The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-12-05
HIS PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT.

Come on and go down to the AL
bert to the play tonight, Stuart"
said Ellis Pratt, as he and Stuart
Holmes were walking home from
High School together. There's some
thing unusual on the boards-some-
thing of the wild, woolly West sort;
Indians, and trappers, and all that
kind of thing; they say it's simply
immense. Jud Emerson was telling
me about it; said l wouldn't miss it
If l had half-sense. All the boys are
going; gallery seats only a dollar.
Come on"
Cant, Ellis; sorry to disoblige
you and the boys, but I have a pre-
vious engagement"
ooh, foolishness! What is it,"
IAN evening with a lady l esteem
very highly. Just wait-or don't
wait, just as you like. have an err
rand at the palace"
CPL watt" said Ellis, watching
his friend as he disappeared behind
the glass doors of the beautiful en-
porium and stopped before the con-
fectionery counter. "Humph!" he
murmured inwardly, Stuart Holmes
must be stuck on somebody, sure.
Buying dandy box of the best bon
bons. Whew! This is an all-round
good joke on Stuart; I'll go for him
when he comes out"
He went for" him accordingly,
and, instead of the confusion and
bushes which he expected, was met
with an easy, good-natured laugh
you don't know what you are talk
ing about, boy" said Stuart, greatly
amused. "My evening engagement is
with my mother at home, and this
box Of candy is for her and no other;
it is her birthday"
"Your mother!" echoed Ellis, in
creduously.
"See here, Stuart Holmes, suppose
you talk sense"
What do you call sense?" asked
Stuart, unlatching the gate which had
led to his pretty home. "Isn't show
ing your appreciation for the best
mother in the world, and the loveliest
good sense? I know one thing, Ellis,
and it makes me ashamed-boys
don't pay half the attention to their
mothers they ought to, and nothing
pleases them so much, either, as to
have their boys spend an evening
with them. This thing of treating
your mother as your cook and house
maid, and racing the streets for COM
pany and enjoyment, is rude and
mean, in my estimation; and I've
found out that mothers, as rule, are
the finest friends and best company a
fellow can cultivate Goodnight;
hope you and the boys will enjoy
your wild, woolly West show"
Ellis just nodded in reply. The
fact is, Stuart had put an entirely
new thought into this thoughtless
boys head. He wondered If mothers
really did want the company of their
boys. Some way he had imbibed the
notion that they liked to get them
out Of the house and out of the way;
that they considered them a neces-
sary evil and, at times, regular nuis-
ance. Hadn't he often heard Mrs
Fields fussing at Robert and object
ing to everything the boy wanted to
do? But, then, Mrs. Fields was moth
ing like his mother, or Mrs. Holmes,
or-oh, well, mothers in general, for
he mentally counted over the homes
he was well acquainted with, and the
kindly mothers who made those
homes happy and comfortable, and
arrived at the conclusion that Stuart
was right.
A flush of shame burned his cheek
as he remembered how he had always
taken his mothers and even his sis
ter's love and care as a matter Of
course, and had never once thought
of giving them any return. He had
spent his time where he liked, never
telling them wher che was going, and