Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-17
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
MABEL MAKES THINGS
RIGHT
BY PERL B. MEYER

MABEL carefully placed the dishes in
1'I the big, bright dishpan. Is further
| introduction necessary? Surely the dis
| cernlhg Will understand that Mabel was
mistress or the house, not maid.
Her gaze wandered often from her
TASK to the view framed by the long
window John had put in above the sink
ior this very purpose. And the view
| the garden-kitchen garden, of course
but so attractively arranged in neat
flowers that the eye could not help but
| reap JOY and qualification with every
casual glance--the low hedge and the
fruitful John-tilled fields beyond
In Mabels opinion, the whole view
was there for only cne purpose-to form
d fitting background for the broad Shout
dered figure of John. Shirt -sleeved with
arms comfortably crossed and support
| ing his fayorite briar in one hand, he
leaned against the granite gatepost and
thought things out.
As if che could read through tina t thick
mop OF hair into his head, she knew his
thoughts She also knew they had been
me same for weeks II he did not settle
| ms problem soon there would not be
match left in the house, with his eter-
| naiIy lighting and relighting that be-
| loved briar.
She watched him gravely. her hands
| hanging idly in the cooling water. He
! could never solve his problem alone For
a moment his figure was blurred before
~ at the unwelcome weaklings, and.
| diving one wet hand into her apron
| pocket after her handkerchief, wiped
| them hastily away.
So many evenings they had stood thus.
| she finishing her days tasks, he resting
az me gate, gazing across the level fields
| OF which they were so proud: With the
| coming of dusk. John would return to
the house and the lamp-lit circle which
| held her. Yet when they talked 1t was
never of the one thing that concerned
Mabel wiped her hands deliberately,
| still gazing fXedly from the window. She
| felt that the moment for her to act
had come. Leaving the dishes unwashed
down the path and halted. painting, at
Johns side
She felt his gaze resting on her; but
she could not lift her eyes. Staring
hard at the pipe in his hand, she sought
Nainly for speech. The tumultuous
thoughts that had flooded her mind SO
recently had ebbed as completely as If
they had never been. At length:
John, your pipes gone out aga in
amused tone, is that what you ran
all the way from the house to tell me?'
Angry with herself that she should
he so Cowardly. torn by emotions she
could not express, Mabel hid tear-wet
face against her husbands sunburnt
arm.
John was the incest man; so patient
with her tears Gently he disengaged
his free arm and patted her brown head
with his CallouSed hand.
out with it, grille he said encour-
aglngly.
Mabel raised her head and smiled into
his eyes. Then she plunged into the
very heart of her subject.
you can enlist, John"
Her husbands face expressed mingled
emotions. lie slowly shook his head.
You know as well as | do that my
duty is here on the farm since l can
find no one to take over the manage
ment. cant leave and allow my, crops
to waste in the fields. What Is the use
gone over them a thousand times every
day" ,,,,.,
srppy ,ooK Eeah tbe Wnsm
in farming. Naturally JOHN her eyes
d twinked-"I don't know quite as much
n as you. but | have been all ears and
i eyes ever since ] returned Haven't you
A.; noticed how many questions I've askedE
! John did not reply. He stood looking
d over her head far off toward the eastern
horizon.
Il know all about farm accounting
and testing seed and-and--everything
she concluded comprehensiyely Healiy
John dear. studied awfuiiy hard, ana
I I've been at IL ever since. ] shall never
y again want to leave the farm to live II
!. a city. Why, every time l turn round out
II doors now | learn something new
$ think II farmers wives could all hire
d women to do their housework and only
d had only to think of meals to eat then
= ! they could be so contented and woult
n ! feel so professional and grow so health!
> working with their husbands out in God
d fresh air ] have grown to love outdoors
t in such wonderful seeing way thai
y sometimes ] can't stand the thought of {
g roof over my head.
, As she talked, Johns hands were ten
derby smoothing her soft hair bacl
iron her eager, flushed 1ace.
It Little wife, little wife," he whis
t pered.
II John dear, | honestly feel convince,
e that, with what advice our good neigh
y bors would give me IL l needed 1t, am
Q what | can always receive from the uni
l. versity for the asking, l could manage
e And with the whole Department of Aa
riculture fairly dancing UP and dow
o with eagernesS to answer all my. ques
Is tions--how could | fail? | never dream
g ed how many friends the farmer ha
sr until | began to study and to polk
is through your files of compiled informa
re ton" She looked anxiously into hi
II face. you believe me?'
= "Mabel-yes." he CALCULATED. "Bu
a, dear it isn't easy--eVen for a man
She slipped her arms around his necl
Te. women are doing thousand thing
>. today that are not easy-even for mel
70 Shall | do less for others? There
nothing to keep you. You can z,
John" His name had never SCENE
sweeter on her lips than at this mt
ment.
He drew her closer to him, her dar
a head against his heart. For a Ion
or time they gazed deeply into each other
na ! eyes then, their faces turned towar
la the eastern sky, where the last colo
,e. echo of the sunset glorified the clouds
NIB Yes" he said softly, Il can 60"
ng Mondays Complete NoUelette-
III.