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Show 5 THE OLD S ! ROCKING CHAIR : if. A Memorial Day Story 5 J By OLIVIA BARTON- SIROHM $ N a bench on her back porch sal Mrs. White very stiff, very uncompromising. Tho morning glory vines, blown by tho wind, played in checkered light and shade over tho porch; over hor tense, upright figure, topped with its crown of silver hair; over tho sunburnt faco of a young man who stood near twirling twirl-ing his hat. Tho May sunbeams stole as far as tho door whore, just within tho screen, a girl was seated, cracking nuts. There was a vacant rocking chair on tho porch; suddenly it began to movo In tho wind, and reminded Mrs. Whlto of her manners which, in tho excltcmont of the interview, sho had forgotten. "Take a chair, Henry." But the young man, in no mood for a truce, Ignored tho Invitation. "Then you won't let mo havo Eleanor?" ho said. Sho answered him as bluntly: "No, Henry; you'ro a good boy and all that, but you'ro not my choice." Ho shrugged his shoulders. "Whoso cholco. did you sayT" At tho sound of his volco tho cracking crack-ing of nuts In tho kitchen ceased. Mrs. White took up hor shawl and ran her Angers through tho fringe "Don't bo sarcastic, Henry. I mean what I say my choice Eleanor has given mo her word of honor that sho will not marry without my consent." Krom within tho wltchcn door thero camo a sharp sound of a pan falling. It mado tho youth start nervously; tho grandmother laughed: "That Is what tho men all say. They novcr seom to realize that tho girl who has a senso of duty toward an old woman is best worth winning." Henry walked slowly to tho porch stops, then turned. "You sco, It's Just this way, Mrs. White; It Isn't a question ques-tion of whother Eleanor's worth winning, win-ning, or loves mo, or anything olso. All I know is, that I lovo hor, and am too crazy to think of anybody or anything but her. I suppose I ought to say I'd quit, but" ho went to tho other end of tho porch from whence ho could got a view of tho girl seated within tho girl whoso eyes mot his. "But I can't promlso you; good-by." And although ho addressed Mrs. White, ho looked beyond hor through tho doorway, backing slowly to tho stops. Then ho turned ond walked off down tho garden path, attended by a sentinel row of sunflowers. Eleanor went on with her work. Her grandmother pulled nt tho frlngo a fow momonts, then sho went to tho door. "You heard what Henry said?" Bhe asked. Eleanor nodded. Tho sllonco, and n tell-tale rednoss In hor cheeks and eyes, spoko volumes. "Havo you got enough nuts for tho cako filling?" the old lady said after a pauso. "Yes'm, they're all done," nnd Eloanor, gathering up her apron full of shells In ono hand, and the dish in tho other, roso and went into tho pantry, glad to escape conversation. Hor grandmother returned to tho porch. Tho chair rockod in tho wind, but sho heeded not Its invitation, ta "Then You Won't Let Me Havo Eleanor?" ulng Instead her old position on tho bonch. Thero sho sat olono for n qunrtor of on hour or so until Eleanor, passing on hor way out to water the verbenas, stopped to say: "Grandma, you look drowsy; tako this pillow," and sho slipped a cushion behind tho old woman's back. Then as sho started down tho steps: "I'm going to tho gate to watch for tho parade," sho said, "you know till b Is Decoration day, and tho old soldlors aro to march to tho como-lory." como-lory." Thoro was a twinge In tho oldorly consclenco at sight of tho young face with Its drawn checks and heavy, pink-lidded eyes, but aim only said: "Thank you, but I must not sleep; 1 want to soe the soldlors, too," and tho girl paisod out Into tho gardon. After a fow minutes, something sol tho chair to rocking again, but tills time it wub not moved by tho wind It was occupied by a tall, strapping man who twirled a bat in his hands She looked closer no, it was a cap, a blue -cap and the man was in mil form. He was big and broad shouldered ind blunt In sprtfHnannor as ho saidt "Well, 'Llndy, I'm hero for tho last time. Wo march to-morrow. I can get a