The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-09-21
8 elect gtprp.
THE GIVING UP OF MOTHER.
]. L. Harbour, in American Agriculturist.

ing about it; you are too old to 90 on liv-
ing here alone in this way. Sister Han
nah and have talked it all over, and we
think that the thing for you is to live with
us. We've both got nice comfortable
room and you can stay part of the time
with me and part of the time with Han
nah; can she, Hannah p
Eyes, you can, mother; and the sooner
you make up your mind to it the better,
for, as Sister Martha says, we're not viii
ling that you should go on living here alone
now that fathers gone. Little old Mrs
Rayncr looked helplessly and appealingly
into the faces Of the two large and deter
mined looking women before her. IF they
noticed the half-repressed quivering of her
lips OF the appealing look in her dim eyes
they gave 20 sound of relenting on that
account.
Hannah and Martha had "made up
their mind and when they had once
done this they were not to be moved by
quivering lips and quivering hearts. They
really felt that they were doing the wisest
and best thing for their mother by insist
ing upon compliance with their wishes.
The old lady had been widow for two
years and had lived alone in her comfort
able little home ever since the death Of
her husband. Her daughters had fol-
some time been telling her that she ought
to ''give up and live with them. But
the old lady did not take kindly to this
suggestion.
I've KEEP house ever since the day
was married, she said, in gentle opposi-
ton to her daughters plans for her. 81 We
always had home O my own, an it don
seem as if | could give up now an 90 an
live any place where I wouldn't be free to
do as I've a mind to. I know that ]
shouldn' t be happy outside my own home. .
But Hannah and Martha had said that
this was ''all nonsense, :" and they had now
decided that their mother should sell hel
comfortable little house and spend the rest
of her days with them. She knew that
she would be treated as a child in the
home of either of her daughters, and theil
ways were not her ways She knew that
she would not have the free use of her own
small income, but that Hannah and Mar
tha would insist on directing her expendi-
lures. She had pension of $12 month
and if she sold her home, which had been
an inheritance from her father, Hannah
and Martha would expect to take charge
of the money.
Her daughters were married to prosper
Gus men, aud they had large and snowy
homes in which their mother had never
felt comfortable even when visiting them.
They kept servants and lived in what they
proudly felt to be ''style," and their
mother had always lived in the simplest
way and had never been happier than
when busy in her own coy and comforta
Bile little kitchen. And Hannah had said,
"a woman of your years ought to keep
out of the kitchen and be dressed up nice
and tidy all the time, with dainty little
cap and pretty white apron.
II don know what in the land I'd dc
if | couldn't get up of a Monday an dc
my own little wash, and my own ironing
on Tuesday. And l can't tell the time
when amt baked on Wednesday and
gone to the sewing circle and ladies prayer
meeting at the church in the afternoon
and had someone in to tea with me as often
as once week. Then don know what
I should do if I couldn make up lot o
jelly when currents get ripe, and can and
preserve all summer | ain half as lone
some livin' alone here as I'd be in either
Hannah's or Martha's house. oh, |
can 90 there to live [ can't give up
my own home and my own ways, can t,
[ can't y
And vet Hannah had said when she and
Martha were about to depart, "Now, moth
er, you can just make up your mind that
you are going to give up and come and live
with Martha and me the first of the year.
We will come over then to help you break
up. :,
She was still sitting in the kitchen with
her gray head bent to the arm lying on
the kitchen table, when there came q
knock at the rear entry door. Rising
hastily she went to the kitchen sink and
quickly bathed her eyes in cold water be-
fore opening the door.
"Why, Jared r she said when she had
opened the door and found short, stout,
kindly-looking man with eyes as blue as the
sky and twinkliug with CHEEKY good hui
NOR. standing on the little back porch.
nI'd an idea it was Philena Moss. She
said that mebbe she would come over today
and get my copper kettle to do some pre-
serving in. Come in. "
sIt ain t hardly wuth while, for I've
so little time to stay. | thought k just
come over and see if you didn't want me
to come over some day this week and gath
er that tree o Baldwins for you. They
oueht to be got in soon, and you can't dc
it. Or, anyhow, you ain't going to do II
while T am around Gittin' up in the tor
of a tree and pickin' apples ain no fit
work for woman.
ssNo. it ism t, and | was thinkIn tna'
I'd have to get someone to pick my apples
for me on shares. It's very good of you,
Jared, to offer to do it, and I IL pay you
''Stop right where you are, Huldah 7
exclaimed her caller with a fine show Of
Indignation. ''When the time comes that
Jared Hawkins want pay for gathering a
tree or dozen trees of apples for the
widow of his best friend, he will let you
know. IF you want to see my dander rise
and hear me use language unbecomin ia
a Methodist in good, reg lar standin' you
90 on offerin' to pay me for pickin them
apples. Cam man who has known you
from the time you was knee-high to a
duck an who used to drag you to school
on his sled when you was in yeur A b Z
an who beaued you home from slngln'
school later on. an who stood up with you
an Hiram Raynor at your weddin', offer
to-why, Huldah, you been cryin an
you look as if you were goin' at that sort
O. foolishness again.
eyes, have been crying, admitted
the old lady, frankly, feeling sure of the
sympathy Of this friend of her youth, you
had also been the friend of her husband.
'T bet / can guess what you have been
CRYING about, said Jared. 81 saw Han
nah and Martha driving down the road as
I came along 1t was the old story, wal n