Show MiH if 5 THE OLD I 1 ROCKING CHAIR 5 S A memorial day story I 1 5 by BABIO ST 5 m it or I 1 I 1 IS a bench on her back pot boich ch sat bat mrs white very stiff very uncompromising ahe morning glory vines blown by the wind aind played in checkered light and shade over the porch over liet liei tense uptight figure topped with its clown of silver hair over the file face of a young man who stood near twirl i ing life hla hat bat the may sunbeams stole as far a as 3 i the tha door where here just within the screen a girl was as seated cracking nuts there was waa a vacant rocking chair on the joich suddenly it began to move in the wind and reminded mrs valte of her magnets which IQ in the excitement of the interview she had i lot foi gotten take a chaar henry nut iut the young man in no mood tor for a truce ignored ignore d the invitation then you wort won t lt lot me have eleanor ho be said ald she be him as bluntly no henry oure ou re a rood good boy mil ani all that but oil oue to not tny my choho lie he his shoulders whose choice did you say saya at the sound of hla his voice the crack ing of nuts in the kitchen ceased mrs white took up her shawl anti and ran her finders through the fringe dont don t be sarcastic Ile tirs I 1 inears what I 1 say my choice eleanor has given me tier her word of honor bonor that she will not marry without my consi itt from within the door there ther e came a H sound of ft 4 pan fallin falling 9 it made the youth start nervously the grandmother laughed that to Is what the men all say they never peem to realize that the gh kill I 1 who has a anse nse of duty toward an old woman la Is boat beat oila inning I 1 henry walked slowly to the porch steps then turned lou ou its it a just this way mrs mra white it isn t a buos quos tion of whether Ilea eleanors nors woith win ain ining or lovos loves me or anything else all I 1 know la Is that I 1 love her and am ill too tot crazy to think of anybody or anything but her I 1 suppose I 1 ought to say I 1 id d quit but lie went to tho the othar crid nd of the boich from whence to he could got get R view of the girl seated within the girl whose eyes met tits his but I 1 cant can t promise you good by and although he addressed mis white he be looked beyond tier her through the he doorway backing slowly to the steps ihen he be turned annl and walked off domn dov n the garden path attended by a sentinel row of sun sunflower sunflowers flowers a eleanor cleaner went on with her work her grandmother pulled at abo fringe a few moments then she went to the he aboor you yon heard what henry sald ebe asked aleanor nodded ahe I 1 he silence arid and a telltale tell tale tedi tens in her cheeks cheeka and yeb eyes spoke volumes hava ion got bot enough nuts nuta for the cake filling tile lie old lady said after al pause yia acom m they re all done and aid eleanor Elea noi gathering up her apron full vf of shells in ono one hand and the dish in the lose and went into tho pantry glad to escape conversation her grandmother returned to the joich llie iho rocked irk in the wind hut but she heeded not its invitation ta U C f r the then you lt lat me have eleanor eleanora Elea norT slug instead her old position on the bench there sho bhe sat molls alone for a quarter ot of an hour or so BO until eleinor Elo inor assing on her vay ray 0 oil it to water the verbenah verbenas vor ver benan benas stopped to sly ay grandma you look drowsy take this pillow and jhc slipped a cushion behind the old woman 8 back then as aa she he started down the steps I 1 in going to the goto gate to watch for the parado she said know thin la Is decoration day and the old eold cold lere ler are to march to tho the aeme try tory there was waa a twinge la in the eldery elderly conscience at eight bight of tile the idling face ft ith its lt drawn cheeks and lifavi heava plak lidded eyes but she ahe only oaly said thank you but I 1 must riot not sleep I 1 want to see the soldiers too and tho the girl passed out into the garden abhor a few minutes something set to rockina again but this ti e it was not by tile the wilid ylma t as a tall ma whal twirled a hat bat in ia his big bande und shel tanked booser rno no it aias waa a ti IX a ojue tf ca fol rn tuan man was in nt ua nii form wt witt and blunt rid aa wl felsk kiwy bald well lindy I 1 im tit lipto cpr npr for tt last time a march tomorrow to morrow I 1 can get a futi fu lough ough if I 1 want it but I 1 dull dom t w want alit it unless well you know what hat I 1 do willit