Middletown transcript., 1901-10-19
.OMETHING is troub-


challenged him.
II don't know, unless | have e
been remiss in some way
wish you'd tell me when l make :,
foolish blunders, for I mean well
Il really do"
Her eyes had a smfie N tnem
as they met his frankly. i
haven't the least least tiny tiny bit OF fault
to find with you, Maurice. So
run along, or you will be late 10
the Office" she answered lightly
"Are you sure you're con-
tented"
"Of course" She had hesl-
tated an instant before answer
ing, but he did not notice 1t and
went away satisfied.
She stood at the window and
he looked up and waved his hano
as he went down the street.
Then she went about her morn
ing's work with a thoughtful
face.
They had set up housekeeping
in Maurice's mothers house.
Mrs. Gay herself lived down
stairs. Maurice had been his
mothers idol, and when she found
that he had serious thoughts OF
marrying, the discovery nearly
cost her a fit of sickness. "There
is nobody in the world with whom
I am first, now," she walled. II
have given you all my love and
devotion for twenty-five years,
and now-now you see foolish
young girl a few times, and she
is more to you than I am"
"But you left your mother for
my father" he said, using the
old, old argument.
"That was altogether differ
ent."
"And I care just as much for
you as I ever did-more, because
since I have. known Bertha, 7
seem to care more for every
body"
Mrs. Gay burst into passionate
weeping.
"Don't-don'tr he cried, in
great distress. "Inever shall feel
toward anyone-not even Bertha
AS I do toward my mother
never!"
But Mrs. Gay refused to be
comforted.
Maurice was deeply stirred.
He even thought of asking Ber-
tina to release him. But when
next he saw her, he knew he
could not give her up. It was
right he should marry, he argued,
and when his mother came to
know Bertha she would feel
differently. She would see that
instead of losing son, she would
gain a daughter.
Everything seemed to have
turned out as he had hoped. Ber-
tha always called Mrs. Gay
mother" and no own daughter
could have been more thoughtful. |
"We must not leave her out of
our good times, Maurice" she
said, cor let her feel lonely"
and Mrs. Gay went about with |
them, enjoyed their visitors, and |
no longer wept or wore an in
jured expression.
"Bertha, you are unhappy
about something" This was
several weeks later, but Maurice
Immediately connected it in his
mind with the first time.
''Do you know, I think you
should write novels-or plays"
she teased. "You have such a
strong imagination" And she
put her hands on his shoulders
and looked at him intently, till
he had to smile. "There, you
imaginative boy" she triumphed. !
'sDare to tell me I'm unhappy
and again he was reassured.
But there came time when he
would not be put off so easily. |
1t was several months later
"Aren't you getting a little-just
a little morbid? ?" he ventured. |
"It isn't natural that anyone
should be depressed without rea-
son. Mother thinks you keep
too quiet, that you should exer-
else more-don't you think it
would be better ??''
He saw her lip culver and a
tear creep out from under her
eyelid. 81 fear it is as mother
said" he thought, ''and she
hasn't much strength of charac-
ter" and he smothered a little
sigh of disappointment as he
soothed and petted her.
81 don't mean to be silly" she
said, os soon as she could control
her voice; "but sometimes I feel