Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 19, 1924 — page 68: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ee ~ =< See is ¢, SS GM “ Samos 2 SS SS ie > WSS ae SN PN S > ; SAers's ‘. a) ZEWEZ = f N Mey sd | / f on» { = ri \ —— Eww ikl po By RUTH ROBINSON BLODGETT se AYBE there’s some sort of God, aiter all!” Maria Hodge stood stock still on the winding, mac- adam driveway to the State Insane Hospi- tal, and looked up inio the blue. A frisking puff of wind lifted the incon- gruous buttercups from her black sailor hat. A newly-awakened awe passed over her rouged face. Never during the twenty years she had been making this trip had such palpitating, disorganizing hope pounded in her stagnant heart. Then she set grim lips across over-large false teeth. ‘‘ I’m a ninny to be expectin’ too much!” she said to herself. And she climbed, with accustomed feet, on up the grade. But something was still stirring the sur- face of her soddenness. The pounding at the long closed door of her heart continued. Twenty years ago, Maria Hodge had re- nounced God—not deliberately—inevita- bly! One half, the thinking half, went, It went into that sun-bathed, yellow-brick institution up there ahead. ‘We are like one super-person, you and i!” Amos had said, his eyes articulating the fondness of his heart. ‘“ You, with your feet firmly on the earth, Maizie, and I, with my head in the clouds!” And twenty years ago, she had been obliged to “put him away!” Since then, no courage or heart to lift her eyes! Be- headed as it were—left a blasted trunk with limbs! No life-renewing sap! No spring-time tender shoots! Dead—dead! “Tm a ninny!” she repeated to herself, But, for the hundredth time, she took from the pocket of her jacket the typewritten note from Miss Nixon, the doctor’s sec- retary. It read: “‘ There has been a change. He is quite calm at times. Dr. Peck wants to know if you will come to the Saturday 538 (GO) EComicbooks