HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1940-12-19, Page 22PAGE FOURTEEN WINGHAM ADVANCE-TIMES
cook a real meal every mornin’—ham,
fried potatoes, eggs and wheat cakes.
The way some men can eat! Which
reminds me—" she looked at Dot
thoughtfully “—mebbe you two girls
would go out and take a look at the
old farmhouse. Larson, next door,
telephoned that somebody had broken
in last week and it’s been kinda on
my mind. If you could walk out —
it’s about a mile and a half—I’d send
the car for you around noon. I’d like
to have you outta the way this morn
in’. Lucy and I have our hands full
with a final cleanin’ and a turkey to
stuff.”
“But we can help, Gran,” Sue said.
“You kin help by your absence,”
said Gran sharply.
In the end, however. Gran left the
turkey to Lucy. Her hands were full
of other things. Matters which in
cluded several long-distance telephone
calls, a period of writing at her desk
in her quaint old spidery hand, and a
call to the center of town. So Gran
merely tasted the dressing, told Lucy
not to be so stingy with the sage, and
to sew up the bird.
The morning was sparkling and
clear, the snow so bright that every
thing one looked at was outlined in
rainbows. The sky was deeply blue,
while over the purple mountain tops
on which the snow had sifted like
powder, great bunches of clouds hung
thick as cotton.
Dot drew a deep breath. She was
smaller than Sue and in her maroon
knitted beret which matched her
skirt, she seemed smaller than ever.
Her gray caracul coat swung out at
every step. Beside her, in ski pants,
Sue seemed infinitely taller and long-
legged.
Sue, her profile clear and sharp and
very young against the sky, said with
a little rush, "And if you could man
age to get away, Dot, I’d like you to
be maid of honor. Gran has her heart
set on a regular wedding — and it’s
the least I can do. I suppose.”
“At the moment,” Dot said, walking
a little more slowly,_ “I can promise
anything. I feel as if 'I have all the
time in the world and that nothing
really has any claim on me. As a mat
ter of fact, it’s quite true, isn’t it? We
all have twenty-four hours, to spend
as we like. But I was coming to the
point. Nothing could stop me from
being your maid of honor, dear, only
it’ll have1 to be matron, I think.” She
was thinking that she would have to
see Dusty married, that she would
have to witness the ceremony .with
her own eyes. And that if she didn’t,
something would seem, to her, and
would be, forever unfinished.
But Sue said, “Stephen, of course.
I’m so glad, Dot. I didn’t know that
you had decided definitely. You’ll go
on at Mitcheltree’s?”
“No. I’m planning to concentrate
•my energies on being domestic for a
year. Which is one reason .1 feel as
light as this wind at the moment. I’m
actually floating, Sue. And I’m quite
liking it. It was .Stephen’s idea.”
“I’ll have no choice.” said Sue a lit
tle bitterly. “I’ll have to be domestic
or take a course in typing or some
thing if I’m ever to be any help to
Dusty. That is, since my career failed
to skyrocket as planned.”
“I hope,” said Dot, “that you aren’t
marrying Dusty just because it’s
something colorful to do.”
Sue stopped quite still. “Sometimes
you say. sharp things like Gran. Only
it’s all right for Gran to say them, be
cause inside she’s -kind—” Sue was
pale with anger.
"I didn’t mean it to sound as it did,”
Dot said. “I think I said it because
it sounded a little clever. Although,
since we’ve brought it up, I’ve always
wondered if you were very much in
love with Dusty, or if it was a sud
den kind of attraction. Please believe
me, Sue, I do want you both to be
happy.”
Sue walked along slowly . without
saying anything, When she did speak,
her voice was calm. “I believe you,
Dot. We will be happy. We both like
the same sort of thing. We’re the
same kind of people underneath.
That’s important, isrt’t it?”
“Yes. Very.”
“We have the same ideas about life
together*. I mean, we aren’t likely to
get into any difficulties because each
is considerate of the other’s feelings,
and of Course we xyant a family right
away,”
"Oh.” thought Dot a little .wildly,
“children! That’s what marriage is
for, isn’t it? To provide security for
your children. It isn’t just' a comfort
able way of life. It’s funny, but I can’t
imagine Stephen and me with child
ren. It’s just too absurd.” g
She was thinking, ;"This is all talk,
really. I’m quite Satisfied and happy.
