Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1917-11-08

"Why don't you say it right out
then, Tom--that you love her better
than you do me?" Nell had saved this
thrust for the climax of their little
breakfast table spat that morning.
There were no tears in her eyes nor
tremors In her voice, but her pulse was
running high and her cheeks were
sfiame.
Nell, it isn't fair to say things Ike
that. or course / don't love her bet
ter. / love her in an entirely different
way. And the whole point is that in
yited her here for Thanksgiving way
last Fourth Of July, and if | didn't
have her she would be disappointed 1t
isn't that 1t would make any special
difference to me personally"
"But If you didn't tell me you had
invited her, how was l to know? Ii
you had told me you had invited your
mother"
II don't see why you always call her
my mother. Why don't you call her
mother the way Dot does Ted's
mother? You act as If she was no
relation to you, and, to her face, you
called her Mrs. Bradford the last time
she was here
"But she isn't my mother and l just
can't say mother to her"
"She is your mother" snapped Tom.
"Oh, l don't see how you can say SO
Mt ALL Mamma is my mother and 1t
would be just dreadful TO call your
mother, mother
"But you needn't call her Mrs. Brad
ford"
"Well, what shall l call her, then?
You don't call my mother anything.
You just say you when you talk to
her." Then, after sob, tom, / think
It is just shameful for US to be scrap
ping this way about our mothers"
"But how are we going to settle 1t
If we don't talk 1t over? You want
your mother to come for Thanksgiving
and I want mine"
"And, of course, we couldn't have
them together" put in Nell, and, as
Tom muttered an "of course not" she
added with mock cheerfulnesS and
smile that was only lip deep: "At least
we agree on one thing 1t would be too
much to ask them to come together.
They haven't an interest in common
and they would be perfectly miserable.
Tom if you have aNS good reason why
your mother should come instead of
mine I'd really like to hear it."
an the first place, she's lot older"
began Tom.
"Oh Tom. how can you say that.
Perhaps she IS in years.. but my poor
mamma isn't as strong as yours is"
Tom snorted. "Fraii, and weighs
more than I do"
"Tom, how can you be so horridY'
well, suppose the only thing to DO
is TO draw lots about It," said Tom.
"You know, before l was married, /
thought maybe 1t was going to be 40
/ could make a home for mother here
with us, and now don't even feel free
to invite her here for Thanksgiving"
az am sure I don't see why you
should have your mother here any
L
"And, of course, we couldn't have
them BOTH
"Oh, of course not. They would never
hit 1t off"
And wisely, as they thought, the
Bradfords stopped here on the one
point on which they agreed and with
something Of an armlstice, Tom Brad
ford went to his office.
No, there was nothing at all. in the
common acceptance of the word, con-
genial about Mrs. Bradford, ST., and
Mrs. Cole. Mrs. Bradford, at sixty
since her children had grown up and
made families for themselves, had
grown so used to playing the role Of
"old lady" that, IN spite Of her active
body and nimble mind, she felt that
her proper sphere in life ought to be
In the inglenook Of some sons or
daughters fireplace, her task that Of
mending other peoples chlldren's
stockings or putting patches on their
outworn clothes and her proper head
gear a sheer white muslin cap, topped
with ribbons of faded lavender color.
Yet, at heart, Mrs. Bradford was stu
the ACTIVE, energetic woman she had
been when, during the lifetime of Ma
1or Bradford, she had led social actisi-
ties in thriving army posts and,
through her tact and more than ordi-
nary discretion had held her place as
social arbiter and leader.
Mrs. Cole was Of the housewifeiy
type. She was more interested in
ketchup and mustard pickles than din
ner parties and after-dinner small talk.
At siXty-odd she was better able than
ever to do Just what she had to do all
her mature yearS-to keep a family of
Youngsters in health and happiness on
the maximum income. Her husband
mad been a small professor in q small
town, and experience had made her ex-
pert In the art of thrifty housewifery.
And Just when she felt herself most
able, she found herself dlspossessed
or her lie job and life interest She.
100, felt the fitness of the lavender
bowed white muslin cap of old-woman-
hood.
50 you see, the mothers Of the Tom
braafordS, were distinctly different