The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-07-04

and she reflected that Valerie might
have committed a greater crime than
the putting of the sugar bowl into
the ice chest. Johns mother was
very gentle. and Johns wife wss very
swcet-naturcd. They were doing their
best TO surmount their unlikenesses
and Eleanor's warnings. IL was not
easy, but II was less difficult than
they thought.
They unpacked the wedding gifts
and brought the majority Of them
downstairs. Valerie had expected Ia
scatter them about the house. She
hnd expected to display the cups. the
little silver dishes and the pretty en-
broileries on an afternoon tea table;
she had college girls fontlncss for a
tea table. She mentioned tentatively
her expectation, but her mother-in-
law said:
They will get so dusty. my dear.
Wouldn't IL he better 10 keep such
beautiful things carefully in the china
closet and the silver drawers?" She
made the suggestion kindly: she re-
membered that Valerie did not ap-
prcciate the degree of care needed by
silver and glass and china: and
Nalcrics gifts were too fine. she
thought. To he dullcd and tarnisbed
by dust.
The girls disappointment was keen.
The wedding gifts were such cher
ished possessions. she wanted them in
familiar confusion. She had deter
mined. however. not 10 be u typical
daughter-in-law. and she smilingly al
lowed them Ia he arranged in order
~. straight lines. In places in which
they would bclong-perhnps for IS
years! The occupation lost its inter-
est. but IL helped the fight Of time.
".Iohn will soon he here" thought
Valerie. "If IL were not for John. I
would go straight home-with
waiting Ia drc/. simply don't know
how To bc orderly, aud I'm really
afraid that Johns mother will never
get used To me-"
In spite of this reflection. she
thanked Johns mother very charm
ingly. and went slowly away TO dress
for dinner. Johns mother looked
after her. The girls step seemed
iistlcss; her face, even with it's smile,
had been too wistful To escape her
notice. She remembered other things
that Eleanor had said. Suddenly she
remembered that Valerie was a girl
"a little girl, she gently amended
her remembrance.
valerie" she said, "come here. my
dear child"
Valerie gazed at her In surprise.
She went quickly to her side. Johns
mother took her hand and looked at
its bright new wedding ring. She
looked up at the girls sweet face, ut
the disordered hair with it's dropping
rose. She remembered that she was
older than Naleric's mother. and she
smiled. partly at Valerie and partly
at the recent dismay caused by this
tanglr.haircd. womanly little girl.
"My dear" she said. very gently,
"arc You iircd?'
Valerie quite forgot that this was
her moiher-in-law. who was precise,
who had kept her silver teapot in the
same place for 35 years. She remem-
bcrcd that she was Johns own
mother, her own new mother. She
sat on the arm of her chair and put
her arms around her neck.
"No, I'm not tired: I'm only afraid
II will be AN awful trial TO you. I've
never kept anything In the same place
for % years.
II was u foolish little explanation.
but IL had u pleasant effect upon
Johns mother. She laughed and
paticd Nalcrie's rosy cheek. II hadn't
supposed 50, my dear. am n reason
able woman. and as you are only 90"
She interrupted herself and said more
seriously: But, my dear. YOU may
keep your silver teapot in as many
places M you like. You know this
is your home now. too, and you must
he happy In IL. don't know how |
girls are accustomed to keeping |
things. ] was girl so long ago"
"lf YOU will keep me in your heart, |
YOU may keep my teapot anywhere |
YOU Iikc!" whispered Valerie, impul-
sNcly.
80 may you, my dear. II You will !
keep me in yours" replied Johns
mother. "You may move mine 10
some other place II you like"
Valerie slipped into her lap. "Now
hat You know just where To keep
me-. for always. and ! know whore To
keep you for always, ! think we can
easily arrange for the silver teapots-
and such things" she said. with n
rontcnted laugh. Aud To the sur
prise of all the cousins-and particu-
larly Eleanor-thcy did. with COM
pletc mutual satisfaction. Youths
Companion.