El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-04-24


through the vista Of years TO a time
when she had stood by another grave
the grave Of her boys father She
had then had her two boys 10 live for.
I What had she now2 Did she ever
feel home sick for the unchanEing
Homer
Something in the service brought
/ this question TO my mind, and my
! conscience smote me when remem-
/ bered what a solitary woman this
/ widowed mother--in-law Of mine was.
I As we turned from the grave I
] pressed Jacks arm
ASK your mother TO ride home
with US" I whispered.
He needed no second bidding. but
I lctt my side long enough to stop his
mother on her way TO the carriage
/ watched the light of tenderness
creep into her eyes as she saw her son
approaching How dearly she iOved
him,
Yet as I took a few steps forward
70 Join Jack, i heard her say softly.
Darling son, YOU should not leave
Louise alone, even TO speak 10 me-"
He asked her TO come into our car
mage, but before could speak she
had declined.
ooh, no." she murmured hastily.
4 think i would best so back home
as I came"
Please do not" I exclaimed as I
reached her side. i asked Jack 10
tell you TO come home with US"
Ihank you. dear" she rejOined. In
that case j viii gladly accept"
knew she would not have changed
her mind had not added my persua-
sions TO Jacks. She was so deferen-
appear selfish.
] drew my veil over my face and
talked little on the way home. The
generous impulse that had moved me
TO pity for Mrs. Hampton was al
ready stifled as reverted 10 my own
sorrow.
Ny husband and his mother talked
OF various persons who had been at
the funeral serTices-oid friends Of
theirs whom I knew but slightly. The
tones were very low, so that need
not be disturbed unless ] wished TO
heed what was said. I told myself
that was lonely, an outsider; that
Jack and his mother had interests in
common; that neither of them was
thinking OF my desOlation-
An -InErOWinE Mind
recently / heard man speak OF
someone who had 'an ingroWinE
mind Looking back, I can see that
that was the kind OF mind I had in
those adays-that ] thought only Of
myself and OF my own peculiar needs
to the exclusion Of others and their
wishes. Yet at that time it did seem
odd to me that my mother-in-law
should chat as casually as if my heart
were not aching cruelty.
When we reached our door. and 3
Jack proposed that she come in she Z
accepted This surprised me, beca use [
I fancied that her tact would move her
to 80 home and leave my husband and 4
myself alone together. As we went 4
up in the elevator, she made some low
voiced remark to Jack I wond erred !
what II was, then decided that I did I
not care
Jack put his arm about me as we
entered our apartment, and led me 4
right to my room 1 had taken off 4
my wraps when Mrs. Hampton fol-
Owed US, bringing Baby Lou with
Baby is going 10 lie down here by
Mother and comfort her" she said I
ioothingly. Aren't you. Baby deargr
Baby Lou nodded her curly head
.Ess." she usped. Lie down by
it was not until was lying on 1ny
lwn bed and my little girl nesting
lose 70 ne, with her arms about my
ieck- that I appreciated that no other
.arthly creature could have conferred
ne as this tiny child did.
Mothers Idea.
Her chubby hand patted my face,
md every few minutes she kissed me
oftly. then laid her head again on
he pillow close to mine.
Later when 7 had had a nap and
ny nerves were uuieter. I spoke 20
lack OF what NY little one had done
or me-
Nobody but a woman could under
tand how having Lou alone with me /
omforted me and made me feel that I
lie is. after all. rich and full. I said.
Nobody but a mother would have /
having Baby brought u YOU
Ike that" my husband rejoinad soft
=. 1T was Mothers idea She pro
osed II TO me on our way MP in the
levator. She went into the living
DOM where Baby was playing. ard
old the child you were tired and that
he-LOu-must pet you and Put YOU
o sleeE. It was a lOve.v bought
Yes 7 unused, It was a lovely thought {
nd very kind OF Mrs. HAMPTON 10 Z S
AIRY IL out. Then why did I have a + J
light twinge of disappointment as ]
that what had -omforted nc Z
lost was something OF my mother S
l-laW's planning2
To Be COntinue.Il {