| Show THE EVENING STORY L ELLENS ELLEN'S PLACE I Copyright ht 1912 by br W W. 1 Werner Graham forlornly looked at his five ve crying children i huddled d' d In ii In tile the gloomy parlor parlor parlor- gloomy although the sun un cameI came I through the tho lace curtains and and threw flecks cIs of light on the faded led carpet Elsie the oldest was only 9 9 Jimmy the youngest oun cst was on only 3 Grahams Graham's own eyes were red rimmed The da day before the small parlor pallor had been beca filled tilled with flowers white roses and carnations In their midst the childrens children's mother had lain whiter than the tho roses with ith work knotted hands bands crossing In eternal eternal eter eter- nal nil rest Only Ony four days since me arie ha had been singing about the house sweeping cooking mending the childrens children's clothes I getting them ready for school Then The 4 ill f 4 Sat on the front doorstep to to smoke and aud think pneumonia caught her In a quick grip that showed no quarter sa gave sae e her hei- heino no chance chanc to tight fight Before Graham realized that she was sick she was wai gone forever Now he hardly had time lime for fot grief so concerned was he with what to do with wit the children Ellens Ellen's parents were ere dead Ion long before His ills own parents were dead Ills His sister lived In a far ar western state His Ills salary was not large Jarge enough to provide pro competent and trustworthy help Mary had found It hard even en with bitter economy to make mate It If reach A Aman woman wo wo- man merely merel hired would find It ii ImpO sl ble For the present a girl next ne door had hada a agreed to come In every da day see sec to things but she wa was young and Ignorant and arid besides about to be married He sighed at the big biff problem before him and tried to keep back the tears for tho the childrens children's sake But It was hard work They Thoy all were so very forlorn Tho The house had iad been cleaned and tidied b by the neighbors and Ellens Ellen's clothes put a away But everywhere w were re little be belongings be- be longings On a a. nail behind the kitchen door hung the apron she had taken off of that night when her chest ached Grahams Graham's Grahams Graham's Grahams Graham's Gra Gra- hams ham's heart ached at sight of It On the center table lay her scissors and a a. spool of oC thread with the needle thrust through It 11 It On the bureau In the bedroom were her barrette and comb Even Jimmy the year three turned away sobbing Bobbing from the sight I Three days doy passed passed miserable miserable J dreary drear da days s Graham had to go to work Ho had gone sone In debt for tor the funeral ex expenses ex- ex and the children had hod to be fed and clothed as though Ellen were here there to care At night he came home feeling more desolate than when hen he ho left leCt In the morning The Thc evening of the tho fourth day he could have laid down like Jimmy and cried for Anna who had come In the three da days s 's before and looked after atter them had not I been near Five disheveled mournful children were waiting patiently for him to come ome home It was after dusk and Jimmy was whimpering with fear tear of the loneliness and the dark Elsie had done what she could toward supper but buta a girl of ot nine cant can't do er very much Her father took the frying pan from her cut the bread and made mado some Bome cof cof- fee fcc Then Them with his own throat too full to speak or eat he watched 1 the tho children get ct through h the miserable meal Jimmy his little cheeks checks grimy and tear streaked fell foIl asleep In his chair His father put him and the three older ones to bed Then he and Elsie washed the dishes and the girl gIrt was as sent Bent to bed Then he got his pipe and sat on the front doorstep to smoke and think Mr Ir Graham I come corne over o to talk tak to you ou about those children of n shrilled a high squeaky old voice over the HIP front gate James Graham let the pipe drop from his lila mouth while he frowned at the speaker speak speak- er cc The dusk duk hid her lace face ace but he knew to whom the voIce olce belonged belonged Sarah Sarah VII Wilson on the crossest crankiest most detested old woman In the town Gloomy as hl his thoughts were the they were preferable to her tier and what she would have to sa say Sarah Wilson was wan not the Kind that waited alted for fot on an Invitation She pushed open the front gate and came up the verbena verbena bordered walk It didn't scorn seeni possible that It had been only a a. month since