The Cairo bulletin., 1906-07-15
The Bachelor
Girls Mother

out the window. Its mother" she
said, and waited awhile before she be-
gan with sign to tell the story.
I'm a little tired" she began. "I've
been so busy all day waiting on moth
er. She's just gone out to dinner now
and I'm taking rest"
| WAS that your mother getting Into
| the cab at the door as | came in?'
| The Bachelor Girl nodded assent.
"She seemed very young-that Is,
judging by the feeting glimpse |
caught of her"
| The Bachelor Girl was silent for a
minute. II have been away from home
| good while" she said, musingly.
| About five years, | think, | left home
with very distinct impression OF
mother. Since | could remember she
sat quietly somewhere knitting lace or
| mitts or socks or something, hardly
ever looking up, very quiet, very de-
mure, very peaceful, finished with life,
as it were"
She went to a drawer of the chif
foniere and got out some pieces OF lace,
which she laid in her friends lap, say
ing:
This Is the sort of stuff she knitted.
She sent 1t to me for pillow slips and
one thing or another. That was when
father was alive. Father was Of a
dominant nature. He controlled every
thing and everybody within his reach
or hearing. That was why left
home | had something of his Will. |
wouldn't let him bend it. But mother
he had her under such complete con
troll 1t was almost pitiful. He died
about year ago, and then thought
to myself. The dear little meek, van
pushed mother shall come to New
York and see the sights. 1t will he a
change for her hate to think OF her
there by the window In the old home,
knitting her life away on useless lace
and mittens. Beside, | thought, she
can polish my candlesticks for me and
clean up my studio when am busy.
"That was five weeks or so ago." she
said with another sigh, Il am fond OF
my mother-very, very fond-but, well,
|
mourning, dainty and sweet as could
be, demure as ever, her big eyes sad,
with the old done with life look that
| remembered She sat very quietly
here for a day, looking out the window
in the same way that she had done in
the old home. The second day she took
her mourning veil, shook 1t out and
placed it quietly in her trunk. II is
there now.
"She bought herself dainty gown
Of white. She put it on that night. A
few fellows called. | introduced them
to mother. then concocted a little
punch Mother drank a glass or two.
Her eyes frightened She looked about
80 that night--not more. | served the
punch while she entertained my
whilom admirers.
1.-THE following day mother divided
her time between adding finishing
touches to the finery she had bought,
fitting a waist correctly. changing a
flower of so in her hat and washing her
hair Then she went to the hairdresser
and manicurst. She bought some new
slippers little white slippers to wear in
the evening, she told me. She added
a trailing gown to her collection, which
by now had outgrown my clothes
presses and chiffoner She added a
few more hats, handsome umbrella,
more lingerie and long lace wrap for
evening
"That night the fellows who had
called the previous night brought
few friends to look at mother. And
she was well worth looking at. She had
bought a bit of rogue Her hair was
in a marcel wave. An aigrette adorned
H. She looked about 20 in the delicate
shades of the rose lights.
THAT night as she kissed mn she
said: 'All these years | have been
asleep, Mary, dear. have just walked
up
But I, too, was beginning to waken
Those fellows! They didn't matter
For all cared they might go or come;
but when Sammie should return from
his trip to the west. What then?
81 dropped my work. | had to.
waited on mother After the exertion
of entertaining the night beforehand
she entertained vs.l-shs slept late.
tiptoed about. preparing her little
breakfast. | saw to her bath and put
great soft white towels within her
reach. All day long, from morning till
night. waited on mother. My studio
overlooked with her finery. As she
stepped out of her gowns hung them
up for her.
MY studio became rendezvous for
my former admirers, who were now
the admirers of my mother. At first |
was invited to the little cafe suppers
given in her honor. Then, by and by,
they left me out. and from my lonely
window | waved her kisses as she
stepped gayly into automobile or cab.
1T was all very well. 1t didn't mat
ter. so long as Sammie remained away.
NV mother grew younger and younger
until she looked like a girl. The long
and dreary years that she had slept
had kept the youth in her The life of