want strangely Stran sely enough he ha did rint nt wait for foahd b r wot ds she did not could not speak tip HP cuenl on oil hat hase haie you vou got against me llna la Is tt it bec autie I 1 seem tough ough hut but lin I 1 in it a on aal you dont don t find many lofties softies in the tha army I 1 ut tit we buys boys are true true aa this uniform and we aren arent t aft afield aid of a battery riot not evan the kind that voul cypa alish H lindy the cat cai waa a thrown to the floor find anil lie la lisped his big hinds hinda big ti i ita boiton aten hands nud and loaned leaned toward her ter they tell 3 nil I 1 in a rover and cant can t at bit tile ie down donn but it aln t so BO 1 I kiil as aa long tin aa the flag needs me art aej then then home hoine to you I 1 know they re trying to mitch you with that old white because lie ho a rich men aien t they something tied the woman 0 tongue she lie could not utter litter a sound lie ile rose I 1 know you love me lindy but youre you re afraid tin I 1 in off off for good or bad and you hoar hear of me dead with a bullet in my body you 11 know whose fault it Is you ro re a coward false and chicken hearted lie ho stood in front ol 01 tier lier pout pom lug ing out the words worda in a stoina lie he was very led tits his breath falt fait hot on her fore 0 III rn III r kl I 1 4 f I 1 j fl taso eleanor flew out the back way head as aa lie bent over her dut but I 1 love you lindy and when I 1 come back again when the war la is over be true be true 1 ahe I lie woi do canio camo in choppy di disjoint oil od sentences then they suddenly ceased the chair began to rock again sedately athla time and another speak or took up the tha thread where it had been abruptly cut off took it up lit in a thin cold voice ilo ile was a gray beard ed man with a bible in his hand and joe her soldier lover over ha I 1 gone alsa aless melinda the was waa baling 1 I deemed it proper you should acquaint with the mar ariage berylie beforehand your family and myself have decided on oil a churtz wedding I 1 know you pioter a home ceremony cei emony but we me haic decided other wise you are young and these mat tors tore may safety safely be it left ft to older heads lie ile took hor her hand band in hla his own palm which was waa cold and with a formal good by he too disappeared but the chair kept on its rocking more violently this time and in it sat tin an old nuree holding a peevish baby light against her breast she was as saeng ail ing I 1 tell you mrs mra white it a a goo gool I 1 thing you dian didn t marry that soldier sold lor joo joe cooper just see eee how nice couro fixed nou here you have a good reliable husband some older to be out BUI a but 3 ou gals gala all need tight rolna I 1 mas oung and giddy once onca myself arid and think if loud oil d a merited that eol ller a ben a widow woman now for thebie deco decoration ratin his bla grave title minute it to la decoration day aou ou know they do say bay as joe coopt had promised prom laed hla his mother not to go back that last time nud aud then all of a he up tip and wenta enta ent a love raffali they say aay killed T course he was first thing grandmother IN huo bite sat up very still etin and opened her eyes eleanor came rushing running on oil to the porch granny dear what a the mat ter art did the gun frighten you yo it wall waa only the salute the parade has start oil oa you must be uncomfortable on oil that bench come sit alt here and all she ill led her to the rocking chair yaca vacant I 1 now but still ging swinging no iso no not there not in that chair aleanor grandmother lufte alte rose and went to tho the edge of the porch from whence whency site she could see eee the tha line of moo ernei with flags here and there between the trees when the last sId leir had bad filed out of at bight and while the drum was waa stil ath sounding to in her earn tits the old a li I said bald Y yea es yes it if was a bad dream eleanor child lut but lid did iou say then was waa enough nut filling tor for a big cake yes yea grandma the girl replied tra ing not to show surprise at the ir relevant question 1 I lion lien we well 11 in iniste its that oung henry over tor for dinner ileanor grew pink as aa tho the bunch ot of bleeding at her belt but granny you said never anever mind allot I 1 sald run nun to hla his bothen mothen inot herf and tell him to conic here send him to me As aa eleanor flew out the back way eager her called after tell him hell beli jand porch in the old rocking r V |