Suzanna Stirs the Fire

l times. In her pink lawn dress with the petticoat after all showing through the l

n, Miss Massey invited her pupils to a "lawn par

on the day of the lawn party. "Perhaps it'll wear just as long i

nomy might, indeed must dwell in a little home like hers, but sometimes, recklessly, the stern goddess must be usurped from

usly at the front window long before the hour.

oming down the p

ssey, looking up, waved her hand gaily,

ady for you," Maizie exclaimed

. There was a hesitating quality about her, as though she had never done so daring a thing as reach a decision; a wavering, indefinite figure, with a wistfulness, a soft appeal, quite charming. That she had never come in contact with realities s

leric, some claimed, unjust. Owner of the steel mill which stood just outside of the town limits, the employer of hundreds of men, he ha

ng man hiding his real tenderness beneath gruff mannerisms. When he denied her friendship with the man she secretly loved, she put upon that denial a high value. He could not bea

have a happy time, I'm sure, Mrs. Procter," she sai

ved to make room for them. Miss Massey took her place near the driver, from which vant

rtable, Suzanna?" Mi

een her eyes. After brief hesitation she answe

rls filled the vehicle to overflowing. Then with no mo

Once her gaze fell on Miss Massey's long, slender, tired-looking hands. Her mother's hands, Suzanna recalled, were tired-looking, too, but in a different way. Her mother's, she decided after a time, were just plain tired-looking, while Miss Massey's were a s

ld have to urge and coax for a full minute before the fat, complacent animals would start again. But Suzanna liked his play. It was in keeping with this

ugh an arbor, sun-shaded and fragrant; then out again into a garden glowing with crimson flowers. "The garden I love best," she said. This from simple, dear Miss Massey into whos

fell upon her ears and her eyes following the direction of the sound were just in time to

girls walked on, Suzanna stopped and pulled the ribbon over the protruding toe, tucking in the ravelled edges. Mercifully, the ribbon stayed in place since Suzanna cramped her toe back that it mig

rary, with books and soft-toned pictures; with a great fireplace banked now with greens, from above w

nna. If only-but in conjecture Suzanna was lost. The cramped toe exerting its right, thrust itself through again. One fleet

her head and looked toward Suzanna's place. In a second her eyes might fall on the white toes! Quickly Suzanna sank into a large velvet armchair

nce in Miss Massey? Telling her that once discarded slippers too small even for Maizie had been made to do duty by cutting the toes and lengthening with black ribbon

eg dangling, the other bent under her. She grew fertile in excuses when asked to join the others. She like to "wa

sister. Why wouldn't Suzanna p

know where mother put the ribbon bag so my slippers would be long e

"Can't you tell Miss Mas

cried. "You mustn't say anything,

ed. "Will the other on

zanna food for unpleasant questionings.

tay here till we return?" Her question was very gentle, her understanding would h

ere." She was almost hap

the housekeeper, will take you to the South Garden," said Miss Massey. She leaned

h she was sitting. She was intently regarding the torn slipper, when she heard distinctly an unpleasant sound. A sound which gather

le man in a sort of uniform stood with head b

ot," he shouted at the little ma

d aside while the loud-voiced one lowered himself, groaningly, into the downy nest. Then the

ow, and a little exclamation was drawn from her. At the sound, the other occupant of the room started and glanced around

ted. And then: "Are you one

The other little girls have

caught in a brilliant electric storm. Some element in her rose and responded to the big flashes; just as she had responded to Drusilla's play of imagination. Now a

k like a

!" He flung the words at

the way you shout, but

eyes from her face. At last he asked: "What are you s

a visitor if she's hiding anything; especiall

Well, put your leg down, then. Seems to me you're old enough and ought to

ease turn your head away a who

n he turned again, she uttered a cry: "Why didn't you keep your head turned the oth

o her foot, which for the moment she had forgotten, a small

g that had conspired to spoil this beautiful and long-dreamed-of day: "They're sticking through my slipper. That's why

her quick temper getting beyond her control. At last she burst forth: "You're a rude man! And it

er for a momen

ugh your shoe. No wonder you sat on your foot." Still, despite h

. "I couldn't let Miss Massey see how mother put a black ribbon bag on my slippe

. Well, why did your mothe

s were to

ave bought yo

m her chair and we

d, lifting her earnest face to his and stand

I do," he

f us needed shoes and the insurance was due on all of us and mother can't

n't lean on that knee, that's where

ly; "you think then that someone you loved has just gone

iling face above the mantel and stayed there

nce and shoes, and a coat, I had to wear these slippers." Suzanna was quit

ared in the doorway. "Anything you wish, s

n in the chair. "Can anyone be comf

. "What does the man mean asking if you're 'comfortable?' That's what Miss Ma

ngely catching her meaning at once,

question, for the subtleties of refined comfort held no place in her life. Knowledg

rence." He was thinking of his household with its retinue of t

e store and sometimes way into the night on his invention in the attic. He doesn't have

that? What d

e chair is better than another to sit in, and you

ons. What does your mother do when rent week comes round? Cry, and throw up to your father t

inks and thinks and then after awhile she says: 'Well, if everybody was thoughtful we'd all have enough. But when

she mean by

really isn't anyone of that kind living; 'cause nobody in the world could waste if they knew s

ing her innocence, he went on: "Well, we don't know about those things. There's some reason why." He went on

later, and, if she could remember the words, to repeat them to her father f

do?" Suzanna's companio

ther's a great man. He's an inventor! He has a wonderful machine in the attic and sometimes when he's th

our fathe

er," said Suza

n't mind your shouting. And I'd rather you'd see my toes sticking through my shoe than any person in

esitation. Then he raised his voice and called. The timid one appeared. His master said: "Ge

r of locomotion. He returned shortly bearing the desired articles re

man to Suzanna, "if you want

rcast the ribbon, like mother does seams," she said. "Will you h

the thread, no scissors being at hand, "I guess no toe in the world could p

he looked at

udgment's worth anything, that it's a very decent job. But see here,

so the toes can't burst through again," she answered.

l call the housekeeper and she'll

ndlily. And then very politel

e I might say y

wn the room as the summoned housekeeper led the way. And, left alone, he sat quite s

he fierce one, the one of the loud voice and cross face, been kind to her and helped her to mend her slipper? And hadn't he

fter a day of pleasure. She meant to tell her father and mother all about her talk with the Eagle Man when the supper dishes were washed and put away. She would show her father just how her toes had thrust th

fter a hard day of play, was nodding in his place. Maizie, replete after her th

She left out no detail, from the time her stocking burst i

Suzanna," said her father at length,

r stole upon her. She slipped fro

dy?" she asked, mindful o

waist. Then he drew h

talk from the heart rarely hurts." He paused.