1935-08-02 — Page 11

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.