The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-07-05

| WIS MISSING.
One day she crept In stealthily ant
encountered the young man on his
hands and knees scrubbng the kitchen
floor.
II thought you were business
woman he confronted her, standing
up with dripping hands and revealing
a ticking apron tied about his manly
young form You see, | thought all
these people We're business people,
didn't know they kept dropping in un.
eNpectedly.'
where Is Mrs. Gray?" said Terry,
trying 10 appear very calm, although
She had dreadful feeling that this
strange young man had spirited Mrs.
Gray away and was hiding his guilt
by continuing her work.
"Well, I'm as much Mrs. Gray as
any one Is" he said. "Whut difference
is 1t to you?' Then apologetlcally /:
pardon me, please, didn't mean
that-but YOU see, I've been doing this
for quite while and have never been
caught before. just couldn't see her
do it any more, We didn't want any
one to know much about u.s."
81 think when ! find Il strange man
in my apartment two days and see him
in the window another | have a right
to know all about it," said Terry, with
some asperity. And then somehow they
went into the little living room and.
seated there in one of Terry's COM
Portable chairs, he told her all about il.
you see, my father died just when
| was finishing high school. He left
hardly anything-he'd lost it all in n
Wall street panic just before he died.
Mother and he had set their hearts
on having me be lawyer and | had
too. OF course, wanted to quit school
and go TO work for her, but she
wouldn't let me. She wanted to see me
through college and law course. You
know how II used to be with women of
her generation - they just weren't
taught any money-making trade and
the only thing she could do that would
bring in enough money was to take
care of apartments like this. She could
attend TO the house at home first and
then come over here and do these
Well, she did that and l
worked after school. l couldn't endure
to see her do this, but / was bent on
law school, because | knew
hat then I'd be able to give her the
hings she deserved. This winter it
vas too much for me to see her doing
his work, yet this sort of work
brought in more than / could possibly
earn mt stray tutoring or any Of the
Usual things students do. So just did
Ter work for her whenever | had Il
'ew hours Off at law school. That way
bring in enough to keep us both going.
don't mind your finding out that l do
he sCrubbing, but she'd be heart
'roken. 1t is a funny pride she has
he wouldn't mind doing it herself, but
he couldn't endure to have me do
f."
Terry came over to the young man.
lc rose beside h"r. and she iaid two
mall hands on his arms. 81 think you
re the most splendid young man I
ave ever met, and your mother, I f.
now, is very proud of it. III never
ell anyone your secret. ana ! know /
ONE day you will win for your moth .
r all the things she deserves"
The next day Terry purposcly ar
anged to be home when the young .
lan - Bob Gray-came. i've got .
to ask you" she told him. I
I'm dreadfully lonely here, and don't /
Ike the idea Of living alone, anyway. ,
want you to let me have your mother /
ere with me-to be sort of mother
} me. She can potter around the
partment If she wants to, just the
'ay my own mother might, and what
hat will be worth to me. of course. she
ill have, and that will be as much as
ou need to get from the apartment
ending"
OF course, Bob Gray demonstrated,
first, but before a week had passed
Irs. Gray was installed as Terry's
adopted mother" and a real mother
Duld have been no more CongeniaI.
Bob had but n few months more to
)end at the law school, and the very
ny Of his graduation he told Terry
lat he loved her and begged her to
AIRY him.
II couldn't do this" he said, 'if It
eren't for what has happened. I
)uldn't ever hope to be your husbands
I weren't sure that l would succeed.
am sure, just as every man must be
Ire when he knows that the profess
on he has chosen is the right choice.
nd today l received word from the
I'm of Hewes & Tuttle that they
ould take me in as soon as l pass my
lr examinations next week at sal
" to start Of two thousand. I was
rtunate enough to have the help and
of one Of our best professors
Id the appointment came through
m. l am still unworthy Of you, Ter
=, but with something in the way Of
'ospects l have nerve enough to ask
w."
Terry took his outstretched hand in
,th Of hers and held it reassuringly.
Bob, I'm surer Of your success than
u are yourself. knew you'd succeed
hen I saw the way you scrubbed the
'Ors and kept at that drudgery to
We your mother"
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