The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1910-10-27
REVOLT

Marjorie had decided that homo
was no longer endurable, SO she was
going to run away.
She walked slowly and pensively
down the front steps. She glanced
back now and then and occasionally
kicked step, making a sound loud
enough to be heard by any mother
who really loved her child. Such q
mother. hearing the sound, would
have come out and called her child
back with tears. Then such a moth
er would have told her child that she
might do anything she wished to do,
even to wearing the new pink ging-
ham frock with the strips Of white
embroidery whenever her soul craved
such comfort. But no mother APP
peared!
Marjorie sat down on the bottom
step and removed her right shoe. She
thought maybe there was pebble in
that shoe. OF course, no sensible
person would start on a long jour-
ney with a pebble in her shoe. 1t
took some time for Marjorie to get
her shoe adjusted. Then it occurred
to her that she'd better see If there
was a hole in her stocking. She
would have to walk hundreds OF
miles, perhaps, before she found
shelter.
She took off her shoe and examined
both stockings carefully. There was
no sign Of hole in either. AS she
replaced her left shoe she thought
she heard the screen door open, but
when she turned around to look there
was no anxious motherly face peer
ing out
Marjorie rested her chin in her
hands and mentally rehearsed her
woes. Yes; there was no possible
doubt that her mother had ceased
to love her.
A big tear rolled down her cheek
and splashed into her lap. Two more
tears welled up and filed her eyes.
Then for a moment Marjorie forgot
her troubles and her interests in an
odd way-looking through tears made
the trees across the street dance up
and down, quite as if they were alive.
It was the way things looked when
you threw stone into clear water
and then looked down and watched
the sand and pebbles twist about,
though it really was the water AMI
not the pebbles and sand that moved.
Just the day before she had done this
when she went to the lake with her
mother. ~z
And that unnatural parent had ZEAL
Iy loved her yesterday!
The tears came in real earnest this
time. Marjorie wiped them away with
the corner of her apron. Then she
regarded that seemingly innocuous
garment with distaste. Though the
pink bingham had been the little rift
within the lutte, it was this miserable
apron that had silenced the harmony
for good and all. Now it was about
to make her an outcast from a once
happy homei
If she had been allowed to wear
the pink bingham, as she had wanted
to, then indeed she would have sub
mitted to being swathed in the hui
initiating outer covering, but when at
the close of a stormy interview she
had not only been refused the pre-
cious boon of the pink gingham, but
had been firmly buttoned into gray
monstrosity which she had always
loathed, and further incased in a
blue and white checked apron, her
proud spirit would brook no more
She would no longer remain where
Such brutality-1iay, worse, such ey
ecrable taste-was exhibited. The
die was cast. She would run away!
AS Marjorie reached this point in
her meditations she rose firmly to
her feet Then she faltered. The
clock was just striking IL. Almost
luncheon time. Perhaps it would be
better not to go until properly forti-
fed Perhaps she would better wait
until after a substantial luncheon
Bobby, the fat little fox terrier,
came bouncing joyously around the
corner of the house and hurled him
0CIt upon 4nd1 JOl IlhC q JOy-lnJOAk-
Gated catapult. She submitted to his
moist caresses with a pensive pleas
ure. Poor little Bobby! He didn't
know that he was looking his last
upon her There wouldn't be any
body to take him to the lake and
throw sticks for him. Marjorie cried
six big tears for poor little Bobby.
Then she pushed him away.
After all, perhaps she'd better not
wait until after luncheon. Perhaps
it would be best for her and her
mother not to meet again. Marjorie
cried sympathetic tear or two for her
mother.
And daddy! Marjorie sobbed out
right when she thought of daddy.
Daddy surely loved her It took a
very stern froWn indeed from mother
to silence his ever-ready, pleading,
"Oh, let her do it,
Marjorie walked toward the back
of the house, Bobby leaping and
cavorting about her. AS she crept
past the dining-room there was a tap
on the window Looking up, she met
mofher'S smiling face