The daily sentinel., 1908-10-12
BY a Grand junction Mother,

By Grand junction Mother.
And right after breakfast father
went down to the office Mother
braided Jennie's shiny hair, and gave
finishing touch to Rogers necktie.
Her big handsome boy, towering a
full head above her, never could
make that necktie look right
Then, the children off to school,
she sticks up the house, and brings
in the weekly ironing. Quite a bas-
ketfull there are, and yesterday her
/ back ached when the last piece was
hung on the line. Nothing daunted,
however, she launched bravely into
the midst of that avalanche of cloth
es, and is making good headway.
when called to the front door by the
postman.
Now he is gone, and in her hand is
letter. containing something stiff.
which upon opening proves to be a
picture. Just a little, amateur piece
of work,-but picture of the old
home away back East. Lovingly she
presses it to her lips, and the brown
eyes fill with tears, while a great
lump rises in her throat.
And there are dear old Daddy and
Mother smiling up at her. Oh. how
she would love to go back, just for a
few days. She has never been back
but once since she left as a girl, just
once, when Roger and Jennie we're
little bits of tots: and how proud she
was of them, Somehow the ironing
seems to drag, now, and when the
children come home to lunch it is
still unfinished.
She tells the children to eat with
out her, as she isn't hungry anyway,
and doesn't care to stop to eat By
the time the children go back to
I .s.l.. 81 T. I,
ter swallowing a cup of tea, she takes
up the weekly mending.
Into the heels of Rogers socks she
weaves the most beautiful pictures.
There is the dear old sitting room at
home. Mother sits by the fireplace.
lcr piecework in her hands The
family cat is stretched lazily on the
rug at her feet. She sees herself at
the piano, and daddy" with his
fiddle" stands beside her. This is
the family concert" beginning with
the classical selections from various
operas, and closing with "Old Dan
Tucker" or Arkansas Treveler'
Then the neighbors often dropped
in to hear the concert" and some
times. another who was not neigh
Dor; and upon whose advent Mother
and Daddy generally retired and left
her to entertain him alone Now she
wonders If but. pshaw. she looks
/ in the mirror and sees the gray hair
and the wrinkles, and says to herself.
All, he wouldn't even know me now"
and Roger puts on those socks
/ without once seeing the picture WOW
en- into the heel.
Before long the children are once
/ more home from school. Roger
docs the chores" pnd starts off for
game of football. Jennie borrows
/ a baby from a neighbor and takes ii
1 for ride; while Mother. once more
alone, takes up the task of preparing
/ dinner
Father arrives at six. inquiries if
the chores are done, takes up the
daily paper and reads until dinner IS
/ announced.
During the meal he pours into
/ Mothers ears all the grievances of
! he day Somehow. he never remem-
bers the pleasant things that have
| occurred.
n Mother listens quietly, and once
she chokes down that pesky lump in
her throat with a bite of bread.
Roger looks at her and says,
What's the matter, mamma. are you
sick ?"
"Oh. no." she replies. Just little
tired, "whereupon Father says, you
uoii 1 looh Ttdi we'll you nau DelleT
take liver pill"
Are you going back TO town to-
night" mother inquiries, wistfully.
Sure, is the reply, Got two
hours work on hand yet
Dinner over, dishes washed. Roger
busies himself with his lessons and
Jennie buries her face in library
book
Mother seats herself at the piano,
and the memory of the old days still
| strong upon her. draws forth few
minor strains. then saying. Good
night children one to bed puts
out the light. you know" escapes to
her room.
Here alone, she takes out the old
home picture and, tears streaming
from her EYES, she murmurs, "Oh.
daddy dear, am so lonely. so home
sick," Then with sad little sigh.
she adds and he thought | needed
a liver pill"
Poor little homesick girl, Poor
little lonely wife and mother! And
there are 365 days in every year and
but she bravely shuts her lips. and
refuses to think how many years
there may be.
And away back East is another
lonely Mother. longing for the little
lonely girl out in the West: and
there in the other room. is another