The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-12
WHEN MOTHER 4BSCONDED

The telephone bell rang and Mr..
Bronson started from his chair OK
pectantly. He never could rid him
self of tho idea that every telephone
call. even outside business hours. was
for him. He stood with the sitting
room door partially ajar, even after
IL was perfectly apparent that his
wife was the person wanted Mrs.
Bronson, confused by the strain OF
trying to talk intelligenly while her
HUSBAND steot there cycling her, made
Sc, eral Intellectual attempts 10 ter
inmate the conversation, but the par
ty at the other end of the line, bliss
fully unconscious of her perturba-
ton, talked on and on, until flnaiiy In
desperation Mrs. Bronson turned and
said quietly to her husband. ITS Just
MRS. Jones ann she wants to talk To
me-" Mr.. Bronson still hesitated, as
before he finally returned to his chair
il he half expected Mrs. Jones 10
change her mind and inquire for him.
and his newspaper.
who Ia the world was that, talk
ing so long," asked Tom, looking up
from the sporting page of the daily,
at was just Mrs. Jones" answered
his mother deprecatingIy. "You
know we're planning to send a box
to our old school friend who's home
was burned last week. She is going
TO call on one other friend. then she
coming here to make the tinal ptans.
Il think you're foolish. Elizabeth,
to have her come tonight" comment
ed Mr.. Bronson. You're tired out
already. Why don't you ask her 70
wait till tomorrow
| She leaves the city tomorrow ?"
Gee" whistle Tom, some OF the
fellows were coming down TO make
out the lineup. but ] guess might az
well call 1t off.
"Ill take her into the library and
she'll not need interfere with your
plans in the least, volunteered his
mother. hastily.
"Then when am to do my study
mgr" expostulated John.
.Oh, Johnny, / forgot all about
that spelling" answered his mother
contritely. "Tf we hurry there'll be
time to do IT.
Il think you're very foolish TO
make yourself such a slave to that
boys lesson" said his father. lie
should learn to do his own studying.
This is just long list of krods
, that I'm going to pronounce Tor hin'
/ to write. Thomas. | think, myself
| he should do his own studying TINS
help that I'm giving him is purely
mechanical. Any one could do IT,
she limited deifcatety.
well just as you think best, 81
course. mother" and MIR. Bronson re-
turned to his magazine.
"Mo.ler, you must stop in time TO
change your dress before Mrs. Jones
comes,'' exclaimed Dorothy hall
hour later. Why do you never wear
the pretty house-gown we gave you
on your birthday? Don't you think
she ought 10 dress up. father?''
do / look so untidy in this?" ask
ed Mrs Bronson. flushing. When
we have our dinners at night | can
not do the cooking tn my pretty
gown. and there,s never time &c
change afterward.
'It's just shame. Motherkin,' -
answered Dorothy. smoothing her
hair. IL feel as II ought to help
more. but you know Just had to GO
to the manicure parlors this even
ing, and last night was the rehear-
sal---and there's always something.
'If I were in your place, Eliza
beth, I'd secure competent maid. >
remarked her husband. jndicially
Not the common, worthless sort,
| but a realty good one-there- must
be good ones"
Late that night. after Mrs. Jones
had gone and the family were all
in bed, Mrs Bronson sat long
Inc in the darkened library think
~sng 1--WE just got to sdaNsomet hing
or / .sfla,i lose. MY MUD" she inur-
INJURED, with clenched hands.
''It isn't that they don't love me
and mean to be kind she said to
herself, more calmly. Its only
that they are careless and don't IN
derstand that they are making a
perfect slave Of me. wouldn't
mind the work" she reflected brave
~, IL really ISL HdTu with All Tire
outside help. It's the fearful mon
otony. and the feeling that I've not
single privileged right here in my
own -hems.-WhxI ! hardly belong To
myself at all. I'm Just Mother to
the family. general helper and indis-
pensible to their comfort
She sat there rocking awhile In
the darkness, then with determin-
ed gesture she lighted the gas and
took a little inlaid box from the
drawer. She counted the money Il
contained deliberately. Yes. she
would do It! There was more mon
ey than she supposed to
crafty every wish. and for one bles-
sed week she would 60 away and be
free. Then the mother In her came
uppermost and she hesitated. This
was the money she had saved. as
she always did, for her own personal
Christmas gifts to her loved ones
This was to have brought the COW
eted set Of books for father. and here
was sufficient for Dorothy's necklace
but she shut her lips heroically,
and emptied the money into her
purse. A sane mother is worth
more than all the gifts In the world