Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-08-21
INTERFERENCE

playroom has to be cleaned, and there
Is great deal Of shopping. l really
don't know what you want to say to
them. There is Dorothy. now, going
OF to school without her rubbers.
Dorothy"
Mrs. Mason dropped her sewing has.
tily to intercept the closing Of the
front door. She did not return. John
Mason picked up his hat. and a few
minutes later he was on his way down
the street. Margaret was right. She
did not know what he wanted to say
There never was time to talk to Mar.
garet.
However. suppose she is busy"
he said to himself. "She is busy, and
am cad to think Of interfering" But
several times recently the thought had
come to him. Does she really want to
have time? And 1t ranked. Yet he
never would have limited such thing
to Margaret. He was too sensitive
about his own feelings for that. and
too loath to hurt other people.
Mrs. Mason had a long morning
mapped out ahead Of her. She planned
to wash the window curtains. oil the
floor and rearrange the toy cupboard
Il will begin with the playroom."
she decided. and instructed Bridget to
take up the rugs to be shaken. Then,
quite Unexpectedly, Aunt Emmeline
telephoned.
ITO dinner? Oh, yes! Please come.
John will be delighted to see you. u
Mrs. Mason heard herself say; and a
moment afterward, Heavens, the
guest room will have to be put in or
der. and Bridget must arrange meals
differently. Aunt Emmeline Is so par
ticular about her housekeeping"
Mrs. Mason hurried upstairs to find
fresh bureau scarf and guest towels
But as she passed through the library
she caught sight Of the paper, lying as
Mr.. Mason had left 1t. upon the open
desk. Absent-minded she picked II
up. What had he written about? She
glanced hurriedly over the pages.
The subject matter was quite unin
teresting, and she did not understand
what it was all about. But when she
reached the bottom Of the last page
she saw his signature. with the initials
crossed Just as he used to make 1t &C
often on his annual reports to the
finance committee. She had always
helped him with them. They had tt
be carefully done, those reports, and
John was always praised for theil
clearness and the good judgment ex
pressed. This, he used to say, compli
menting her prettily, was all due tt
Margaret. John knew what he wanted
to say, but he said 1t clumsily, while
she had a knack OF making sentences
fit together.
But now, how she had lost track o.
them in all the domestic affairs. Sht
suddenly, quite sharply. regretted 1t
With a sudden resolve. she sat dow
at the desk and puzzled out the crook
ed, slanting writing, which was neve
easy to read. She did not comprehend
what It said about stocks and bond!
or the tariff, but she went to the book
case and took down volume on thu
tariff. Industriously she bent over 1t
never noticing the time until Bridget
surprised at the absorption of her mis-
tress, came to announce lunch.
Il don't want any, Bridget. Pleas
see that the children get theirs, bu
don't let them come in here. I'm busy
Just bring me a cup of tea and SOM
crackers"
At S o'clock Mrs. Mason was finish
Ing the last sentence. She had rewrit
ten many awkward phrases. cut on
several paragraphs and changed tn
order Of others. As her pen hurried
through the last word, she suddenl!
heard the ring of the doorbell. Thel
came a Mortified flash of remembrance
Aunt Emmeline, and the toys In tn
living room! She had forgotten Il
tell Bridget to mop the hall. Thanh
heavens, the guest room was in order
at least. with wisps of hair flying
still in her blue cotton morning dress
Mrs. Mason went to greet her visitor
She did not know what she said b!
way of apology. A few minutes late
she saw with Joy Mr.. Mason's figure
coming up the walk.
Aunt Emmeline was safely in hel
room when she opened the door fol
him. He did not notice the footprints
or the toys, or her dress, but some
thing in her face surprised him.
"John," she said, with eyes shining
after all, did get time"
ITO fix the play room?"
mo, no, you stupid, the paper. Ivt
read It all over, and looked up grea
deal about the tariff. 1t took me 81
long to understand: I spent nearly al
day on It,"
Nearly all day! But, my dear,
didn't want you to do that. 1t was nj
matter You shouldn't have left you
other things"
"But I did, and Aunt Emmeline II
here, and there's nothing for dinner
and the living room is sight. She II
shocked to death and will tell ever!
one In your family what a terrible
housekeeper am. I'm so sorry, John
What are you going to say?"
Margaret purposely did not look q
her husband.
IT wanted to do something for you
John. You never bring me your pa
pers now, and / know why. It's be
cause you think I'm busy, and yo'
won't bother me. I'm SO ashamed t.
think how I've let things interfere
| After this there is always going to b.
time. I shall make It" =. ~ 4
She did not have time to finish. He