Middletown transcript., 1910-07-09

said to mother, always make
believe l am q butcher slicing off
cold boiled ham when Icut bread.
don't you? Mother was disgusted.
No, she said, coldly, / have no
desire to be q butcher.
Sometimes sentences or para
graphs caught the daughters
eye. The tears sprang to her
eyes as she saw her successful,
rather pompous Uncle John in
the lines, When we were ready to
60, John kissed his wife, nodded
awkwardly to me, and said, cold
ly, Well, good-by. / get SO hun.
CRY for something to love and
hug and squeeze, and never let
go. wonder if l had a husband
if he would kiss me good-by.
The daughter remembered that
the mothers husband was equal
to the most affectionate, and was
glad.
The pages that interested the
daughter most contained an ac-
count of a homecoming of her
mother from a short visit. Never
before had she realized how much
it might mean to one who loved
all the little beauties and graces
of life to live surrounded by those
who never dreamed, never ideal.
lied, and lived in small world Of
plain outlines.
She was with her mother, in |
the pages of the diary, on the car
of her return home. She saw
the eager girl, in Imagination,
with a love for home. in spite of
all. a desire to see her mother and
tell her of her visit, of the things
that had happened, and to show
the little gift she had denied her.
self to bring home with her.
She could hardly wait to open the
door, all esgerness, all smiles.
When the door opened, she saw
the girl mother enter joyously,
ready to be welcomed. And she
saw vividly her Grandmother
Bell. sitting there at one corner
of the dining-room table, gloom
lily lighted by a small kitchen
lamp, eating bread and butter
with a cup of cold tea. her severe
face not softened in the least by
her dark woolen dress. The
daughter could see her look of
amazement as the girl mother
entered; she could hear her say,
Why, what made you come home
tonight? didn't expect you till
tomorrow.
And then, when the wonderful
gift was produced, a new table
cloth, that appeared to have been
wished for, and representing a
sacrifice of long-saved money,
she could see her unfold it slowly, |
almost severely, rub one corner
between her two hands, hold it
up to the light, spread itout, and
say, What made you spend your
money, Cornelia2 l had hoped
you would get a new hat. The
table cloth is very nice, though I
never cared much for the snow
drop pattern. How large is it9
The daughter laughed. It
sounded exactly like Grand
mother Bell.
The mother had written out
her hearts burden in her little
diary. At the end Of this episode
she wrote, When / have girls l
shall just lie awake nights plan.
ming how I can make them happy,
and everything as bright and
pleasant for them as I can. ]
shall let them do as they please,
and try every way to please them.
But perhaps, after ell, they won't
care, like mother.
The other affair-when the girl
in the diary had made o dressing.
sack for a asuprise for her mother,
and spread it out invitingly in !
the best front room, and written
a series of notes containing di-
rections as to how to find it. The
laughed to think Of the
grandmother running from pin
cushion to parlor vase, from tea
pot to chair. cushion, each time
finding 8 note telling where to go
next.
/ should think Grandmother ;
Bell would have been dizzy, she ?
thought.
At last, when she found the /
in the front bed. +
room, she said to the girl mother,
The shades are up and the sun is
fading the carpet. How long has
that been like that? The dressing
sack is all well enough, but don't
sver leave the shades up again