The Washington herald., 1910-07-31

who seemed to think so, IL was quite
sufficient for me. When my graduation
day came was much excited 70 think
how absolutely grown-up ] would appear
to him In my first long frock but when
I came 10 him after the exercises were
over, he looked at me as II he were sad,
and said. Child. how little you arer'
That was a dreadful disappointment TO
me, but when reminded him how he had
always told me I was tall he laughed.
and said: You we're tall for a school
girl, but you're very little 70 be the mis-
tress OF n house"
That puzzled me; but on the way home.
driving up through the valley. he told
me more about what he meant He said
Now that you have stopped being a
child you are going 70 be very gay
young lady; going to have fine gowns,
and dance about like a butterfly: and
you're going 10 keep on being my little
girl: but at the same time I am afraid
you will have 10 be g little lady OF the
house. too. and take care OF me. and
Abby-now that Abys rheumatism IS so
| bad-and go 10 call on the ladies who
were your mothers friends. and are &C
Ing to be yours Do you think you are
tall enough 70 do all that?"
was so surprised and so happy that I
Rugged him right there in the buggy, and
said: do you really mean it?'
Father laughed. Just as he does TO cover
up being rather serious. and said: You
are your mothers daughter. for she was
little fair woman, but there was never
anything too big for her to manage"
I was happier than ever 20 hear him
say that-he so seldom spoke Of mother
and the idea Of whole house to manage.
and Of sitting at the foot OF the table,
and calling on grown-up married women
seemed to me as merry and exciting as
going TO parties. and having beaus.
I had not been in the city for year,
spending my last vacations at the ranch
at Menlo Park; and though knew from
what Halle had told me, that the city
was very different. yet when I got out
Of the buggy in front OF the house the
look Of the street startled me. For a
moment even the house seemed strange.
| But that was only because the other
/ houses were all about It. AS far as one
looked up the hill there was nothing but
thick houses. and queer little shops were
crowdIng up the block so close that we
had the appearance Of being almost
downtown. Even inside the house look
ed different, but quite beautifully differ
ent, done over with lovely fresh papers.
and japanese mattings; but what touched
and pleased me most Of all was TO find
the picture Of mother which had used
to hang over fathers dressing table, now
in my room, above my bed. You need
it now more than I do" he said. and
though I couldn't see Just why I needed
IL, loved to look at Il, The amusing
part of It was that mother in the pic
ture was holding ns-a little me-a baby
two years Old Myself would never look
out at me. But mother looked always.
with the same half-brave, half-tinnid
glance. when, sitting on the bed. I made
her my condolences.
! With all my new responsibilities, and
my new clothes I felt as If I had some
how been done over zoo. Yet Il was
surprising how quickly ] became used
to the patter Of my long petticoats
around my feet as I walked. the weight
OF all my hair upon my head, and my
stately pouring out tho tea at the foot
| Of the dinner table. Fathers friends
were always coming In and out, and
staying to luncheon or dinner, and with
their high silk hats, their elegant bows
to me. and their laughing at things !
said which were not in the least funny.
! at first they confused me not little.