Only it’s terribly funny that the fact
that Dusty’s brother kissed me on the
top of a Fifth Avenue bus is some
thing I can’t forget. • It’s silly to let a
chance incident, that obviously meant
nothing, ruin a life that is bound to
be happy. I won’t let it. Even though
he is Dusty’s brother, Joel is crude
and ill-mannered. He’s essentially de
testable and I loathe him.”
The small farmhouse, weighted
down with a thick roof of snow, with
the snow piled high against the board
ed-up windows, peered sleepily at
them from over the rise in the land,
They ploughed through the unshovel
ed path add Dot fitted the key in the
rusty lock. Inside it was chilly, and
a damp musty odor greeted them
from the darkness. Sue brushed away
a cowweb from a back window, rais
ed it and opened the shutter. Sun
shine, in thick slanting yellow beams,
lay on the old board floor,
“We could build a little fire,” Dot
said. And she was down on the hearth
crumpling yellowed newspapers and
getting kindling from the wood bas
ket. The fire blazed with a roar and
then settled down to cheerful crack
ling. throwing its light on the rough
old furniture, the hand-carved chairs,
the. big. old pine cupboard with the
funny hinges, and giving out the sweet
odor. of burning wood. “It’s queer,
isn’t it,” Sue said, “that a fire on the
hearth is the life, of a house?” Dot
thought, ‘“There is something about
this house that has a vital quality. I
could find myself and be happy here.
I wouldn’t try to change it, or remodel
or do anything but live. Oh, .Gran,
Gran, it is right, isn’t it? I’m so- glad,
you sent us up here. It’s what Steph
en meant. To touch the real things
in life is to live.”
Dot walked about in the dim light,
found an old broom and, and pushing
open the back door, brushed aside
brown leaves and the white snow.
She swept clean the stone door-step,
and with the cold air whipping her
cheeks she looked out over the long
valley.
When Sue found her she was lean
ing on the broom and her face was
shining. “Sue,” said Dot ecstatically,
“once Gran told me I could live in‘this
house. It was ages agp, and I did
mean to. I’m going to ask her if she
meant it and if I can have it now to
live in for a little while, because—be
cause I’m going to paint. I want to
do some snow pictures with deep blue
shadows. I want, to do that old sleigh
half covered with snow. And — and
what a studio that shed would make!”
Sue said, “But Stephen?”
“That’s just it. Stephen and I are
going to live here. Stephen would
adore this. ’ I think it’s what he has
wanted all along.”
Sue answered absent-mindedly. She
was still pursuing an odd little doubt
in her mind. “I wish,” Sue thought,
“Dot hadn’t said that abotit Dusty.
But it will probably be , all right —
when I see him,”
' XXV
When Sue awoke the next morning,
she thought with a tiny echo of the
thrill, she had felt when she was a lit
tle girl, "Why, tonight will be Christ
mas Eve, and we’ll meet Stephen and
Dusty at the train in Gran’s old red
sleigh.”
But when she dashed into her
clothes and went downstairs to be
greeted by the aromatic odor of the
Christmas tree, mixed with spices and
baking pies in the kitchen, she stopped
stock still in the living room, for
there’ was Dusty, chatting gayly with
Dot over a second cup of coffee.,
When he saw her lie rose quickly
and said, “I couldn’t wait any longer,
darling. I had to come. The Clinst-
mas spirit was too much for me.” He
took her in his arms and Sue felt the
warm -security of his embrace, tender
and restrained. As she took her place
at the table she noticed Dot’s color
and tho'ught how lovely she looked —
almost youthful.
Dusty noticed it, too. In fact, he
found' it hard to take his eyes from
her. “You ought to stay here all the
time,” he said. “This place definitely
does things to you, Dot.”
