The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-07-27

Frank were building fence that day
We could see them as they worked
Papa ought to be here" said Eliz
abcth, "but hc Is always working. y
"Ah. we are such poor people" said
mother smiling. and | have been such
drag-such good-for-nothing" .
"You re good for everything" cried
Jimmy, Indignantly. patting her hand
as IL rested against him.
Elizabeth and | said nothing. We
just held her closer.
| had never noticed before how OK.
actly Elizabeth looked like mother.
Only younger, Of course.
Darling" | said, why don't | look
like you, tooF II doesn't seem fair
"Why, | had to have n fathers girl," ,"
said mother, 80 swectly that | was
forever rccOncilcd to my gray eyes and
fair hair.
We sat there while longer, making
plans for the summer and drinking
! I'm the fragrant air and flower perfume
IL feel like n girl again" said
mother, $50 strong. SO full Of life,
Everything is going to be different and
better. grls-littlc boy. Mother has
come back to you"
"But mother mustn't ovcrdo herself
on her first well day" said Elizabeth.
as we went back 20 the house.
After our lunCh-iinner had been
eaten father had 10 go 10 town on
some business that could not be neg
Icctcd. else | am sure he would have
stayed by mother all the afternoon.
"No. you must co." she said To him.
IL Will not be IA hindrancc to you
any more"
But don't tire yourself" pleaded
father.
IL don't feel as II | could" laughed
mother.
Such happiness lcaped into fathers
eyes, at is miracle" he cried.
After watching father ride away,
mother kept Frank by her for little
talk. She let him go back TO his fence.
building reluctantly. II want all of
them right here" she said. "hcre. with
In reach of my arms"
| She leaned her head on her hand
We feared lest She become sad while
rejecting how we were not rich
enough To let love keep us away from
work. But our mother was never
morbid. She soon turned to US bright.
! ly.
Lot us while away the lonesome
time" she said. 81 know my bureau
drawers need arranging"
These bureau drawers had always
been one of her absorbing pastimes,
and we had always accounted II n
privilege To he allowed 10 dclvc In
them with her Each drawer had its
own charming hoard. Mothers tongue
raced as she turned over the long.un-
handled treasures. We chattrd to.
gCthcr like three schoolgirls We
knew about everything, from the Tiny
silvcr-bound praycrbook that had been
great grnndmothcr's TO the ruby ear
rings which were to be mine some
day. But we liked So much To hear II
all over again! We could not pile
IN high enough the proof that the
mother of our childish days had come
back To lis. II seemed 20 us Ms II Il
rose withcrCd had been uplirtpd to
dcwlncss and youth. We had read Of
such magic. We only remembered
that the rose had been renewed We
forgot the end of the story.
Now for the dress" | cried. as we
reached the bottom drawer.
This dress had been mothers one
maguif0ut wedding gift. \ college
mate of fathers who was in business
! In China had sent 1t TO her the year
| after her marriage.
IL was a very heavy. very soft, blue
silk-a crepe. Merely To touch IL sent
! royalty rich images through ones brain.
! Just to look at IL was enough TO turn nm
! imprcssiouahlc person into poet, one
moment Ii was silver with violet shad.
ows and glimmcring jewel green lights,
! The next. the most marvellous glow
/ spread like n sunrise flush until the
whole dress was hathCd in II cXquis.
itcly Mother had made IL with great
daintincSs and planncsS. scorning Ia
! snip up the wonderful fabric into fool
ish pufIS and rutllcs. \ little hlmy
! tichu of real lace went with II. \
beautiful woman would look as n
queen should look I'm such gown, and
mother had been Il beautiful woman.
To us she was still beautiful We
carefully unfoldcd the dress from the
tissuepaper and the silver paper, and
we girls brcathCd a deep OH
Its like sunrise and mooariso
mixed up." said Elizabeth Jimmy fell
eagerly on mothers neck. kissing heI
and begging her to put II ON. lie was
one OF those children who fall in love
with lovely things.
Please do. neither" we urged. III
will delight father SO. You haven't
had tie dress on since Jimmy was
born"
But 4 am old now" said mother
Her dear cheeks blushcd.
You just as dear and .wcct 20 lool
at rs ever" said
Mother fell To musing over the lus
/ trous folds. We felt that they mean
all of her young married life To her
all Of it's beauty and richness. an,
+ freedom from care. she smoothed tn
: silk dclicately
"Your father loves IT," she said. ans
5 then added. hesitatingly. II believe
: will wear Il once more-for him"
] That is how mother happened to h
g wearing the dress when father cam
d In from his long ride. IL threw
4 pink glow over her face. and she di
g not look fragile. just delicate and love
g ly. as she turned to greet him. III
n | stood trnt,,ont Ia tha tonr hnfnr