The Washington herald., 1914-06-06
~ZEIT M ZELIHs<9
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A. Other, See Us.

Next-Door-N Neighbor lives betweel
the Mother of John and the Mother o
Mary.
She likes them and continues in tn,
friendship of them both because sh
never repeats what they say of eacl
other. ..
Il sometimes think that children ar,
not always a blessing" conhded th'
Mother of John to her one morning n
friendly after breakfast chat.
Remembering how utterly wrapped
up is the speaker in her john, Next
Door -Neighbor looked a wee bit sur
prised.
"I was thinking of Mary" went OF
the Mother of John. .'She has developed
into. such selfish girl. l don't believ,
she has an ounce of feeling in he
heart for any one but herself. Ane
the way she imposes on her mother /:
a shame! Everybody knows that they
can't afford to keep servant, and thai
the Mother OF Mary has never beer
Just well since that awful operation
she went through; everybody remem-
bers it except Mary.
Mary works in. downtown office
and hasn't a great deal OF time" eN'
cused Next-Door- -Neighbor.
And don't know that" exclaimed
the Mother of John, "but that isn't the
point Why does Mary work down
town? That's the question And the
answer is that she is a rattle-brained
al - rhr
hasn't an idea in her mind except
clothes, nor an ambition in her whole
makeup except the qualification of her
own inordinate craving for fnery and
pleasure.
IF she had gone TO work down town
in order 70 help her mother it would
be different, but she didn't. And she
earns just enough to buy her clothes and
keep her mother sewing, sewing, sew
ing for her all the time, until she is
just worn out with it all don't see
why Mary's father doesn't put his foot
down."
Next-Door- -Neighbor had enough of
the spirit of Christian charity TO tell
the Mother OF John that the day before
had been the birthday of Mary's mother
and that the girl in question had re-
membered to bring her home a box OF
beautiful sweet peas.
Better get down on her. knees and
scrub a floor or two for her," shifted
the Mother OF John, whereupon Next
Door-Neighbor saw that her efforts at
shielding the thoughtless eighteen-year-
old girl were quite in vain, and turned
the conversation into more pleasant
channels.
At Twilight.
The purple shadows of the summer
evening were gathering as Next-Door-
Neighbox sat down on her broad front
porch. her eyes travelling over the star
lit heavens as she opened her heart to
the vesper song of the silver-veined
maple leaves as they rustled in the
summer breeze, and swept the fret of
the day from the woman's soul.
John had swung down the lawn in
front of his mothers home an hour
ago. and, as Next-Door-Neighbor sat
listening to the myriad leaves and their
wonderful twilight song Mary left the
front porch on her other side.
When she was quite out of sight with
her escort her frail little mother came
over for a quiet hour on the cool sweet
porch OF Next-Door- -Neighbor.
Being the Mother of Mary the visitors
talk turned to the girl as naturally as
the wind stirred in the maple leaves.
She is doing so nicely down at her
Office" she told Next-Door- -Neighbor.
She was given a most encouraging pro
motion the other day Father and l
think it so plucky of her to work Now
many a girl would just sit down at
home and have no ambition at all. If
Mary did that she could not have many
Of the pretty things it is natural for
girls heart to crave, nor nearly so many
of the good times she does have"
Just then the Mother of John went
down her front steps and spoke to her
friends on her way down the street.
You know | feel mighty sorry for
her." the Mother of Mary told Next
Door-Neighbor, when the Mother of
John was out Of ear-shot ''She is SO
terribly lonely"
Yes" agreed Next-Door-Neighbcr,
"of course"
1T would not be 'of course if John
showed her the consideration he should"