The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-20
SIDE TALK S
lever Another Cross Word.
BY RUTH CAMERON.


The girl in the easy chair laid down
her book the clock struck eight,
and looked up at it, frowning.
Where can mother be-" she was
thinking. 'She said she was coming
home early tonight because she was
tired, and here it is 8 o'clock and she's
usually home by half past seven. L
should think sister would know bet
ter than to keep her so latei''
With a final frown she went back
to her book. Ten minutes later she
threw it down, restlessly.
She went TO the telephone. Her
line was busy.
She went back to her book. prom
Using herself to read two pages before
she tried again.
This time her own line was vacant
and she gave the number in that tone
of suppressed impotence which we
all use so often and which must add
to the nervous strain upon the oper-
ator. A moment of waiting, then
THE line is busy
She slammed on the receiver ana
went back to read two more pages
stopping at intervals when she
thought she heard footsteps. The
third time never fails. Her call ent
thru and her sisters voice came on
the line. Where's mother? Why,
there yet? Well, she's probably been
delayed. You know what those cars
are,"
The Girl went back to her book
after an anxious glance at the clock
Quarter of nine. Mother had never
ard had been taken to a hospital I'M
conscious and nobody knew who she
was,
The doorbell rang. The Girl
rushed to the door. 1t was the tail
or's boy with her fathers suit.
Surely something must have hap
pened Ought she to telephone the
newspaper or the police station? Poor
little mother! She did altogether too
much Why hadn't they been more
careful of her?
Ready to scream with nervousness,
the Girl took up her book again. Th'-
first thing her eyes fell upon was a
quotation from Carlyle: IF you have
brothers. sisters a father. mother.
weigh earnestly what claim does lie
upon you in behalf of each. and con-
slider it as the one thing needful. to
paw them more and more honestly
and nobly what you owe" The para
graph sprang out at the Girl accus-
ingly A sick feeling came at her
heart. How had she paid these claims.
especially to her mother?
Instead of waiting on her mother.
how often she had let herself be wait
ed upon. And how often when she
came home from work had she vented
the days pent-up irritation in burst
of i'll temper at the accomplishing
little mother-the one she loved best
in the world and treated the worst.
Why hadn't she done more for her.
taken her about more. brought her
more little gifts2 oh, if only mother
were all right she would never speak
another cross word, she would
The door bell. This time it was
mother. She came in smiling. A ma
chine was whirring away from the
door All this worry for nothing, 1t
was too bad, 1t had tired her all out.
where have you been, mother?" she
asked. sharply.
The smile died away. why. I met
the Rogers on the way to the car ana
they offered to bring me home she
explained, hurriedly.
But all this t!me?''
They stopped to take me in to see
Aunt Sue"
You might have telephoned.
Aunt Sue hasn't any telephone"
You might have found some way
to let me know"
why, I'm sorry, dear" said the
little mother with an anxious sigh.
The smile was quite gone now. Sh7
looked frightened. Queer that mothers
never get used to being scolded when
! they get go much of it.
But not any queerer than some other
things I'll leave you to guess what.
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