THE CHINA HAIL FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1935
11
Sunlight And Shadow
· Continued from Page 9)
Julia herself arranged for the) sale of most of their furniture: she kept their big carved bed, and her pwn little desk that Harry had given her when they were married..
"So that you may write love- letters to me when we are parted." he had said -
The desk had supported her brand when she wrote love-letters. letters of recrimination, letters zo creditors, and now letters to the dealer who would give less than half their value for the precious - pieces that she had lored so much,
and shown with such pride.
Very quickly and as quietly as maybe they had moved again toi take up their lives among strang-
erst
Neighbours called once, perhaps once. perhaps twice, bat agala.
never
"My dear," they said, among themselves, "a sweet little woman, but her husband"" Dainty hands. "He were thrown up in disgust.
nst, bave been very handsome: once, but-be reeked of brancy **
Mrs. Julia Laxley, who had been a toasted beauty, who had picked ber dainty way among the cream of London society, now found her Jew friends among the wives of: kindly farmers who saw her hus band safely home evening after evening, when he could not Snd his own way.
In the absence of the midwife she attended the birth of the dairy-maid's child, and knew the worst
She knew he walked the hilis. all through that night, and he was sober for a week afterwards. They never spoke of the matter between them
V
:
Then, against all advice, he rode one day to hounds on a borrowed horse, and they brought him home on a shutter, his big, stroar body: hideously broken
Before he died in her arms. be mured: "Dear Julie-d wife have always loved yọc-in]
Different my own queer fashion.
from yours-devilish different."
His handsome lined face was blurred by her tears as she com forted him.
"I would not have had it other- wise, my dear."
The old Julia sat ever the fire
in the cottage til the light faded. This was all that was left to
her of that other life: this little tumble-down draughty rottage: This old soft woollen scarf that be had worn that Last day. Faded now, but soft and warm, it mard- ed her old white bead from the. cold
She put up a knotted hand and touched it gently. Soft and warm
arding her.
Ah, me, what a lot of memories
for an old woman.
Sunlight and shadow, sunlight; and shadow that had been her life. Sunlight...
from
She caught herself back sleep, remembering that now she must go to the unhappy girl up- stairs. Poor child, wildly obstin- ate, just as she herself had been
at that age.
Her mouth, that bad smiled and trembled her thoughts in that hour, set itself in its habitual frym line: she patted her scarf into its! accustomed neatness. Helped by "ber stick, she rose, and her old back was straight and determined as she tapped her deliberate way across the red flags and up the awkward stairs.
Standing in the bedroom, the last ray of the sinking sun fell on her seamed old face, touched the bright hair of the girl who lay a crumpled heap on the bed: the rest of the room was in shadow.
The old woman whose life was past looked down at the young girl: noted the firm set of the lips, the strong line of cheek and chin.
"Well, Diana," she said sudden- ly, have you changed your mind?”
Diana, rebellion written in every line of her face and flash- ing in her eyes, sat up abruptly.
No," she said firmly. I in- tend to marry him.”
Julia chuckled, suddenly, - expectedly.
Very well, my dear," she said, "you may" She laid a gentle hand on the child's head for a moment. You won't be happy always, but when you're my age you won't regret it, any more than I do. God bless you, chid.. I understand better than you
THE END.
BRACE UP! FORGET ALL YOUR CARES. DON'T TAKE
YOUR TROUBLES WITH YOU ALL THE TIME.
BY GOLLY! THAT WUZ A GREAT FEED.1 DONT THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO EAT FER A WEEK.
I DONT MY TROUBLE IS HOME: SHE'S PROBABLY WAITIN' FER ME NOW.1 HAVE TO GO HOME TO ONE OF THEM FANCY- COOKED MEALS.
I'M TELLIN'
YOU. THAT
WAS GOOD
CORNED
BEEF AN CABBAGE.
IF I HAD ONLY THOUGHT OH, WELL! I HAD A
FINE FILL OF CORNED BEEFAN CABBAGE, ANYHOW.
Rosie's BEAU GED.M-MAMUS
Registered U. 5. Patent Office.
BOO-HOO!
四
Bringing Up Father
BAH! WHY DON'T YOU EAT NOW THEN GO HOME AND PRETEND YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT BUSINESS AN CAN'T EAT?PUT ON YOUR HAT. WELL DINE ~TO-GETHER.
I'D LIKE SOME CORNED
BEEF ANTM CABBAGE.
LETS HURRY. ME APPETITE IS ALL SET:FER: CORNED BEEF AN' CABBAGE.
I KNOW JUST WHERE TO GO! AND GETAT.
SURE-WE WANT MORE. JUST KEEP BRINGIN' IT IN UNTIL WE TELL
YOU TO STOP.
I GUESS THE
BEST THING
FER ME TO DO
WHEN IGIT
HOME IS TO
PRETEND
TM SICK.
WHAT HAPPENED TO YO WHY DIDN'T YOU COME
TO DINTY'S TO-DAY? HE HAD A SPECIAL CORNED BEEFAN CABBAGE DINNER. AN' IT WUZ GIVEN IN YOUR HONOR.
RATS! | WUZ THINKIN OF THAT MEAL THATI WUZ GONNA GITAT HOME SO MUCH. 1. FERGOT ALL ABOUT MY DATE WITH DINTY.
OHIT'S YOU. IS IT? WELL, JUS' TELL MAGGIE I WANT TO
SEE HER BEFORE 1 GO IN TO DINNER.
I GUESS ROSIE'LL NEVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN. I HAVE NOTHING TO LIVE
FOR.BUT MY
LANDLADY
WONT LET
ME DIE UNTIL I PAY MY
RENT.
MISS ROSIE HE'S NO GOOD. JUST LIKE ALL THE MENI WAS ENGAGED
TO AN ICE-MAN ONCE AND
YOUR WIFE
AIN'T HOME, SIR. SHE IS
DININ' OUT, SIR.
MR.ARCHIE “PHONED AGAIN:
1 TOLD HIM
YOU
WERE
OUT.
WURRA-WURRA!
I FERGOT ALL ABOUT IT.
AN' KNOWIN'AS HOW SHE AIN'T GONNA BE HOME AN" KNOWIN' HOW WELL YOU LIKE CORNED BEEFAN' CABBAGE, I COOKED SOME FER YOU.
HUH?
HES HORRID. HE ONLY CALLED UP FIVE TIMESĮ TO-DAY IF HE REALLY LOVED ME, HE'D CALL
EVERY
MINUTE. ER NEVER SPEAK
TO HIM AGAIN.
HOW DARE YOU SAY ARCHIE 15 NO GOOD? HE'S ONE IN A
MILLION. THE
SWEETEST BOY THAT EVER LIVED.
VERY GOOD.
SIR.
I'LL SAY
IT'S GOOD.
HELLO, DOCTOR!. COME RIGHT OVES 1- THINK MR. JIGGS IS HAVIN'A FIT!
1935, King Features Syndicare, Inc.
Great Britain rights reserved
IT'S THE GYPSY IN ME
YOU GAVE ME ATIP ON EVERY RACE AN' NOT A HORSE WONE WHAT'S THE
MATTER WITH
01935, King
YOU?
17-7
IT'S
THE
INER.
ME.