The daily sentinel. [volume] (Grand Junction, Colo.) 1893-current, 1913-05-09

49, her grandparents.
The prospect Of seeing their beloved
faces, of rambling their spacious
house and grounds, always
sufficient to arouse joyous expectancy:
but this morning. in addition to these familiar pleas
ures. Little Mary eagerly looking forward T.
showing these second parents her first coored dress
She looked down repeatedly at the block plaid whose
straight waist and gathered skirt gave her the out
line of dinner bell, wondering if they would know
her when the gores of her costume burst upon
them. Two other facts increased her spirits One
was that her mother, a tower OF protection, camo
with her, cowing the dog who barked the
corner store. The other, that her father would
return in few hours from two weeks visit in a
city where they all three to live. He
was the tallest, greatest, most wonderful person a
the whole wide world Naturally. the sun shone
and hearts dubbed over on the day of his home
coming. II in honor of this that mother
had made the plaid dress, in the consciousness of
this common JOY that their blue eyes were contin-
ually meeting their pretty lips parting in happy
smiles.
Grandmother Gardner's expressions Of astonisr
ment in the costume seemed, to eager Little
Mary long delayed. Their entrance was the signal
for interminable grown-up conversation with the
mother, in which the child OWNED dlmly that they
were speaking of the coming departure. Ethel Gard
in its defense. Mother Gardner attacking it from
every point
Walter leaves certain living here" she kept
repeating "for chmerica scheme"
Weary OF waiting Little Mary at last ventured
TO pluck her sleeve and exhibit the plaid dress In
tardy atonement Mrs. Gardner gathered her her
knee.
"a colored drcssl It's beautiful" She examined
her daughterinlaw's hem. You've really made it
very neatly Ethel Yes, pet show it to grandfather
II you wish. He's with Adam in the garden"
The kitchen garden on spring morning al
most as beautiful as the grounds that surrounded
the house. Little Mary tripped down the gravel
walk past the barn and the chicken coop. to the
spot where grandfather directed old Adam the gar
doner AS far as their sex permitted the two old
men were as impressed with the plaid Bingham
Mary could have desired. Old Adam, leaning on
his spade recoeced stories CT singer feste in Ger
many when he himself had been resplendent Grand
father overlooked with "Reminiscences of his first pair
of brghtbue pantaoons. which he had worn on the
long trip by river and stage that brought him to
the unbroken prairies. Little Mary, her hand In his
drank in their words as the soil drank in the morn
ing dew. II thus in small circle suited to
her needs th-t her ideas of place and time expanded
gently and slowly. Her mind opened daily to new
wonders wider conceptions of life, just as the flow
ers on tree and bush about them were opening leaf
after leaf in order and beauty.
The business opportunity that took Walter Gard
ner to the great city was as his wife had urged to
his people, an unusual one. Otherwise they would
not have felt justified in settling themselves
temporarily In n motel as expensive rs the WIN
chester Their stay there, they agreed, should be
no longer than the time necessary to find perma
nent home and their search for that abode to
begin the moment Walter felt assured that he
a fixture In the life. Until that happy moment
they must content themselves in the great hotel
whose soft-carpeted corridors, perpetual electric
lights and rows of numbered doors oppressed them
with a sense of unaccustomed strangeness and
loneliness.
The mother and child spent their long days in
Wandering aimlessly about the halls and office,
where rocked the hours of the morning
away. Or from some corner they timidly watched
the fortunate ones who rustled out to waiting auto
mobiles ready TO carry them presumably to dis
tant points of delight. After luncheon which the
long menu and their abundant leisure tempted them
to make elaborate, they would walk about strange
streets until dusk ended the day. Soon after the
father returned to the crowded bedroom, not little
nervous and weary. little later they all three
faced the noise of the great dining room, where
above the din of the orchestra they shouted their
family condolences.
! After the first week the mother and child began
to distinguish the individual faces of the hotel
guests and look at certain tables with the expecta-
lton of finding familiar figures Occasionally they
caught the strangers Names and this gave them
the sensation of almost acquaintance. Mrs. Mac
Lean and her little girl among the first they
identified Twice day the lady would rustic richly
by their table, her handsome face and figure and
extreme style of dressing demanding admiration
and exactng remark. In her wake came the little
girl in very short frock her hair much frizzled,
caught to the eide by bow enormous 1t threat
ened the sight of one eye. With air of perfect
assurance the child would bounce into her chair.
settle her starched skirts about her, and spell out
the menu, the laughing admiration of the waiter.
Don't forget the Espagnole for my chops.
Charley" she would shrilly the attendant.
rAnd see that they hot, do you hear?" =
J. Little Mary watched this little gill With adj