Dot smiled happily. “I’ve been
thinking the same thing. Miraculous
ly, all my troubles seem to have dis
appeared. I think it’s the way I sleep
here. No one ever sleeps enough in
New York, there is too much that is
overstimulating. You’ve no idea what
sleep and strn do for me—”
Her words were etit off by the
sound of Sleigh bells Coming from the
driveway. The livery horses, the only
ones left in town, were pawing and
prancing and Switching their tails be
fore the big three-seated sleigh which
was to take them to meet Stephen,
It took time getting stowed in. They
had to arrange the warm bracks at
Gran’s feet and tuck in the bearskin
rugs. But at last they went jingling
off and picked up Joel, and Jinny at
Jinny’s house, after which they made
a circle through the town, stopping
to leave packages, and now and then
causing a minor traffic panic as the
oncoming cars halted to let the fan
tastic equipage pass by, veering pre
cariously on one runner as it round
ed a corner.
Stephen’s train was late, and the
livery plugs had turned into chargers
before it came whirling into the sta
tion in a clotid of black smoke and
white vapor.
Stephen said, after the first excited
greetings were over, “If I’d only
known, I would have come in cos
tume.” He sat beside. Dot and kept
one of her hands in his.
“Stephen,” she began, and wonder
ed why it was so hard to tell him,
“there’s the dearest house, Gran’s old
farm—’’
“Yes?”“And I want to stay up here and
paint. '
Stephen threw back his head and
roared: “Really, Dot, when.I suggest
ed taking a year off, I didn’t mean
you’ to go to such absurd lengths as
that. You dont—you can’t mean you
want to stay up here in the winter?"
• “Yes I do, Stephen.” But she felt
curiously let down and a little disap
pointed.
It was Sue who discovered that they
were not going towards home and she
called to ask Gran abotit it.
“We’re going to the mills,” Gran
answered complacently. “I been want
in’ to see this fancy invention of Joel’s
— and I thought I’d better go when
I had the chance. I don’t get about
much, you know.”
“Did you know I lost my lease?”
Joel called to her. “The toy people
canceled. Said it would cost too much
to refit.”
“Probably would, too,” said Gran,
her breath a white cloud.
• As they drew up before the mills
they could see the stone buildings,
sturdy and strong, though the wind
ows had been broken by wind, weath
er, and by. reckless small boys with
stones. Piles of junk stood desolate
ly about, half covered with snow.
“There isn’t anything to see, really,”
said Joel, as the key rasped in the
rusty iron lock, and threw open the
door. He turned on a light and they
all went into the dusty office littered
with papers and drawings and blue
prints. Joel led the way into the
workroom and showed, them the ma
chine. He,threw a switch, and spun
Some elastic thread oti d Spool. Gran
looked closelys but. shid nothiiig. Dus
ty asked skeptically if Joel had. been
able to patent it. Stephen was the on
ly one who seemed impressed.
“There’s an idea for our crepe pap
er, Dot,” lie said. “Nobody ever once
thought of using elastic thread with
it.”
“Oh, I’ve thought of that,” said Jin
ny. “I’ve made lots of samples with
crepe paper.”
“She’s my ‘creative department’,”
said Joel.
Stephen looked at Jinny with undis
guised interest. “An idea person, eh?
You and I must get better acquaint
ed.’”
The visit was cut short when Gran
went tapping towards the door, say
ing that the place was colder than the
grave and they’d all be ill if they stay
ed any longer. Dusty made no move
to go and stood staring at the mach
ine long after the others had returned
to the office. “Is your patent any
good?” he asked.
Joel glowered. “Absolutely air
tight.”
“And you mean to tell me that with
this converter we can spin elastic
thread on these outmoded machines?”
“Sure thing!”
“Well, if that’s it, the idea has pos
sibilities.”
. “It’s taken you a heck of a long
time to See it,” said Joel sharply.
“How much money would it take to
develop it?”
“Not a dollar of your money.” Joel
planted himself squarely in front of
Dusty. ‘I’m not going to develop it.
I m going to sell it.” -
■ “You can’t sell it,” said Dusty quiet
ly, because I won’t let you,” ■
‘Whose machine is this?” Joel Voice
was choked with anger.
“And whose money did you -use to
perfect it?”
Joel’s face worked. “Partly mv
own, mid partly money from the es
tate. That’s my machine. I made it
and I m going to dispose of it as I
see fit.
Dusty’s voice was rising now. “Welt
— that s no reason (of you to make a
fool of yourself.”
“Don’t you worry about that. I’ve
a good offer and I’m going to sell.”
