New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-12-02

!
When's he going to set here?''
Week after next" Mary said list.
lessly. Its an awful responsibility.
amt it-taking child soy
Mis- Winslow's face abruptly reject
ed its own anxious lines and let the
eyes speak for it.
Il always think children is like air."
she said; you never realize how hard
they're pressing down on you, but you
do know you can't live without them
Mary looked at her. her own face
not lighting.
I'D rather go along like am" she
said; I'm used to myself the way
am"
Mary Chavah." said Mis- Winslow
sharply. "a vegetable sprouts. Can't
you? Is these stocking caps made SOS
they won't ravel?" she inquired capa-
bly, Of Abel Ames. These are real
good value. Mary" she added kindly.
Better surprise the little thing with
one Of these. A red one.''
Mary counted over her money and
bought the red stocking cap and the
basin with the puppies. Then she went
into the street. The sense Of oppres-
sion, of striving, that had seldom left
her since that night In the stable made
the day a thing to be horne, to be
breasted. The air was thick with
snow, and in the -whiteness the dreary
familiarity Of the drug store. the meat
market. the postofice. the Simeon
Buck Dry Goods Exchange. smote her
with passion to escape from them
all, to breed new familiars, to get free
of the thing that she had said she
would do.
"And l could" she thought; Il could
telegraph to John not to send him. But
Jenny-she can't / don't see how she
stands it,
The thought may have been why.
instead Of going home. she went to see
Jenny. A neighbor was in the sitting
room with Mrs. Wing. Jenny met
Mary at the Kitchen door ind stood
against a background of clothes dry
ing on lines stretched indoors.
Don't you want to come upstairs ?"
1uClC a lire uN
there. but can show you the things"
She had put them all in the bottom
drawer. as women always. do and. rs
women always do, had laid them so
that all the lace aud embroidery and
pink ribbons possible showed in fut.
ter when the drawer was opened. len.
ny took the things out. one at time
unfolded, discussed, compared. with all
the tireless zeal Of robin with straw
in its mouth or Of tree blOssomihs.
Smell Of them." Jenny bade her.
Honestly, wouldn't you know by the
smell who they are for:'' II dunno but
you would" Mary admitted awkward
~ and marveled dumbly at the new
ness Jenny was feeling in that which,
after all. was not new:
When these things were all out lit
tie tissue paper parcel was left lying In
the drawer.
There's one more" Mary said.
Jenny flushed. hesitated. lifted it.
That's nothing" she said: before
came made some little things for
its Christmas. thought maybe it
would come first. and we'd have the
Christmas in my room. and ! made
some things-just for fun. you know.
But it won't be fair to do it now With
the whole town 50 set against our hav-
ing any Christmas. Mary. it just seems
as though had to have Christmas
this year,"
"Oh. well." said Mary, 1.-The baby'n
be your Christmas. The town can't
help that. guess
Il know" Jenny flashed back bright
~. "you and I have got the best Of
them. haven't we? We've each got one
present coming. anyway"
II s'pose we have" Mary said.
She looked at Jenny's Christmas
things-a ribbon rattle, Il crocheted cap.
a first picture book. cascade Of col
ored rings-and then in grim humor at
Jenny.
It'll never miss it's Christmas she
said drily.
| Don't you think so::.,' said JENNY So
berry. Il dunno. 1t s9Sms as If It'd he
kind O lonesome to gSt. born aroulffid
| Christmas and not find ahy g6tng on :
! She put the things away aid closed
the drawer. For no appreciable reason
she kept it locked and the key under
the bureau cover.
DO you know yet when yours is
coming:' Jenny asked as she rose.
| "Week after next" Mary repeated,
two weeks from last night she con-
fessed, iii he comes straight through
II think" said Jenny. 81 think mine
will be heretofore them
| When they reached the foot Of the
stair Mary unexpectedly refused to 80
in the sitting room.
No. she said, II must be getting
home. just come out for minute
anyway. I'm-I'm much obliged for
what you showed me" she added and
hesitated. "I've got his room fixed m
real nice. There's owls on the wall pa-
per and puppies on the wash basin. .
/ she said "COme in when Won ca,, snd