El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-23
= One WOman's Story =
By Virginia Terhune Van de Water
CHATTER XIV.
NHAI TIL ~
S SOON as Herbert Fletcher was
engaged, he brought his mother

was the only time that Mary Danforth
saw her soon-to-be motherinlaw until
after her marriage
Mrs. Fletcher was a large bOned,
stout woman, fIOrid of face, and with
a voice that was masculine in quality
She shook hands with Mary and EYED
her critically.
How do you do?' she said. adding,
as in duty bound: My son has told me
about you"
And he has talked to me often
about you" Mary rejOined timidly. Il
am glad to know you. 1t is kind of you
Bert insisted on my coming" re-
turned Mrs. Fletcher bluntly. I was
willing to humOr him to keep the
peace"
Mary was surprised to hear herself
talking with assumed lightness of
trifling matterS-the weather, the noise
of the city streets at this time of the
year when the windows were open, the
many impersOnal matters that make
what is known as small talk" Fletcher
sat by and looked at her with uncOn-
cealed admiration; her mother seconded
her efforts to keep the conversational
ball rolling, but Mrs. Fletcher said
little. Her quick eyes were taking in
every detail of the simply-furnished
room and Mary felt that her gaze was
an appraisinS one She looked often a
the embarrassed girl, and at last voiced
her thoughts:
4 guess you're not very strong, are
you?"
Mary flushed holly. "Why, yes she
said, trying to laugh. I have never
been really i'll in my life. Perhaps the
first warm weather may make me look
little pale, but am very well, thank
youi"
Fletcher spoke up quickly. TT isn't
strongest, ma" he said Oracularly.
You, yourself, amt quite up to the
mark sometimes"
Z know that" said his parent, as
Mary, my son tells me that you and
he have decided to get married. and 1
think II only fair to say to you that, as
he hasn't fortune, any girl that mar
ries him may have to work. But I
guess you're used TO that here IN your
own home. And" as an after-thOught,
I hope you both will be happy"
Mary did not return Mrs. Fletcher's
call-indeed, was not asked to do so.
But she wrote a pretty little note to
BertS mother asking her to come to
the wedding, explaining that it was to
be the quietest affair imaginable. To
this invitation the older woman sent a
verbal acceptance by her son.
Herbert Fletcher had always wanted
to live in the country, and Mary was
willing to get away from New York and
from all the old associations. She and
her husband took q wedding trip of
only three days, running down to At
lantic City and staying in an mex
pensive boarding house over Sunday.
Then the young couple returned TO the
Danforth flat and began preparations
for moving out Of town.
Fletcher had decided upon a small
village in New Jersey, the distance of
three quarters of an hour from New
York, making it convenient for him to
commute daily. He and Mary went to
MiddlebrOok one Saturday afternoon
and chose the little house in which they
to 2 1-saI oil
and a dlminutive bath, but to the girl
who, for two years, had lived in a cheap
flat the cottage looked quite large All
the water used in the bathroom and
kitchen must be pumped by hand into
the tank at the top Of the house, the
pump being close to the kitchen sink
"A good job for some fellow that's
getting too stout-eh, Manner" Bert re-
marked loosely.
Che had insisted that Mary was
too formal a name for man to call
his wife by. Mary had suggested that
she preferred it to any nickname but
her husband had his way.)
When don't feel like pumping the
water, the girl can do it." he said later
as the two sat together on the train
taking them back TO New York
Are you sure can get a maid?"
Mary asked timidly I have heard that
it is sometimes difficult to secure one
in country place"
We'll, Wen get one from town, then"
said the master Of the house loftily. I
don't mean that you should do rough
work in my hOme-at least if YOU can
hire a girl whose wages make it pos
sible for US to keep her"
1t was evident that he discussed this
matter with his mother, for the next
evening he remarked to his wife:
Ma tells me that you were right in
saying that it's hard to get good help
in the country. You know, she never
keeps a girl, and she seems to think
that you and your mother could do a
good deal of the work of that little
house yourselves Perhaps you could"
mother to do homework, Bert" she de-
INJURED. she is not strong, and work
in a house is harder than in a flat If
you cannot afford maid, the house
must be attended to by me-but I
would prefer keeping a servant, if pos
sibIe."
She tried to speak firmly. but there
was tremOr in her voice and her nus
band rcted it
Well" he said, Tets hope we can
get girl cheap somewhere. If not
my dear, L guess you'll have to put up
with matters as lots of other women
do, and as you ana your mother have
done lately and as my mother has al
ways done. Your husband amt rich.
you know"
His wife made no reply. She seemed
these days to be slowly awakening from.
stupOr in which she had lived since
the night on which she received the
news of Craig's engagement She had
not allowed herself to look a day ahead,
nor an hour backward. That was the
way, she reminded herself, that she
had lived through the past three
months.
She aroused herself to listen to her
husband again. Ma says she'll help
me choose any furniture we need" he
was saying. She's a crackerjack at
finding bargains. I never knew such
an economical buyer
1 thought" ventured his wife, chat
we might choose our furniture to-
gether"
oh" the man returned easily. you're
buSy packing, so you'd better let ma
bright and cheerful blue sofa on Four
teenth street the other day, and I'll see
what we can get it for for our parlor.
I'll let ma make the deal"
suddenly the wife appreciated that if
she would not protest too much she
must keep silence.
Go be cOntinued)