The Glenwood post., 1916-12-02
WITH MOTHER AWAY
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

Mary and the twins on one side ana
on the other We're Philip, Margery
and Bob. This story is about Mar
gerry.
Papa Kingsley carved the steak.
Said he putting large helping OF
gravy into Bob's mashed potatoes,
Mamma, how would you like to take
a vacation?"
"a vacation, John! Are you in
earnest?"
Certainly l am. You haven't had
a real one in ten years nor nave l.
Grenoline has declared so per cent
dividend-got my check today-and 1t
just happens I've got things at the
office in pretty good shape to leave
for three or four weeks. What say"
But" here interposed Margery in
CONSERVATION, show can we get along?
We can't manage without mother"
Cant? How old are you, Mar
gery?"
Twenty"
"Then l just guess you can manage
without mother. When you get mar
ried you'll have to manage without
her."
"But-but that's different" And
she added Indignantly to herself:
"And if mother goes away I never,
never will get married, for so much
depends now on her being here. If l
have to pitch in now and work, David
Winter will never look at me again."
rnaIu Pm Upnp
to run off with you day after tomor-
row for four weeks. Margery can
take your place"
And as usual, when father uttered
an ultimatum, the family had to abide
by it. And mother went!
To go back a little, David Winter
was recently from Cambridge, Har-
ward graduate and already holding
responsible position with an eastern
firm of engineering contractors. lie
was very different from the native
product of Harwich and, needless to
say, he had achieved an amazing de-
gree of popularity.
David had been attentive to Margery
from the first-also to Priscilla Hart,
who lived just over the way and was
pretty and agreeable.
Margery looked after the taXicab
that was bearing her parents to the
station with dismay.
How was she to look her best now
ut any hour of the day that David
| might take it into his mind to stop
his roadster at the curb and run in
for n chat?
"Oh, mother, why did you go7" Mar
gerry half sobbed.
Then suddenly the house seemed
empty, deSolate and barren without
the one on whom they all depended,
and she realized that she was lonely
and ashamed. I'll do the best | can,
mother. You did look tired today"
she insisted bravcly.
And so the next morning found Mar
gerry in her working regalia.
| David rang the bell ut ten and Mar
gerry, seeing him from n window, an
swered his ring in person, without
| even removing the unbecoming dust
| cap she wore. Il may us well get it
over she thought.
David was too well bred to show
his astonishment. But she had known
that. She also OWNED that he would
take an early leave. He did.
That afternoon, Margery, weary and
pale over baslsetful of darning, saw
him take Priscilla for drive.
Then she pitched in with n ven
geance and worked to forget. She re-
solved to have the house spotless
when her mother returned.
David came twice in the evening,
but she was too tired to talk to him.
Parties she had given up. Then one
humiliating day when Mrs. Doyle
couldn't come she and Ellen had
tackled the washing by themselves.
She was out in the yard hanging
towels when David came around the
corner of the house. II saw you from
the street" he said. Cant you
chuck that and come for drive?"
NO. she answered, the blood sud
denly flaming into her face.
"What's wrong MargeryT'
| Nothing. l wish you'd co.
Certainly, if you wish. l wanted
to tell you something, though
He lifted his hat and turned away
Margery rushed to her room and
sobbed her heart out on her bed, and
when the phone rang and Mary Por.
ter told her eXcitedly that she had
just heard that David Winter and
Priscilla were engaged, her heart
skipped two beats, but she managed
to answer honestly enough that she
wasn't surprised. .lr..u.. ..I.
That night, the twins bathed and
asleep, Bob, Mary and Philip tucked
in and Ellen out with her beau, Mar
gerry put on cool white dress
brushed her hair back plainly and
slipped out to her bench among the
roses