern fOrbiddlng expression.
Now. don't take it so hard. Miriam
da," Anna Simpkins hustled up to her,
nodding ENCOURAGEMENT.
I've given you the two Meyerdorf
children. They're Austrians, quite a
prominent family. Their father was
one of the Schuschnigg cabinet. They
speak English, so I thought as there
were no children at your house for
them to mix with" she was off
before Miranda could even ask how
old they were.
you're lucky they can speak Eng
lish.' one OF Miranda's neighbors said
enviously How we're ever goin' to
make out with two little Poles that
can't speak word"
The whistle of the engine broke her
off, brought the group on the platform
to agitated attention.
Another moment, and the children
we're piling off the train, round-eyed
and scared. clutching in their hands,
pathetically inadequate bundles. bags
and baskets.
Miranda felt a singing in her eyes
and a tightening of her throat. Caught
consciousness left her as she joined
in the welcoming rush the sight OF
those strained uncertain little faces
precipitated.
There were cries of "Hcllo!" well,
well!' (Which one are you?' but 1t
wasn't what was said that mattered.
1t was the love and kindness running
through the excited commotion that
made the tired little refugees break
into wistful smiles, reach out confid-
ing hands.
Miranda found herself helping
blonde mite off the steps, clinging as
tightly to the small hand in hers as
1t chung to her.
stopped to ask. and felt an absurdly
keen sense Of disappointment when
the child shook her head.
Down the platform Anna Simpktns
was shouting out names, and they
moved together to where they could
hear.
Gretchen Schneider"
The child held more tightly to Mi
randa's hand as she answered In
high treble, Itch bin Gretchen"
you're coming with me, Gretchen"
Nettie Allen. pushing through the
crowd, followed by her own children.
and Miranda reluctantly disengaged
the trembling hand so tightly clasped
in hers then hurried away as Annals
stentorian voice called Rudolph and
Frieda Meyerdorf!"
Mirandais heart seemed to stop, to
actually skip a beat, as they came
toward her, the serious little girl. with
bright eager brown eyes, and two long
brown braids hanging down from under
a small Tyrolean hat, protectingly
holding the hand OF her smaller
h-othar