The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-06-10
THE CATHOLIC BULLETIN, JUNE 10, 1916.

lshe don't. s'pose we'll have whatever
we can find In the pantry, and Aunt
Sarah 'ul eat all the crusts in the
bread box cause we're all SO bad
Maryann laughed.
why don't you ask me home to
dinner with you. Jack? Maybe could
help find something to eat-I'm quite
a cook, you know; and for some
strange reason Aunt Sarah has always
been quite fond Of me-"
Jack SO far forgot his grievance as
to dance delightedly up and down.
You bet I'll ask you!" he cried. "If
you'll only come"
! The Westbrook family, exclusive Of
the visitor, numbered FIVE. Their
parents were dead and the task of
keeping the family together had fallen
upon Henry, the oldest son, who had
also taken charge of his fathers bust
ness. Besides Henry. there were the
girls, well-meaning but rattle-brained
lasses of high-school age; Tom, boy
just old enough to be unmanageable,
land brown-eyed Jack, the baby.
Maryann wondered, as she walked
down the street by the side of the
disheyelled wrestler, why she had
neglected them for SO long time
She wondered the more when she
had reached the house. Signs of the
careless household regime of the
| Westbrooks were everywhere. The
front rooms were strewn with tennis
rackets, golf sticks, and articles of
wearing apparel The kitchen, dining
room and pantries bore evidence of
the hurried hand OLA maid who knew
no supervision. She felt, suddenly, a
sympathetic understanding of the
causes that drove Tom to the pool
hall and little Jack out on the streets
to play with any companion that might
come his way. She thought of Henry,
coming to that. disordered house at
the close of a hard day at the office,
of the girls, whose untutored efforts to
keep house were both laughable and
pathetic, and whose need of mother
aor an older sister had never been
greater-and with mingled wrath and
amusement, she thought of Miss Sarah
| Westbrook, whose presence, she knew,
must be rather an added burden than
a help. She had, she decided, done
we'll to come. Here, indeed, was an
afternoons work even more effective
than the making of jellies.
| When, at six o'clock, Josephine
burst breathlessly, into the kitchen,
she found palatable dinner cooking
on the range, and Maryann Donnelly,
whom she secretly idolized, bending
above the stove with her sleeves
rolled up to her elbows and her cheeks
pink with heat and excitement.
Jack invited me home to dinner
said Maryann, "and ] thought I'd see
what could find for the occasion.
I've been having loads of fun
You dear thing gushed Josephine,
L had just been wondering what in
the world could find for them to eat. :
Maryann, who had been secretly
worried over the reception of her
kindly offices, smiled in blessed re.
lief.
Together the two girls finished the
preparations for dinner, and, at Jose
phines suggestion, wrought, some
semblance of order in the house. Then
they sat, with Jack, on the porch to
await the arrival of the rest of the
| family.
One by one, the other members
struggled in. Henry, quiet, grave
young man, some five or six years
| Maryann's senior, came first Mary.
ann noticed that his face lost some.
thing of it's careworn look when he
saw the changed appearance of the
house and beheld his small brother
scrupulously washed and brushed
contentedly reading book on his own
front porch He greeted the caller
with pleased surprise.
"Why, hello, Maryann! 1t seems
mighty good to see you here! | hope
you've come to make us real visit"
Jack brought me home for dinner
Maryann explained, and Josephine
added, Yes, but now that you are
here, you're going to stay all night,
you know
Mary, returning from the picnic,
seconded her sisters invitation, and
Aunt Sarah, descending upon the an
nouncement of dinner, prayer-book in
hand, greeted Maryann warmly and
expressed polite hope that she
would remain for the night, and ac-
company her to Mass in the morning.
Jack, who had brought home the
decidedly popular Miss Donnelly, was
the hero of the hour.
Tom was the latest arrival. He
came home after the others had grown
tired of waiting for him and were
halfway through dinner, and sank into
his place with the hang-dog air of a
boy who knows himself to be in dis
grace. Maryann tactfully led the con-.
versation into remote channels, and
the reprimands that had been trem-