The San Francisco call., 1906-07-01
Woes Of a Bachelor Girl

Her friend found the bachelor girl all
light Of her studio.
What is it, she asked.
The bachelor girl looked wistfuny out
the window. It's mother" she said,
and waited d while before she began
with sigh to tell the story.
I'm little tired" she began. I've
been so busy all day waiting on mother
She's just gone out 10 dinner now and
m taking rest
Was that your mother getting into
the cab at the door 1 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
minUte. 7 have been away from home
a good while she said musingly.
About five years. I think. I left home
with a very distinct impression of
mother. Since I 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 II, were. -
She bvsnt TO a drawer Of the chiffonier
and got out some pieces of lace, which
she laid in her friends lap. saying:
This is the sort Of stun she knitted.
She sent IL TO me for pillow slips and
one thing or another. That was when
father was alive. Father was Of q
dominant nature. He controlled every
thing and everybody within his reach
or hearing. That was why I left home.
had something Of his viii. ] wOuldn [
let him bend it, But mother-he had
her under such complete control il was
~
ago. and then 1 thought 10 myself: The
dear Iittle meek. vanquished mother
shall come TO the city and see the sights
1t viii be a change for her. I hate 10
think Of her there by the window in
the old home. knitting her life away
on useless lace and mittens- Besides
7 thought, she can polish my candle
sticks for me and clean up my slualo
when I am busy.
THAT was few weeks before the
quake" she said. with another sigh
II am fond Of my mother-very. very
fond-but. well. 7 VIII tell you. Mother
came in All her mourning, dainty ana
sweet as could be. demure as ever. her
big ewes sad. with the old done with
lne' look that ] remembered. she sat
very quietly here for a day. lookin g
out The window in the same way that
she had done in the old home. The
second day she took her mourning veil,
shook II out and placed il quietly in
her trunk IT is there now Then she
went out shopping. taking me. along
as guide to show her the ropes and the
bargain counters. Father left mother
some money. I thought she was going
70 blow every cent OF it in that day;
but she left some for the next, fortu-
natelv. How mother. who had shopped
so quietly in a country town all the
DAYS of her life. could adapt herself
so readily in the ways of the city re-
mains a mystery TO me. She was busy
all afternoon unwrapping parcels and
gazing on them with delight. cleaned
up the studio and polished the candle
sticks. and when mother was tired and
had TO lie down ] made her some tea.
helped her TO IL and washed up the
cups
"She had bought her dainty gown
Of whiteA She put il on that night A
few fellows called. I introduced them
20 mother. 7 then concocted a little
punch. Mother drank glass or two
Fer eyes frightened She looked about
30 that night-not more. I served the
punch while she entertained my whilom
admirers
he following day mother divided
her time between adding finishing
touches TO the fnery she had bought
Fitting waist correctly, changing
roNeI % 20 an ler nat and washing
her hair. Then she went to the hair
dresser and manicurist She bought
some new slippers. little white slippers
70 wear in the evening she told me
She added q trailing gown to her collec-
tion- which by now had outgr0wn my
clothes presses and chiffonier She
added few more hats. handsome
umbrella, more lingerie and a long
lace wrap for evening.
That night the fellows who had
called the previous night brought
few friends to look al mother And she
was well worth looking at She had
bought a bit OF rouge. Her hair was
IN =arcelle wave. An aigrette
adorned it, She looked about 20 in the
delicate shades Of the rose lights
That night as she kissed me she
said. All these years have been
asleep. Mary, dear have just walked
up.
But ]. too, was beginning to waken.
Those fellows They didn't matter.
For all i cared they might go or come:
but when Sammie should return from
his trip TO the West. What then2
i dropped my work. / had to-
waited on mother. After the exertion
Of entertaining the night before-and
she entertained well-she slept late.
tiptoed about preparing her little
breakfast ] saw to her bath and put