“You talk like a fool,” said Dusty.
"You’ve got a fortune here, and I’m
not going to let you throw it away.”
Joel waved a trembling hand before
Dusty’s face. “This is a fine time to
put in your two- cents’ worth. If you’d
ever given me a particle of encourage
ment I’d be ready to listen to you, but
you’ve never overlooked a chance to
treat me. like an infant. I’m no longer
a kid. You can’t tell me what to do.
And the sooner you find it opt, the
better. This invention is mine—and
I’m going to do as I darn please with
it. If there’s any of your money in it,
you’ll get it back.”
“Joel,” said Dusty in- a voice that
was cold and- controlled, “you’ve for
gotten yourself.”
“On the contrary,” shouted Joel,
"I'm just beginning to remember my
self. All my life I have thought of
you as the best brother in the world
—and you were, too, until you sudden
ly got hipped on this’ idea of mar
riage. Since then you’ve been throw
ing the harpoon into me. The mom
ent Sue Garland came into your life,
you shoved me out completely.”
Dusty’s fists clenched. “Joel!” he
thundered. “That’s a lie — take it
back!”
"It’s God’s truth!” cried Joel. “I
won’t take it back. And I’ll tell you
another thing — Sue Garland isn’t
really in love with you. You’re just
forcing her to marry you!”
Dusty caught his brother by the
shoulder. “Take — that — back,” he
said slowly, “or I’ll break every bone
in your body!” ‘ -
Joel's answer to ,that was a vigor
ous sock on. the jaw.. Then Dusty
lashed out with both fists. Joel was
still on his feet and slugging with all
he had when Sue suddenly appeared
in the doorway. She screamed, and
at almost the same instant Joel drop
ped with a thud.
By the time the others arrived, Sue
was down on the floor, her arms tug
ging at Joel. Dusty was on his feet
with a bloody nose and one eye par
tially closed.’ Jinny came to within a
few steps of Joel and stopped. She
had seen the expression in Sue’s eyes.
Then the tapping of Gran’s cane
was heard in the doorway. “Is this
your idea of peace on earth and good
will toward men?” she demanded
shrilly.
CHAPTER XXVI ’
Dot was more disturbed than any
of them over the fight. “Gran should
not have taken us there}” she kept say
ing to Stephen over and over, as they
waited for Gran to bring Joel and
Dusty.,,down frdm hdr room. “It was
entirely her fault; I’m sUrC she had
some purpose in doing it; Sometimes
I think she’s a meddlesome old wo=
man. Those boys have been so crazy
about each other. I simply can’t un
derstand their quarreling over a silly
old piece of machinery.”
Sue stood by the piano and ran her
fingers lightly over it. "For a moment
I was afraid he was dead,” she
thought. “I knew if he were dead,
there would be nothing at all for me
in >this world.” She shuddered as she
• thought again of Joel prone on the
factory floor, felled by a blow from
his.own brother.'
Jinny was walking back and forth,
her face drawn and colorless.
At last they heard Gran’s steps on
the stairs, the slow thump of her cane.
When she came in, rustling in her best
silk, she looked oddly satisfied. "And
now,” she said, as if it were a sort of
theatrical show, “we can go on with
our Christmas Join’s. Fortunately no
body was hurt, although they are
both a bit the worse for wear.”
Joel came down first with a white
bandage around his head. He grinned
sheepishly and said, "Gran thought
somebody ought to wear'a halo.”
The doors’ were opened into the
front parlor where the tree stood tall
and furry, the gifts piled high at its
foot. When Dusty joined them here
a little later, he had a particularly
nasty cut on his chin and a swollen
left eye which was rapidly getting
darker.
Tree trimmings, the ones they had
used for so many years, as well as all
the bright new Ottes Sue had bought
for the occasion, cluttered a side table.
A step ladder Stood by the tree and
Gran took her place in a chair where
she could supervise.
“It mav be I’m superstitious,” Gran
Said to Stephen, “but the one time I
believe in sorcery, is Christmas Eve.
I’ve often observed that a Christmas
tree has a magical effect upon those
who trim it.” * __
“Perhaps you’re right, I wouldn’t
n.QW* J’vq pcvqr (rimmed a (req,”
e