The Meeker herald., 1914-10-24
~. . ] az ,sa..seA 90 Atn

rew. = I hrst intended Tsa hin
yours Ms. McChssnsyb soa."
He turned away. Emma NeChssnsy
brought hes haAdksrchia3 up % hse
fnoskh and held II there . moment ana
the s,ia showed white over tn
lknuoklas Of her hard. In that moment
every oas a hsr tAirty-six years were
On the tahle. facs up.
wen vsah up. said Emma MO
Chssnsy. whsn - returned. and thsn
wen havs dinnar hare
r don't want to eat here" ob9ec&ed
Jock McChssueyA .Bssides, thers's NO
reason Why ca&t keep my evenings
engagements."
@And aftsr dinner wsnt On his
mother. ~ though shs had not heard.
wen get acquainted. lid"
It was . cherries, rather tSaG3c
meal, though Emma NcChssuey saw Il
through from soup to AnSsr-bowis.
When It was over she led the way
down the old-fashionsd, redcarpeted
corridors to her room. II was the sort
Of room to get ON its occupants nerves
at any time. with it, rcd plush arm
chairs, it, black walnut bed, and ~
walnut center table inlaid with IN apo
plsctic slab Of purplish marble.
Emma McChesney took Oh her hat
before the dim old mirror. and stood
there. luflng ont her hair hare, pat
ting It there. Jock had thrown his
hat and coat on the bed. He stood
now. lsaning against the footboard. his
Legs crossed, his chin on his breast.
his whole attitude breathing sullen de-
nance.
Jock" said his mother stiI pattins
her hair, perhaps you don't know It.
but you're poutins Just u you used to
when you wore pinaforss. I always
hated pouting children. I'd rather
hear them howl used to spank you
for II. ! have pridsd myself ON being
. modern mother, but want to mem
ton, In passing, that I'm still in . po-
aition to enforce that ordinance against
poutins." She turned around abruptly.
"Jock, tell me. how did you happen TO
come here q day ahead Of me. and how
do you happen to be 10 chummy with
that pretty. weak-faeed little thing at
the yelling counter. and how, In the
name Of all that's unbelievable. have
you managed to become Z grown-up In
the last few months r.
Jock regarded the merc1fully faded
roses in the carpet. His lower lip came
forward again.
"oh, fellow can't always be tied
to his mothers apron strings. like
to have . little ding myself. l know .
lot Of fellows here. They are frat
brothers. And anyway, needed some
new Clothes"
For one long moment Emma Nc
Chesuey stared, In silence. Then: "of
COARSE" she began. slowly, II know
you were seventeen years old. I've
even Dragged aboHt 1t. I've dons more
than that-rvs sloried in II. But some-
how. whenever. I thought a you IN my
fAsart-and that was = great deal Of
the time-lt was a. though yuA sin
were . little tyke n knse-pAnts, with
your Dap sn tie bAek a. your heaA
sAd chunk 81 SpIis bulging your
chsek. Jock. I've bean earning close
10 six thousand : year since put III
that ride line OF sartefs. Just how
much spending money have / been pro.
viding You withf"
Jock twirled = coat button uncom.
fortably. well. quite = lot. But q
fellows got to have money to keep up
appearances. A lot Of the fellows in
my crowd have more than I. There
are clothes, and tobacco. and then now.
ers. and cabs for the shrts-sirls.
mean. and"
KID" impressively, r want you to
sit down over there in that plush chair
tho red one. with the Jumps In the
back. want you TO be uncomfortable.
From where am sitting can zee that
In you there IL the making Of first
class cad. That's no pleasant thing for
\ mother to realize. Now don't inter
rupt me. I'm going to be chairman,
speaker. program, and ways-And-means
committee Of this meeting. Jock, rot
my divorce from your father ten years
ago. Now, I'm not going to say any
thing shout. him. Just this one thing.
You're not going to follow in his foot
steps, Md. Not II I have to take you
to pieces like nickel watch and pst
you ell together again. You're Emma
xcChesney's son, and ten years from
now intend to be able TO brag shout
Il, or I'll want to know the reason
why-and It'll have to be . blamed
good reason"
~rd Hike to know what I've donei"
blurted the boy. "Just because hap.
pened to come hero = few hours be-
fore you expected me. and Just be-
cause you saw me talking to girl!
Why
TT isn't what you've done. It's what
those things stand for. I've been at
fault. But I'm willing to admit It.
Your mother II q working woman,
- ~