The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-24
The Euening Story
Full Blown,
(By Anne Page.)

eff a man and woman have been
married thirty years and managed to
: live on such terms as to prevent Cos
sip regarding their relations, it does
seem a pity to me that something
can arise at that time in their lives
to make them separate
Ma" Watson made the statement
as solemnly as if she were repeat
ing her creed in church. The couple
of whom she spoke were her next door
neighbors and intimate friends. Sud
| denly they had separated; he to go to
| town to live, she to her daughters
| house. For the pair had a married
| infant grandson.
Nobody seemed to have an idea
of what the trouble was; every one
in the community wanted to know,
for Mr.. and Mrs Selfton had been
popular in the little social circle for
years. Now that conversation re-
it did seem as if perhaps the couple
IN question had not seemed to be
on such friendly terms with each 9TH
er since their daughter married.
| Maybe they just kept peace-or
semblance Of it-until Leila was mar
ried," suggested one neighbor.
"Mebbe So" nodded Pa Watson.
"Mebbe SO. But it's certainly awful.
| of a gettin' divorce as we would
think O. tryin' to enlist in the army
for the war
The beautiful home of the Sections
was for rent and summer vacation
lists were looking at it every day with
a prospect of renting it.
'-Oh, it's shame" Ma Watson said
a dozen times a day when she saw
the overgrown garden, the empty
chairs on the veranda. And we been
| neighbors for seventeen years. l have
to pinch myself every now and then
to see that I'm not dreaming.
Leila looked to for oXDlana
ton, but the girl could-or would
give none. 1T was as much of
surprise to me as to any one," she
would say to all friends who seemed
anxious to get at the truth. And she
looked as if she meant what she told
them.
her grandson's waking hours with
him. She took him out into the
parks; she sewed for him and romped
and played with him as if she had
smile she always wore was the smile
of her forefathers which makes all
troubles from the world. Only the
tightly drawn lips smiled; in her
heart she was sad and lonely in spite
of the beautiful baby of her only
daughter.
Mother and daughter had never dis
cussed the separation since the first
day that Mrs. Seton came there; and
then the explanation had been brief.
Leila knew nothing. But she was
loyal, loving daughter, and she knew
that whatever had been the trouble
her mother could have done no great
wrong.
You are utterly spelling Peter and
me- Leila said to her mother one
day when she had returned from an
afternoon spent under the trees with
Peter.
II must spoil some one, DEAR"
the mother answered. "A woman
can't spoil and pet human being for
thirtV and then find herself
empty-handed of anything to indulge.
You're young, and may not under
stand how long thirty years is, daugh-
ter"
Perhaps not, mother" said Leila.
''And don't think I'm seriously object
ing to the spelling. love it. It's won
derful to have you with us-even Ned
says so, and that's concession from a
son-in-1aw, isn't it %
Il suppose so,'' Mrs. Seton said,
absentIy. Her mind was far away,
back to the days when her own little
daughter was in arms as was Peter
now. She had had no mother to help
her take care of her infant; she had
had no modern conveniences; she had
had to work hard from morning till
night and take care of little Leila
when she herself was scarcely more
than a girl. For Mr.. and Mrs. Seton
had begun their married life with very
little of the worlds goods. Even now
they had not acquired much, but it
was all they had wanted; more than
enough to make them comfortab BILE.
Leila had sensed her mothers
loneliness for some weeks, though this
was the first time she had ever given
utterance to a word that would lead
anyone to think that she missed her
partner.
That night Leila and Ned talked
until far into the night. They We're
planning a ruse by which they could
get their baby's grandparents together.
For, once together again, I'm sure
they could not bear to separate" Leila
had said. Mother may have a little
too much Bruce stubbornness in her
downright obstinate. I honestly think
they Quarreled over some trivial mat
ter, and having nothing else to think
about and very little to do the quarrel
became serious and neither one would
give in
1T can't be anything else, dear. It
will come out all right feel it, com
forted Ned.
Leila was in touch with her father,
and on the following day she spoke
with him on the telephone. Hello,
daddy" she said. Mothers out to-
night and we-Ned and Thought
perhaps you'd like to come and see
US and Peter"
She waited for a few minutes for
the answer, but when it came it was
satisfactory, for she promptly te1e-
phoned to her husband that she would
join him for dinner, and that they
would spend the evening at the thea
ter on or a roof garden.
Peter will never go to sleep for
mother, Ned, and he'll be wide awake
in her arms when daddy arrives.
told Jane to admit my father without