Putnam patriot., 1915-07-02

But Emma McChesney looked mex orable, as women do just before they relent Said she: "Oh, don't know. By the time I get through trying to convince a bunch of customers that T. A Bucks featherlcom petticoat has every other skirt in the market look ing like a piece of Fourth of July bunting that's been left out in tho rain. I'm about ready to turn down the spread and leave a call for six thirty"
 Be a good fellow pleaded the un- quenohable one. Let's take in all the nickel shows. and then see if we can't drown our sorrow in-er-7
 Emma MeChasney slipped a coin un- der her plate, erumpled her naakin. folded her arms on the table, and re- garded the boy across the way with what our best talent calls a long. level look It was SO long and so level that even the ariness of the buoyant young ster at whom it was directed began to lessen perceptibly, long before Emma began 10 talk
 Tell me. young 'Un. did any ono ever refuse you anything2 l thought not. l should think that when you realize what you've got to learn it would scare you 10 look ahead don't expect you to believe me when l tell you I never talk to fresh guys like you. but it's true l don't know why I'm breaking my rule for you. un- less it's because you're so unbeliev- ably good looking that I'm anxious to know where the blemish is. The Lord don't make 'em perfect, you know. I'm strong. white hands behind her head and stared straight ahead into the soft darkness. And if it had been light you could have seen that the bitter lines showing faintly about her mouth were outweighed by the sweet and gracious light which was glowing in her eyes
 "Fred-dee!" came the voice of com mand again "May-belle! This min ute. nowi"
 One by one the flying little figures under the arc light melted away in the direction of the commanding voice and home and bed. And Emma MeChes- ney forgot all about fresh young kids and featherloom peticoats and dis counts and bills of lading and sample cases and grouchy buyers After all. it had been her protecting maternal in- stinct which had been aroused by the boy at supper although she had not known it then. She did not know it now, for that matter. She was busy remembering just such evenings in her own Midsummer evenings, filled with the high, shrill laughter of children at play. She, too, had stood in the door way, making a funnel of her hands, so that her clear call through the twi- light might be heard above the cries of the boys and girls. She had known how loath the little feet had been to leave their play, and how they had Jagged up the porch stairs. and into the house. Years, whose memory she had tried to keep behind her, now sud- denly loomed before her in the dim quiet of the little flower-scented park.
 voice broke the silence, and sent her dream-thoughts scattering to the winds.
 Honestly. kid" said the voice, T could be crazy about you, if you'd let me"
 The forgotten figure beside her woke Into sudden lite. A strong arm en- eireled her shoulders. A strong hand seized her own, which were elasped behind her head. Two warm, eager lips were pressed upon her lips, check ing the little cry of surprise and wrath that rose in her throat
 Emma MeChesney wrenehed herself free with violent jerk and pushed him from her. She did not storm. She did not even rise. She sat very quiet ly, breathing fast. When she turned at last to look at the boy beside her it seemed that her white profile cut the darkness. The man shrank a lit tie, and would have stammered some thing, but Emma McChesney checked him.
 You nasty. good-for-nothing, hand some young devil, you!" she said. So you're married"
 He sat up with a jerk How did you-what makes you think so?"
 That was a married kiss-a two year-old married kiss, at least. No boy would get as excited as that about kissing an old stager like me. The chances are you're out of practice. I knew that if it wasn't teeth or impedi- ment it must be morals. And 1t is.'
 She moved over on the bench until she was close beside him. And, lis ten to me, boy" She leaned forward, impressively. Are you listening?"
 "Yes," answered the handsome young devil sullenly.
 What I've got to say to you isn't so much for you sake, as for your wifes. l was married when l was eighteen, and stayed married eight years. I've had my divorce ten years, and my boy is seventeen years old. Figure it out How old is Ann?"
 T don't believe it." he flashed back. You're not a day over twenty-six- anyway, you don't look it l-"
 Thanks" drawled Emma. That's because you're never seen me in negli- gee. A woman's as old as she looks with her hair on the dresser and bed only a few minutes away. Do you know why I was decent to you in the first place? Because l was foolish enough to think that you reminded me of my own kid Every fond mamma is gump enough to think that every Greek god she sees looks like her own