The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-02-18
W.N.u. RELEASE

LIiiiiid, dS Emma grew COnVdleS-
cent. Although the older woman
never acknowledged in words that
she liked her companion or missed
her or waited for her, Cherry grew
to enjoy these evenings, and sus-
pected that Emma did, too.
Emma was about fifty, but she
might have been any age between
thirty and seventy. Her face was
thin, narrow and marked by stern
ness and reserve. Her graying hair
she wore coronet fashion in tight
braids in which never a hair was
awry.
A strange, cold, repressed wom-
an, Cherry used to think, as Emma,
belted into gray wrapper, sat back
painting against her pillows and at
tackled the days bills, menus, re-
ports. Cherry brought up a lamp
that illumined the ceiling and sent a
soft light down for the invalid's S
eyes, brought up a glass bowl of
crocus blossoms and set it on the
table, put Chinese plate of brown
bulbs in the sunshiny south window
where Emma could employ times of
languor in watching their almost
hourly change. And finally, shyly,
she brought Emma tiny kitten, a
bundle of wet, wailing fur that she
had found by the Preside wall.
Emma laughed a short, scornful
laugh at this last contribution. She
never could stand cats, she said.
But Cherry, noting the confidence
with which the small stray, newly
warmed and fed, was advancing to-
ward Emma's languid hand, prom
ised with great confidence that she
would remove the little creature the
minute he became troublesome
From that moment the cat was Wis.,
IDLY the absorbing consideration of
Emma's life.
did you 60 first to the Marsh
banks as q nurse, Emma?" Cherry
asked idly one night. Emma looked
at her quickly, hesitated before
speaking.
EYES," she answered then. ira
taken the boys, Fred and Judson,
through tonsil operations, and then
through scarlet fever, at the hos
pital when / was in training. The
old lady took a liking to me, and
when they'd come back from abroad
a few years later and I'd been wild
owed, the old madame-as we used
to call Mrs. Marshbanks, though !
don't suppose she was more than
fifty then-sent for me to take care
of the colonel. He'd been struck
down with sleeping sickness; he was
on a couch for years. Then Miss
Louise-she was the only daughter
and had married an engineer from
Springfeld-came home to have the
baby. The old lady was so pleased
about it-they both talked so much
about the grandchild. And then to
have both die-yes, that was bad
time.
81 stayed on as a nurse and house
keeper; I had my sister to support
and it was a comfortable place.
wasn't twenty when graduated and
came to them."
"How'd you know my mother,
Emma? Did you meet her at the
Marshbanks'
Emma looked thoughtfully at her
companion.
mo; knew her before that" she
finally said. And then, after an.
other pause: "Your mother was my
sister Charlotte.
Cherry stared at her. The words
did not seem to make sense.
my mother she began in q
whisper, and stopped.
"Yes. Your mother was my sis.
ter. You were named for her.
"But Emma" Cherry said breath
lessly, confusedly conscious oi
shock and reluctance, ''you never
told mel"
well, you don't always tell chill
dren everything" Emma said aft
er moment. ''You weren't but 6
little thing when your mother died.
81 could have known that!" Cher
ry exclaimed. A thousand bright
dreams vanished with the revela
ton, and she felt hurt and wronged
But amazement still had first place
in her thoughts.
maybe I never told you because
/ didn't think you'd be especially
pleased" Emma said dryly. The
girls color came up warmly.
''It's not that! Of course I'm
I'm glad" she stammered. "I'vt
never had any family, and-and O
course I'm glad!"
And, Immediately, to her ow1
amazement, she burst into tears
She had often imagined what hel
connections might be; she had nev
er dreamed this. Emma-so con
tanned and cold and distant-hel
own aunt! Cherry pushed the table
away blindly and went to the win
dow, and stood looking out at tn,
dark night, and the far city light
that shot arrows and flashes through
her tears.
Mother-mother never told me-!
she stammered. II wish she had!'
Cherry looked down at her card
with blinded eyes, and made her
self move them here and there a
if she were playing. She finishe,
her game, and said with shaking
voice that she was tired and though
she would 60 to bed. Emma stil
making no comment, Cherry pu
away the table and asked Emma
there was anything more she coul.
do.
mo-" Emma said, nothing"
The girl came to the bedside
looked down.
Good night then," she added il