Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1916-10-06
WITH MOTHER AWAY
BY LOUISE OLIVER.


on the other were Philip, Margery
and Bob. This story is about Mar
gerry.
Papa Kingsley carved the steak.
Said he, putting a large helping OF
gravy into Bobs mashed potatoes,
Mamma, how would you like to take
q vacation"
ga vacation, John! Are you in
earnestT
Certainly I am. You haven't had
real one in ten years nor have 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 sayE
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 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 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"
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
an ultimatum, the family had to abide
by it. And mother went!
To 90 back a little, David Winter
was recently from Cambridge, a Har-
ward graduate and already holding a
responsible position with an eastern
irm of engineering contractors. lie
vas very different from the native
; roduct of Harwich and, needless to
ay. lie had achieved an amazing de-
cree of popularity.
David had been attentive to Margery
rom the frst-also to Priscilla Hart,
who lived just over the way and was
: pretty and agreeable.
= Margery looked after the taNcao
, that was bearing her parents to the
: station with dismay.
| How was she to look her best now
- 1ny no
might take it into his mind to stop
, ! his roadster at the curb and run in
for a chat?
"Oh, mother, why did you go?" 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 l 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
even removing the unbecoming dust
cap she wore. II may as we'll get 1t
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 basketful Of darning, saw
him take Priscilla for drive.
Then she pitched in with 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. Il saw you from
the street." he said. Cant you
[ chuck that and come for driver"
NO" she answered, the blood sud-
denly flaming into her face.
whats wrong, Margery"
Nothing. l wish you'd CO."
Certainly, if you wish. I 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 We're 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 cool white dress,
brushed her hair back plainly and
slipped out to her bench among the
! roses.
Suddenly David was beside her.
May 1 tell you now?' he asked.
II know it," she whispered.
"What?"
'That you are engaged to Pris.
ella"
But I'm not. The Harris have been
very kind to me, but 1 never thought