The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-01-27

nau 10 come, jean DcBhH, tneH
stopped and laughed a little. Il am
hungry and know you have some
cookies in the little Jar. You always
have them. you know"
So Jean sat and ate cookies and
talked in her gay, light way of every.
thing except the reason why she
came back
She examined Emily's dress and OF.
fered to fix it, "Ill run in the bed
room and take of this gown and be
colhfy."
When she came back she wore
pale gray kimono.
Now you look like my own little
Jean" her mother said brightly, and
suddenly Jean chung to her, sobbing.
"Oh, mother mother" she said, Il
have come back to be your own little
Jean-always
Then you are not going back to
the city," her mother asked
"No--let me tell you why"
It was a simple little tale of the
effort to preserve high ideals amid
sordid surroundings An of the girls
wanted pretty clothes, and we would
do almost anything TO get them. We
lived in poor little rooms and cooked
our sausagcs and ham and eggs over
the gas jet-and we bought silk stock.
ings and puns with the money we
saved. We didn't have enough to eat
sometimes. but we could sweep the
length Of our silk petticoats across the
floor and we c0nsoled ourselves that
way"
But you wrote that you were hap.
Ply"
AT first | was" Jean said Il was
Just silly enough to think that look
ing well would make up for 1t all. But
after a while it seemed 10 me that |
should die II | didn't see the fields
| and hear the birds oh, you don't
know how wanted to run right out
| to Andy's farm mother
81 thought you hated the farm"
II dd-becauso didn't know"
She came over and knelt by her
mothers side There was a man in
| the City-hc was rich and generous.
! and he took me out 20 suppcrs when !
was hungry TO ride in his motor
car when | was tired AZ last he asked
me to marry him and | said. Yes.
But | didn't tell you, because some.
| how ! couldn't see you welcoming him
> to this shabby little home. Not be-
cause nc was too line for II. but be.
cause you were too fine for him,
mother-with all of his money was
| ashamed of him And that wasn't all.
II seemed to me that instead of want.
| ing me to live up to the best that was
In me he wanted to drag me down to
| his level He liked to have me amuse
him with my brightness But the real
me, the real woman Of me. that you
know, mother, he didn't care TO un.
derstand
She stopped ana went on, slowly.
And last nght-last night ! had a
letter from Andy Wentworth. For all
| that he really knew. | was happy and
prosperous, but his heart had told him
that ! needed him He begged me to
let him know If anything troubled me,
that he might help. Even though ]
would not have him in my life he
wanted to care for me-to protect me
from evil"
She stood up with shining eyes,
And that's why came back, mother,
To be your own little Jean again. To
marry Andy. To live in Gods coun.
try and forget the things | have
! learned In the city. wish ! could
tell all girls to stay near their moth.
ers and the good men who love them
for there's nothing that makes up
for IL in the whole wide world"
She was sobbing again In her moth
ers arms. But presently she sat up.
Lets finish Emily's dress" she said.
And when she had put a stitch here
and there and had tied the bows she
held It up. She shall wear my pink
corals and my gold comb she said
I and she will be the belle OF the ball
but will stay home with you, and
Andy shall come, and you shall give
us your blessing, and please God we
will all live happy ever after, mother
| dear"