furlough If I want It, but I don't want it unless wcllf you know what I do wanL" Strangely enough ho did not wait for her words. Sho did not could not speak. Ho went on: "What havo you got against mo, 'Llndy? Is It because I seem rough? Hut I'm a soldier, and you don't find many softies In tho army. Hut wo boys aro true truo as this uniform, nnd wo aren't n'frnld of a- battery not even tho kind that your eyes flash, "Llndy." The cap was thrown to tho floor, and ho clasped his handB, big, wenth-er-beatcn hands, and leaned toward her. "They tell you I'm n rover, and can't settle down, but It nln't bo; I'll only fight as long as tho flag needs me, and then then homo to you. I know they'ro trying to match you with thnt old White because he'B rich, aren't they?" Something tied tho woman's tongue; sho could not utter a sound. Ho roso. "I know you lovo mo, Llndy, but you'ro nfrald. I'm off off for' good or bad. And when you hear of mo dead, with a bullet in my body, you'll know whose fault it Is. You'ro n coward, false and chicken-hearted." Ho stood in front of her, pouring out tho words in a storm. Ho Was very red, his breath felt hot on her foro- Eleanor Flew Out the Back Way. hoad ns ho bent over her. "But I lovo you, 'Llndy, nnd whon I como back again when tho war is oyer bo truo bo true " Tho words camo In choppy, disjointed disjoint-ed sentences, then they suddenly ceased. Tho chair began to rock again sedately this time, and nnothor speaker speak-er took up tho thread whoro it had been abruptly cut off took it up in a thin, cold voice. Ho was a gray-boarded man with a Biblo in his hand, nnd Joe, her soldler-lovor, hnd gono. "Miss Mollndn," tho nowcomor was saying: "I . deemed it propor you should acquaint yourself with tho marriage mar-riage service boforohand. Your family nnd myself havo decided on a church wedding; I know you profer a homo ceremony, but wo havo decided other-wise. other-wise. You aro young nnd theso mat-tors mat-tors may safoly bo loft to older heads." He took hor hand In his own palm, which was cold, and with a formal good-by he, too, disappeared. But tho chair kept on Its rocking more violently this time, nnd In it sat an old nureo, holding a peevish baby tight against hor breast. She was saying: "I tell you, Mrs. Whlto, It's a good thing you didn't marry that soldlor, Joo Cooper. Just seo how nico you'ro fixed now. Hero you havo a good, reliable husband somo older, to bo sure, but you gnls all need tight reins. I was .young nnd giddy onco, myself. And think If you'd a married that soldier; You'd n bon n widow woman now, for they'ro decorntln his grave this minuto it Is Docoratlon dny, you know. Thoy do say ns Joo Coopor had promised his mothor not to go back that last time, and then all of a suddont ho up and went a lovo affair, thoy say. Killed? 'Courso ho was first thing " Grandmothor Whlto sat up very stilt nnd opened her eyes, Eloanor camo rushing on to tho porch. "Grnnny, dear, what's tho mat tor? Did tho gun frlghton you? It wng only tho saluto. Tho parado has start cd. You must bo uncomfortnblo on thnt bench, como. Bit here," and Bh6 led hor to tho rocking chair vnconl now, but still swinging swinging "No, no, not thoro, not In thnt chair, Eleanor." Grnndmothor Whlto roso fond wonl to tho edgo of tho porch from whence sho could sco tho lino of mon with lings waving hero nnd thoro between the trees. When the last soldlor hnd filed out of sight and whllo tho drum wns stll sounding In her cars, tho old Ind) said: "Yes, yes, it was a bad dream Eleanor, child but did you say ther was enough nut filling for a big cake?" "Yes, grandma," tho girl 'replied trying not to show surprlso at tho Ir relevant question. 'Then wo'll invito thnt young Henry over for dinner." Eloanor grow pink as tho bunch ot bleeding-hearts at hor bolt "But, Granny, you said" "Never mind what I said, nun over to his mother's and tell him to como here; send him to mo." As Eleanor flew out tho back way, bareheaded, eager, hor grandmother called nfter her: "Tell him ho'll find mo on tho porch In tho old rocking chair!" |