The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1916-09-29
WITH MOTHER Away
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

IOUU NlukSlCyS AoS4CAAJ WA~ S~se-
sat at one end Of the long table ;
| Sophia Kingsley, motherly and COM
petent. at the other. In between were
Mary and the twins on one side and
on the other were Philip, Margery
and Bob. This story Is about Mar
gerry.
Papa Kingsley carved the steak.
| Said he, putting q large helping OF
gravy into Bob's mashed potatoes.
"Mamma, how would you like to take
q vacation?"
"A vacation, joint Are you in
earnest?"
Certainly l am. You haven't had
q real one in ten years nor have l.
| Grenoline has declared a 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 i%nterposed Margery In
CONSERVATION, "how car we get along7
| We can't manage without mother"
"Can't7 How old are you, Mar.
gery?"
Twenty"
"Then 1 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 l never,
never will get married, for so much
depends now on her being here. If I
have to pitch in now and work, David
| Winter will never look at me again."
"Mamma, you get ready. I'm going
to run off with you day after tomor-
row for four weeks. Margery can
take your place."
And as usual, when father uttered
IN ultimatum, the family had to abide
by 1t. And mother went!
To go back a little, David Winter
was recently from Cambridge, a Har-
yard graduate and already holding a
responsible position with an eastern
arm Of engineering contractors. He
was very different from the native
product of Harwich and, needless to
say, he had achieved ar amazing de-
gree Of popularity.
David had been attentive to Margery
from the frst-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
at any hour of the day that David
might take it into his mind to stop
his roadster at the curb and run in
for q chat?
"Oh, mother, why did you goY" Mar
gery 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 1 can,
mother. You did look tired today"
she insisted bravely.
And so the next morning found Mar.
gerry in her working regalia.
David rang the bell at ten and Mar
gerry, seeing him from q window, an
swered his ring In person, without
ever removing the u%nbecoming dust
cap she wore. II may as we'll get it
over" she thought.
David was too we'll bred to show
his establishment. But she had known
that. She also OWNED that he would
take an early leave. He did.
That afternoon, Margery, weary and
pale over a basketful of darning, saw
him take Priscilla for a drive.
Then she pitched in with a rem
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 n
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
Thu K that and come for a driver"
NO." she answered. the blood sud-
denly flaming into her face.
"What's wrong, Margery"
"Nothing. I wish you'd 60"
"Certainly, IL you wish. I wanted
to tell you something, though"
He lifted his hat and turned away.
hargery rushed to her room and
s0bbed 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.
That night, the twins bathed and.
asleep, Bob, Mary and Philip tucked
In and Ellen out with her beau, Mar
gerry put on a cool white dress,
brushed her hair back plainly and
slipped out to her bench among the
roses.
Suddenly David was beside her.
sNay I tell you now7" he asked.
HT knnw IT," she whianered.