The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-07-03
BILLS MOTHER
BY ALICIA RAMN.

1 have dreaded SO to tell you--thI
secret is that am not Margaret Bar
chester am just Orphan Maggie"
Tho girl sat very erect among th'
cushions OF the window seat in the sur
parlor Of Eagles Nest. the newly-buiI
abode OF Mr.. Barchester, head of ths
gigantic business corporation OF whicf
Bill Pogue was proud TO be considered
one OF the promising younger mem
bere.
That's why / didn't want to say
that would marry you; because you
couldn't marry me, of course when
you knew that l was just an orphan
The Barchesters adopted me.
"Bill, please don't hate me for being
ashamed of it, for 1t wasn't quite that.
But Mr.. and Mrs Barchester have been
SO good to me, and they made me
promise never to tell anyone that ]
was not their truly really daughter.
When you began to come to see me
and when you told me that you want
ed me to marry you / knew that
Daddy Rarchester wanted me to like
you. For he is very proud OF you, Biu,
and always calls you his boy.
"Oh, have tried so hard to tell
you, Bill, but just couldn't. BILL your
mother would hate me If she thought
! had made you think was really and
truly Mr.. Barchester's daughter"
For the first time, Margaret paused
in her talk, but Bhi forgot all the com.
forting and reassuring things he had
intended to say.
She held out two imploring hands
and, now that her little speech was
over, her eyes we're filed with the
tears that she had been keeping back
so bravely.
But Bill did not yield to the tempta
ton to comfort her.
I'm glad you have told me, Mar
garet. or course, it was the only
thing to do" he said, still avoiding
her entreating eyes. 'Tm glad, too, ia
know your reason for not giving me
your answer" He paused again as If
thinking deeply and then TUNED and
faced the girl, watch in hand. His
voice was entirely changed when he
said, We'll, let's start now for that
Compromised visit to my old home
It's in the other end of town"
Once or twice az Bills car bore them
swiftly onward, Margaret tried to get
back to the question uppermost in hel
mind. Why didn't he tell her that the
fact OF her humble origin made no
difference to him?
They moved less rapidly through the
outskirts OF the city, dropped down
through the crowded streets and on
beyond to the older section, where sag.
ging pavements and ill-kept green
squares proclaimed the neighborhood
to have outlived a once-fashionable
era.
At one such corner Bill signaled for
the car to stop.
Wen get out here and walk to the
house," he said.
Perhaps" she thought, "the street
where Bills mother lives is being re-
paved"
But In minute more she found this
conjecture to be wrong. 1t was an un.
usually large and imposing mansion,
out Of date and in not too good re
pair. to which Bill turned their steps
What q perfectly lovely old home"
she said as they neared the massive
black walnut entrance door. Secretly
she felt disappointed. II Bill had led
her to some simple little cottage or
axynv, SO, Hfrhfo Cq ofafro ~ a 1,sY~nhTo
fat she would have felt that the lit
tie Maggie she had confessed herself
to be would find warmer welcome.
ut is a fine old home, isn't it?" an
swered Bill, with evident satisfaction.
"And some twenty-five years ago it
was the scene Of great festivities.
Pretty good times still go on within its
walls"
Just then a stout, middle-aged won.
an came to the door.
"The mother, please" said Tom, and
then: "She expects us. Shall we go
straight to her study?"
He turned to the little room on the
right Of the imposing though meagerly
furnished hall and entered, unan
what was apparently HIS
study. Margaret first caught
the brilliance of the stand Of red ge-
raniums that stood in the sunlight of
The window to the south, then the i'm
preston of immaculate cleanliness and
then the little mother came toward
Them from her low rocking chair with
.wo outstretchsd hands. Margaret took
1ne and Bill the other.
$50 you have brought her!" smiled
he mother, with tone that gave
all the reinsurance she had
onged for. And then she found her
self seated cozIly in low rush-bot-
om chair at the mothers side and Bill
n another.
1T is a wonderful thing to me-" the
mother was saying in her kind voice
that not one boy who has left us
ind made good has been ashamed
when the time came. to bring the girl
le has chosen for his wife back to
he old home. And not one has been 9
lshamed to introduce me as his moth. Il
r." The old lady raused and laughed ..,
md then wiped tear from her kindly
Id eyes. "And some twenty OF them 81
Vnan 4 ~