The Washington herald., 1914-06-13
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A Thing that Pays.

Three, what in the world is the mat
ter?"
May ! really tell your" asked The
Mother-of-Six.
aOf course" came the ready reply.
Haven't you been worrying a little
over Jack?" asked The e-Mother-of-Six
earnestly. Haven't you wished that he
would not associate with that johnson
boy and the rest of the crowd he plays
with? Haven't you wished he STAYED at
home, as my boys do in the evenings. in
sread OF running the streets until III and
IL o'clock?"
The Mother of-Six. realizing how
dangerous was the ground upon which
she was treading, stopped short, wish
ing she had not allowed her splendid
mother love, which embraces all chill
dren, to lead her into such plain speak
ing.
Go on. please" invited the small, hurt
voice of The e-AIother-of- Three.
Yes, answered The -Mother-of- Six,
even If you never forgive me, am
going to tell YOU the truth.
Jack DOES care about his room. II
IS the source of unvoiced shame to him.
The reason that he is rarely at home. ex-
cept to sleep, is because it is not attract
i've to him or to his friends 1t is not
reasonable to suppose that lad of four
teen years should be in the least inter
ested in ,toom aH cluttered up with
furniture tt only for the lumber pile.
You boast of the refinement of your
girls taste, but the only reason that they
have greater love of beauty than Jack
IS that you have cultivated refinement
IN them, and utterly neglected it in the
lad
You tell me If doesn't pay to put
anything nice in boys room. DOES
1T PAY BETTER TO HAVE HIM
SEEK A CHEERFUL PLACE OUT
SIDE OF HIS HOME IN WHICH HE
MAY TALK TO HIS FRIENDS?"
The-Mother-of-Six was tremendously
in earnest, for four OF her six are bows.
Besides she has seen much OF the bright
young boy OF her neighbor across the
way, and her heart has been hungry to
shield him from the undesirable COM
panions whom he has picked up.
viii you go up with me to hang the
curtains?' she invited -Mother-of-
Three, after an embarrassing silence.
The Mother-of-Six has set aside two
OF the largest, brightest rooms in her
house for her BOYS, and there is no bro
ken-down Junk in either. They are fitted
up with good. plain. strong furniture,
and about the walls hang pictures of
their own selection. all framed inexpen-
sively. but in good taste. Around the
wall of each room runs wide molding,
such as one has IN a dining-room for
plates.
For their bats. balls. gloves, etc." ex-
planned The e-Mother-of-Six. a... 80
Then she hung the new swiss cur
tains, draping them back so that they
would not obscure the view from the
windows. an occupation in which she
was busily engaged when a group of
eager lads burst into the room-her own
four. two or three others, and-Jack
I'll tell you fellows cried the old
est OF the lads belonging to The-Moth-
er-of-Six, this is a place where a chap
can have his friends and not be
ashamed =
The words were not meant for either
The -Alother-of-Three or her boy. but
they cut like knife into the conscious
ness OF both, and Jack was looking at
his mother with the fearlessness OF
youth. the heart hunger of a long time
darkening the blue depths of his frank,
Young eyes.
And he-Mother-of-Thre answered
his unspoken reproach with a smile so
full Of understanding and of promise
that Jack followed her when she made
her excuses and stole away home.