The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-01-29
Il

For perhaps the first time in her
o~aSy-SoinS life Toms mother sat II
long afternoon in a rocking chair n
didn't rock. Her hands lay folded in
her lap. Her yes We're %absently tiXed
on the snowiiakcs swirlins through
the air. Her son. Tom. had told her
at noon that he was going to he mar
ricd very soon. His face was rcd and
he sulpcd his salad hastily, escaping
from her eyes as soon as possible. She
had smiled surreptitiously. lie was so
like his big. handsome, easily embar-
rasscd father. And then tho smile
qrivercd into II Sob Toms father had
lain for fifteen years in the long. mar
ROW bed where neither confusion nor
smiling ever penetrate.
But of course, your home is with
nc, mother" Tom had stuck his head
in from the hall to add. Don't YOU
ever forget it. We can Just so on liv-
ing here all together, can't wc?" Tho
last had boon more OF an appeal than
IL question.
of course" his mother declared.
out YOU
lie had gone off whistins. His Moth
err nihbled at her luncheon. then left
the table and told Martha that she
might clear h table. Martha looked
at her conccrncdly. She was IL pretty
little, girl whom Mrs. Hardy had
found at an employment Office three
Years ago. "pont you want your cof-
fec Sin" asked ~solicitously.
Mrs. Hardy drank it mechanically.
Lorena Holland. Ia whom Tom had
given his heart and most of his SAL
AIRY for three Years back, did not APP
prove of coffee. IA dcletcrious drink"
she had remarked in Toms mothers
hearing once at Il church social.
Mrs. kardv. sitting moti"nlcss in
her easy rocker, sighed. II would be
VIII" usc! the word "deletrrious," .and
then she rcprnached herself. There
IA no doubt hut that Tom was maxi
ing Il Wise choice. Lorcna was young.
scarcely twenty-thrcc. pretty in a Sc
date way. tolerahly rich-at least she
would be whom her father dicd--a
NasSar graduate. II social settlement
worker, IA leader nj church. Il leader
in the society of tn" small town, aud
noted as an excellent huusckecpcr.
My" groancd Toms mother as the
whirlinS SNOW graNcd tn" fading day
light into darkness and she rose.
I'll have to get right at closets and
pantritS.' She sighed as. she looked at
the dining room curtains. They were
cheap, gaudy things. She liked them.
but she knew pretty we'll that Iorcna
wouldn't. For Il omc she stood in
the hall. Perhaps she could live by
herself. But she couldn't. Her income
Was tiny. Tho insurance money had
all been expended "n Toms cduc,-
ton. Besides. it would break Toms
heart. She knew worry we'll that if sh"
so !n,ich as llintcd nj such n thin:: he
would abandon his " hope of hap
pincss and remain single. Tom was
that sort. lust like his father. And he
had Il right In love and MARRY where
he pleased. She would make the best
of it.
oh. dear" sighed TOMS mother.
II wish she WASH, SO excellent" She
went into the Kitchen. What you
making, Martha" Eaisin pudding" I'll
whip The crcam."
She whipped it. sometimes licrtrly,
with II haste of movement that spat-
tered it over tho white o~ilclotlled Ia
hle. sometimes So slowly and l~isticss-
lN that Martha eyed her wonderinyly.
Didn't she know that cream didn't
respond we'll tn erratic whipping"