Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-06
Daysey Mayme
and Her Folks
BY FRANCES L. GARsIDE.
THE ETERNAL QUESTION.

TIME friends of married woman
meet her for the first time in
years. and they ask her ques-
ton like this:
How many children have you now"
If she says Eight" some friends ex-
claim, in tones of horror We'll. why
on earth did you have so many?"
Other friends, who are extremely old
fashioned. and therefore rare. say in
good to you"
Which leaves the mother of eight
without; a word to say.
But when friends of spin meet her
for the first time in years. they ask in
the tones of one who knows, How does
it happen you have never married."
1t is the eternal question every spin.
meets on every eternal occasion, and
the degree of pity in which it is asked
never varies, the mother of eight ex-
pressing as much pity as the mother
of one.
Daysey Mayme Appleton has met this
question every day since she passed
twenty five Let it be known to her
credit that she never looked at her
married friends with a question of
amaze, and replied with the question,
How does it happen YOU have?"
She Makes Up Her Mind
But recently she made up her mind
she would answer the eternal question.
She would tell the whole story
She called on a friend, the mother of
nine. The mother of nine used ababy's
dress to wipe molasses candy off a
chair which she handed her caller.
She prepared to feed the youngest,
after slapping her seventh for pulling
the hair of the eighth, and giving the
eighth a cookie to console it. Then she
sat back in her chair and looked with
pity at Daysey Wayne. How does it
happen" she, asked, that you nave
never married ?"
Daysey Mayme was prepared
when I was nineteen" she began,
as one who has a long story to tell Il
was engaged to Phil Barbeck, and he
stop teasing that cat!" screamed the
mother of nine. "And-Johnny. if you
take another cooky from the jar I'll
whip you"
Excuse me-" she said to her caller.
Now. do go on"
And ne" resumed Daysey Mayme,
didn't like it because | fiirted with
The mother Of nine left her chair
abruptly, so abruptly that she deposited
the ninth on Daysey Mayme's lap be-
fore it had finished its dinner. Which
made it set up a howl. She grabbed
her fifth by the arm, and her fourth by
one leg, and dragged them. screaming,
to the door, cua both as she pro-
ceeded Then She shut them out. and
returned to the ninth, who. however
refused TO be cOnsoled because of the
interruption to its meal. and yelled
louder
The mother of nine walked the floor
with it till it was quiet, and while She
walked Daysey Mayme's answer to the
eternal question proceeded with inter
ruptions like these:
1t Was Like This.
another man. and OF it's the ice
man. tell him to come tomorrow.
haven't the change, so | broke the en-
gage -CThere. look at the way you've
torn your pants. I'll nave to sit up all
night to mend them)-''ment, and
then there was Win'--(Drat that
child. what is ii screaming for noW?)
-"arbey, but'--(No. | can't give
you cent for candy 1t is all l can do
to get money out of your father for
necessities, without such foolishness)
etc. etc. for two hours when Day
scy Mayme left, with her story still un-
told
.LIov. 5oo. ~ Ia,,,,o,, ,,,,, have. ,,,,,,o,
married? ?" remains a question she has
never answered.