The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-10-12
OUR BOYS AND GIRLS

But you can't expect much in the
way of thoughtfulness of boys"
We'll, l don't know. Seems to me
even boys ought to have a little cOnsid-
! GRAFTON for their mother. It's more than
| | can account for that they should have
| seen their mother shaving for them day
in and day out She was ambitious for
! them and would have worked her very
heart out, rather than that they should
ever go without anything that other
| boys had"
That's about what she's done
Eyes. They've never. noticed how she's
grown thinner and paler. If there had
been anybody to have picked her up
| and seen to it, that she stopped working
| her life away, she might have stayed
with them for years yet-just in the
| time of their lives when they need
| mother most"
IF it had been girls 'twould have
been different
The talk came to an end as the coffin
was borne from the room. As three boys
from whose home the light and comfort
had gone out slowly followed it, Emily
| glanced at her mother, who had been
given a seat in another part of the
room.
1t might have been the sad influences
of the occasion which had given an
/ 1uutu StIIOuSISSS To HeT lace, DuL what
she saw there fixed Emily's gaze. AS
her mother leaned back in the large
! chair there was a look of WEAKNESS on
the patient face.and in the folded hands
| which her daughter had never before
noticed. With eyes sharpened by sug-
| Sestions contained in what she had just
heard she keenly scanned her mothers
face. Surely she was deepening and
gray hairs multiplying on the temples.
IF it had been girls" A hot wave
arose to Emily's face as she realized the
words. Were girls really more consid-
| crate of their mothers than boys?
in the few hours following the young
girl did more thinking than ever before
in her life.
There's a meeting of the committee
after study hours. We have to decide
on everything, and appoint committees
| to order things"
So Emily was told one day soon after
the funeral. Her heart sank as she
heard the words.
Now must do it. But how can I?
1t will be the hardest thing I ever did
in my life"
And, seated in one of the smaller
class rooms with the other members of
the committee of arrangements for the
party to be given by the graduating
class. she more and more keenly felt
the hardnes sof what she had set her
self to do. During a good deal of pre-
liminary talk she was silent. Plans
were discussed, and with the discus
sion the impetus towards extravaganza
outlay seemed to decrease
20 DEAR! Emily cOmmuned with her
perturbed self. What can do against
all the others? 1 might just as well let
matters take their course
But mothers face arose before her,
ton.
Il can put it that things have arisen
to stand in the way of my taking part
in their undertaking. Or-that-other
things which | wish to do forbid my
spending the money. But-nOnsense. !
Haven't l enough resolution to speak
right out the straight, honest truth,
and no beating around. it?'
There was a little choking in her
throat as, appealed to for her opinion
on some important point, she felt that
her time had come.
Il ought to tell you" she began.
that do not see my way clear to !
join with you in all this. l think it all /
delightful, and 1 should enjoy it more
than 1 can tell. 1 don't want you to /
tank l mean any criticism, but-of /
course it's all right for the rest of you, /
but it wouldn't be right for me. because |
money"
Her voice had begun with salter,
but grew firm as she closed. There was |
a little hush. during which Emily was I
divided between relief in having said |
what it was hard to say. and specu- |
lation as to how her friends might |
take it.
Il feel exactly as you do about it,
Emily" at length one of her friends /
said. winning a glance of gratitude |
from Emily.
well, I'm willing to say 1 do, too" |
said another. I've felt it all along, but /
1 hadn't the bravery to say So"
MY father says" began another, |
that 1T is all wrong for the pupils of a /
school to get up things that may, be
burdenSome to some of their mum Der. |
He says that while some can do it as /
we'll as not, there must always be those
to whom it comes hard. 1 can't say it ,
as he did, but you all know what L |
mean
I'm ready to say" spoke up one
with energy, that plenty of the class
will be glad and thankful to give it up. /
They've felt Just that way about it, 4
only no one has had the courage to say
it before
But must it all be given up? Can't /
we have something on a more moderate
scale?'
Il move that we invite the gradual
ing class to meet with us in the school I
assembly hall. We to furnish the {
music ourselves. To be no decoration,
except what we can do ourselves. To
have good but simple refreshments"
The proposition was discussed, and
finally enthusiastically adopted. There
were a few discontinued murmurs, but
it was easy to see that a load had been
lifted from the majority.
Now, Nett" Emily carried the news
to her sister, you're not to say one
word to a single soul in the house about
this /