The Press., 1918-02-28

women whose children have married each other. At any rate Mrs. Bradford did approach Mrs. Colo with an air of comaraderie and two hours later Mrs. Cole and Mrs. Bradford, both looking particularly debonaire, were sippin"i tea together-not in the inglenook of either ones fireside hut in a very fash ionahle and not at all sedate hotel where the orchestra alternately mur-. mured tho latest waltz or whanged out the most extreme of one-stens. 1,
 They talked long and understanding ly, and when they came to leave at the portal of the hotel, Mrs. Cole held out her capable, plump hand of the house, wife to Mrs. Bradford's, that was slen-' der and hlemlshless.
 "WeIl, good-by. Genevieve," she said. albeit with little tug at that last unaccustomed word.
 "So long, Georgiana." replied Mrs. Bradford, with firm pressure of the hand. "'The kiddies will know all in, the morning."
 The next morning the kiddtes-TOm and Nell Bradford-recelved letters from their mothers and each one wait ed for privacy to read the letter.
 This was the one from Mrs. Cole that Nell took from the folds of her bodice and read as soon as Tom had gone ofIiceward.
 "Dear Nell:
 "What dears you and Tom were to invite me for Thanksgiving, and. if I hadn't made other plans, l should most surely have come. But l have some precious, important business on foot and I must attend to it. Mrs. Bradford and l have seen a good deal of each other lately, and we have little enter prise on foot that will take up most of our time, so we have decided to run down to one of the resorts for Thanks giving day and make the last arrange ments. I've always wanted to get out and do something for myself, and now that you children are all settled in life I'm having the chance. Mrs. Bradford is writing to tell you the details of the enterprise and we shall soon have our prospectuses ready to send you a more detailed account of our undertaking. I am feeling splendidly. Don't worry about me, and take good care of your self. ] must close now, as I have a date with the tailor and another with the hairdresser. I'm having my hair done in the French roll, which think makes me look lot Spryer than part ed"
 The letter that Tom opened in the sanctum of his office was longer. for Mrs Bradford was of a more literary bent than Mrs. Cole. It told of the venture in full. She and Mrs. Cole. who had been seeing a good deal of each other of late, had gone into partner ship. They had decided to open a girls bosrding school. 'Georgiana Is such a splendid housewife and know so many people whose children We could get that all we need is the teachers and, as one can always get inexperi- enced young persons at reasonable rates to do the teaching. there will be no trouble on that score.
 And. by the way" remarked this mother, you were very foolish to apologize for not asking me to come for Thanksgiving. As 1t happens, Georgiana and are going off to the seashore. so I couldn't have come any way.
 "Thank Nell for her kind little let ter, too. And, Tom, do, for mercy sakes, tell her not to call me Mother know 1t must be hard, for am really not her mother, and I won't he any One'S mOther-in-law Tell her to call me Genevieve."