The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-24

SuSie's Mother.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I scnoolm1stress, never realized with
what romance she was Invested in my
eyes. could never have told her how
admired her aching bat never
wholly relaxed back and called AT
tention, children.' She would never
know that some of the happiest mo-
ments Of nay life were spent in fmita-
ting her voice and manner.
We were playing school under the
apple trees at the side of Susie's
house. I can see Susie's honest,
freckled little face now as she blinked
up at me over her pince-nez made of
hairpins. I have not seen Susie these
many years. wonder if she remem-
beFs that day.
/ dragged mothers black alpaca
skirt across the grass and pounded
the table with Susie's fathers cane.
When I squinted around my hairpin
eyeglasses could see that Susie, the
teacher In the next room-marked off
by tree trunk-was watching me
rather than playing the game herself.
However, / was not troubled, only
fattered.
Presently Susie's mother came fly
ms out of the house. She looked like
child herself, with her bright hair
blowing in the breezes, with her mer-
ry blue eyes and her child's laugh
that dubbed over at the sight of my
severity.
I've got some cookies, she began;
then as stared at her stolidIy over
my hairpin, she spoke in a piping,
childIike tone:
Please, fam, mother thought
you'd like some Of her cookies.
They're just baked"
Susie giggled, but 1 responded ma
jestically: Thank your mother; she
Is very kind. You may leave them
on the desk and I'll eat them very
soon"
With bobbing little courtesy that
made the corners of my mouth curl,
Susie's mOther placed the cookies on
the rickety table, and still laughing.
few back to the house.
was singing, Lightly row, lightly
row." at the top of my voice, to the
Inconvenience of the teacher in the
next room, when Susie's mother came
again out of the back door. This
time she dropped down on the grass
in front of me and raised her hand. +"
Please, ma am, didn't know but
what you'd like to come to tea with
me and mother"
But before / could answer this de-
lightful summons there came a cry
from Susie.
ooh, mother, there comes father;
he's sick again!"
In flash the girlish face of Susie's
mother grew old and gray. She
sprang to her feet. Then saw, COM
ing down the road toward the house,
Susie's father, Keeling from one side
of the walk to the other, now clutch
ing a gatepost on the inside, now fall
ing against tree on the outside.
Susie's mother said in a low,
strained voice. hear 1t now" New
er mind the tea party, dears."' She
flew into the house and shut the back
door after her.
With open mouth and wide eyes.
trembling with faintness and fear, /
watched the man. Would he come in
at the side gate? / was ready to
climb the fence to-but no, he passed
on to the front. Then there was ST.
lence. Susie's little freckied face had
turned white, her small 1gure
seemed to have shrunk together. I
wondered miserably what TO do next.
Then there came sounds from the
house-horrible shoutings and laugh
ter and oaths; then there broke across
those sounds another that seemed to
stop my heart-a woman's high, shrill
shrek, which died out as swiftly as
1t came
l caught mothers alpaca skirt in
both hands. Tin going home, !"
cried over my shoulder as 1 sped
away.
Down the road 1 ran. The long
skirt entangled my eager little feet;
twice / fell. At last, dusty, sobbing,
painting, flew up my home path and
flung myself on my mother, sitting
sweet and cool on the piazza.
why, dearie, what's the matter?"
She gathered me close.
"Oh, was so scared-so scared. i"
That was all I-could say, and mother
rocked me but asked no questions.
Then down the road as 1 had come
came another little figure, stumbling
and clutching cumbersome, entan-
Cling skirt 1t was Susie. She too
was sobbing, Mother put me down