The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-01-09


If Aannabe That benighted man said he did not
care for young girls studying Latin not even with
the aim of making a and better translation Of
:hc hymns OF the office. and he went so far
as to sniff rather cOntemDtuouslv when reminded
of Aannabels splendid sobriety and virtues saying
that for his part he did not care for abnormal
common sense: that he rather liked innocent silh
when it was due. and that while Mrs ameson
worked so hard and etfaced herself so thoroughly
10 maintain her daughters virtues they took
almost the appearance Of vices to him. viewed
through the medium of her mothers bent WEAKNESS
But Father Halmer's criticism did not affect
Annabe; he had formed his ideas before the day
when women had grown into the noble creatures
the noble creatures the present women were and
he could not be expected to understand
At 20 Annabel was surere 81 herself. and was
the same self that she had been in her teens. Her
mother was the same mother; always tired, never
appearing publicly, her individuality swallowed
up in her sole career of being her daughters moth
or. Strong convictions are contagiOus-her native
town accepted Anabel on her own Violation. Peo
pie remarked the sngularity OF the commonplace
mother having such a daughter. and Annabel prl-
vatelv rather wondered at it herself.
There was to be bazar for the benefit Of the
hospital and delegation of three ladies came to
ask Annabel Jameson's assistance. Mrs. Jameson
caught her breath-t was growing short of late
"a she learned their names wfen she opened the
door to them. She wondered what Peter jameson
her husband, the house painters would have said II
could nave known tlab the lnree
of the oldest families in the place would be an
nomced callers TO that baby girl whom he had
never seen. Annabel was not ready TO sec her Wis
itors eat the moment Mrs. jameson deprecatingly
oturned to her little parlor to entertain them until
she came. She was hy and silent. When she
Young she had chartered merrill enough, but now
she vcntured few words, for Annabel often cor
rected her pronunciation and intonatlon.
When Annabel entered her mother shranl into
her customary negatiOn, her heart beating proudly
81,
grace of carriage her oblivion Ia the little mother
Of whom, she feared, she must in her heart be
ashamed
Il hardly know whether L promise YOU, Mrs
Shaw" Annabel said. thoughtfully when the
spokeswoman of the delegation had made known
their GRAND. "Of course care very much to help
the hospital-any one with heart must care for
such cause-but | have many duties now that
Still, I will try: yes, | will really try"
Thank you very much, Miss jameson" said
Mrs Shaw heartily. Eve need you; indeed, [
should not like to think of what would happen
if we lacked you. You must represent your church
in the bazaar. We have thought that you might
make your booth all gold and white, for those,
believe, are the papal colors.' And Mrs Shaw
looked proud of this proof that she did not share
the usual nom Catholic ignorance of Roman mat
tiers.
II think that would be quite delightful charm
ing assented Annabel Il may not have much
cooperation from the congregation; our people
know less than they should Of public matters, [
fear"
Your mother could not help youl" suggested
one of the other ladies' "She looks frail"
Hardly | fear" said Annabel, as her mother
folded her hands neryously over each other, and
said hastily: 90, dear me- no; never could Be
sides, l haven't the time
When her guests were gone Annabel INDUCED
in a little smile of triumph
Its not bad to have Mrs Shaw and Mrs. Van
Dusen and Mrs. Inverness suing one for her help,
is it. mother??" she asked
Annabel had never admitted apparently, even
to herself, that she had social superior but her
mother did not stop to wonder at her open rejoic
ing She said, imploringly: "Annabel, don't take
part in this fair. | hate to stop you, but L feel
queer lately and don't feel if [ could stay alone
nights-youd be gone afternoons, too
"Oh you're all right mother; you're getting
nervous I've noticed it." Annabel said, carelessly
Il must take part in this bazar; it's social event
Not that that is my motive hope / actuated
by desire to help the sick and suffering-there
could not be more beautiful charity than free
hospital unless it is an asylum for the rescue OF
little children"
|'Or kindly turn done some feeble old woman
who isn't far from being sick and suffering her
self" murmured Annabels mother, turning away
with something unusually like bitterness in her
meek soul.
Again and again the committee congratulated
one another on the possession of Annahoi jameson
in the bazar. Her table the most decorative,
the most successful OF all the competitive tables
from the start. And Ananbel basked in the
shine of praise and admiration, noted as the
ten days of the bazar wore on,that each of them
when she set forth to her trumphs she left her lit
lie mother looking ashen white, her frail form
bending under household tasks 700 heavy for her
unaided hands to perform.
On the seventh day of the bazaar Mrs. Jameson
dragged her weary feet from pantry to stove in the
preparation of her solitary supper; Annabel supped
at the bazaar, with the finest ladies in town.
thought the mother with a faint stirring of her
pride in her gifted child.
She ,was too tired to prepare more for herself
than the inevitable cup of tea, which she drang as
she tried to eat little of the bread she had made
the night before when it had seemed so nearly inn
possible TO knead it.
'Well, this is all was ever fl for" she thought
humby. Just to putter about house and make
bread and do such things Annabel is gifted;
ought to be glad she's able to help the hospital and
do all the beautiful things she does. l am g ad,
but I'm afraid shan't hold out to leave her free
to do them | wonder if the kind Lord will let it
count for something for me that could give him
Annabe. I havn't done any good works like hers
in all my life but / wonder if hell reckon me not
cutie worthless because l took of home alone
something as if | were railroad track, and she the