Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-17

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Are you a princess?" he asked.
She turned and looked at him. from
his tousled head down to his little
brown knees. and smiled wistfully.
mo, I'm not" she said.
"Oh!" Thomas seemed to lose all
further interest in her. but he looked
anxiously round the lawn.
Where is she?" he asked at last, In
an eager whisper.
"Who?" smiled the lady.
The ~stepmother."
I'm the stepmother," said the lady.
Thomas turned and surveyed her
speechlessly.
He gazed at her masses Of soft, rip
pling hair, her tender, hazel eyes. her
delicate oval face.
"You!" he said, incredulously. His
disappointment was obvious.
The stepmother flushed.
"Then-then-you won't beat me. or
lock me up, or starve me?" said Thomas
in tones of heartfelt regret
She laughed TREMENDOUSLY.
mo, no-of course not"
They said you would" he said. re-
proachfully.
How silly of them" she laughed.
But what 'zactly is a s~tepmother?
They never really told me. had q
real mother once" he said with pride,
but she went to heaven. P'r'aps,"
with a sudden inspiration. you're her
come back"
2 mo, moi" she said.
She knelt down as near him as she
dared. and put one hand timidly on his
little brown knees.
I'm Just a stepmother. and we'll be
great friends, you and I. Well have
grand times together. And-and we'll
play here in the garden. and I'll put
you to bed and kiss you and"
But" broke in Thomas. solemnly,
I'VE can't do that II you aren't a real
one William says he'd like to see any
woman kiss him 'cept his mother
and you aren't a real mother. are
your"
The stepmother answered eagerly:
mot a real one, dear, but"
1--WE can't do 1t II you aren't a real
one," said Thomas, decidedly.
There were some new puppies in the
stable, and a new horse that James
said belonged to the stepmother, and
he had tea with James and James
wife in their little cottage, and every.
thing seemed as new and exciting as
it always does the first day of holt
days.
1t was half past sever when he wan
dered into the drawing room. His ia
Their was there with the stepmother.
well. young man." said his ia
Their. this is a fine hour for little boys
to be up. High time you were asleep.
Come and say good night" He bent
down, and Thomas stood on tiptoe
and kissed his cheek.
Nov go over and say good night to
your stepmother."
Thomas walked over to her and held
out his hand. politely.
Good night" he said, in his quaint,
serious way.
The man frowned.
Aren't you going to kiss her. Thorn
as?" he asked.
Thomas turned to him.
II don't think So" he said. you
see, she's not a real one"
Thomas put himself to bed. He al
ways performed the operation alone,
although one or other Of the house
maids generally volunteered their
services.
There was a dull pain at his heart.
He wanted some one. He wanted
some one with soft, fluffy hair and
dark eyes like the stepmother, some
one to say good night to and kiss.
The stepmother vas sitting alone in
the drawing room. Thomas father had
just gone into the library to look for a
book she wanted. But she was not
thinking of Thomas father-she was
thinking Of Thomas.
She was thinking of his blue eyes,
his untidy mop of hair, his little seri.
GUS mouth. She would so love to hold
him on her knee, to kiss his little
brown legs.
She wanted to go and look at him in
bed, If only she were sure he was
asleep. She dared not go unless she
we're certain. A great loneliness was
In her heart, a loneliness that even
Thomas father could not satisfy. The
door opened.
Found 1t. dear?" she said, raising
her head.
But it was not her husband.
1t was a quaint little figure in a tiny
sleeping suit, a little figure with blue,
tear-flled eyes. and a tremulous baby
mouth. y
II want you." he walled. Il want
you, anyway. An 1t doesn't matter
about your not being a real one. It'll
be Just the same. An I want you to
say good night, too, and"
But he got no further. Somehow
or other he was there. pressed against
her warm, white throat. and the soft,
fragrant waves of her hair. He could
feel her kisses on his cheek. Shyly he
stole his arms round her neck.
my little son." she sobbed.