Ellen Elton set out those verbenas Ellens Ellen's husband groaned then abruptly without a Ii word vord Jumped up rushed into the house and slammed the door In Sarah Wilsons Wilson's face lace He knew well enough why she had come She had been ben there several times before once before once when Harold who was 6 S. S had hod ravaged aged her lieI strawberry patch trampling I the vines 8 and gorging gorging- or himself with berries ber ber- ries rles Her acre of of berries and apples at atthe atthe atthe I the edge eJe of town was a continual temptation tion to the children Harolds Harold's father had I paid for the lis damage m are and Harold's Harolds mother had ad cried and made him promise never to todo todo todo do It again Then hen Ethel who ho was ns' ns i 7 T had bad nun flung a astone astone astone stone and hit one of ot Sarah Barah Wilsons Wilson's hens liens HS us s 's it scurried excitedly across th the road rond hands were re tin tiny and the stone big but her aim elm was good Ellen paid for the hen bolt and lectured Ethel who I 1 sobbed repentance Afterward Ellen had watched the children children chil chil- dren and end upon pon them that Ule they must staY stav ta taftt at home Now o that Ellen was gone and nd there was no one to overlook them hem vr very ver the they h had d been heen wander- wander In lug ng 8 again aln He Ele didn't mind the th money he would have h to pay ray although he had n none noneR ne tl ti spare but lt he lie groaned In anguish at ate atthe atthe the R e C of ot the lack of care that was waso to o be tie theirs H He lIe la lay lav awake 1 all nil night that ing ng for tor Ellen lilen and worrying worrying- about the children chil chi dren dref In In the morning while he hI sot got breakfast t he sent ElsIe over ever to e see If It Ann would T oe oc there that hat day Tf Tt she couldn't h he didn't know what hat to do It was R Impossible to leave e them alone alorie Hadid He Ha did know kIlO n of any 11 one who ho could or would tak fuk care of ot them But Elate came back and r reported port that Anna Anni would he be O over Or r that morning She tad had bc been n hll drefes' drefes fitted the d day y Before Somewhat relieved e h hI he went trent to 10 Work vork NII I h he lie worried nil eli da day at nl night ht hurried home horn ready for an any disaster I Raster A Ac 11 before a 3 cheerless chrle and lone Jon m met t him nn Anna nn had bad been O over Or r for or r two hour In lii Ih the morning but her weIding clothes had been bun too engrossing en i y r rani an ani ana l ahe he had never been near In the af r r. r He sighed mournfully but he re rt- x J that she he he was young and of course her own life Ufe wan wall more im Important Important- to her than five dreary drear children Then r he a again earn prepared supper and watch watched th th children eat cat Ho He wondered what i Ellen would say a If the she he could see them Their faces face were ere dirty except thin white cheeks and their hair had not b been en brush A sharp h r knock aroused him from tram a 1 duil torpor of at anguish He Ho stumbled across the room una unable bl to se sec sel the way for tear 1 blinded eyes and opened the door i J Sarah Wilson stood there and before he could close dOlle It she pushed put pat Mimi him Into the tha room She stood toad there thoro a a. moment 1 J and gazed at the children He 8 waited for the tirade and wondered miserably mis- mis what they had done Jimmy JImmy- 77 raised ed a sleepy face tace from hl his bread and and milk j jIve Ive come about these children she ni snapped h 3 What Is it now he asked dully Ill TIM Pay pay pay- j r IL II I r I L t tI 1 I q 8 Before he could close claBo tho the door the she pushed past patt him into the room Pay she cried angrily With what I You dont don't make moko more than enough to feed them I l' l aint coming for tor pay pay pay- he ho echoed in wonder they done something She looked at him a long minute her little old gnarled face working as th though ugh she too Tlc grieved d Then ahe he he crossed d the room and picked up Jimmy as JImmy as tenderly as aa Ellen might ha have fI picked him up Tills This house is small she said Mine Is lii larger and arid I have plenty of or ground for forthe forthe the h children to play In You Tou ran can come and board with me James Graham and Ill I'll take care of your our children Im I'm an old woman but I aint too old to look after them And you yon n needn't f fear ar Ill I'll bo be cros croas I couldn't with couldn't-with with Ellen whore where she he ma mabo be knows |
