The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-08-09

"Where Is Mrs. GrayT said Terry,
trying to 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.
! swell, I'm as much Mrs. Gray as
any one Is" he said. "What difference
Is 1t to your" Then apologetically:
Pardon me, please, didn't mean
that-but you see, I've been doing this
for quite while and I have never been
caught before. just couldn't see her
do 1t any more. We didn't want any
one to know much about u.s.
! II think when I find a strange man
In my apartment two days and see him
In the window another 1 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 II.
| "YOu see, my father died just when
I was finishing high school. He left
hardly anything-he'd lost II all In
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 1t 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
apartments. Well, she did that and /
worked after school. I couldn't endure
to see her do this, but was bent on
finishing law school, because / knew
that then I'd be able to give her the
things she deserved. This winter 1t
was too much for me to see her doing
this work, yet this sort Of work
brought In more than could possibly
earn at stray tutoring or any of the
usual things students do. So just did
her work for her whenever had
bring in enough to keep us both going.
don't mind your finding out that do
the scrubbing, but she'd be heart
broken. 1t Is funny pride she has
she wouldn't mind doing it herself, but
she couldn't endure to have me do
It,"
Terry came over to the young man.
He rose beside her, and she laid two
small hands on his arms. 81 think you
are the most splendid young man I
have ever met, and your mother, I
know, is very proud of 1t. I'll never
tell anyone your secret, and l know
some day you will win for your moth
er all the things she deserves"
The next day Terry purposely ar
ranged to be home when the young
man - Bob Gray-came. 'Tve got
something to ask you," she told him.
SIN dreadfully lonely here, and don't
like the idea of living alone, anyway.
I want you to let me have your mother
here with me-to be a sort Of mother
to me. She can potter around the
apartment If she wants to, just the
way my own mother might, and what
that will be worth to me- Of course, she
will have, and that will be as much as
you need to get from the apartment
tending"
OF course, Bob Gray demonstrated,
at first, but before week had passed
Mrs. Gray was installed as Terry's
adopted mother" and a real mother
could have been no more congenial.
Bob had but few months more to
spend at the law school, and the very
day Of his graduation he told Terry
that he loved her and begged her to
marry him.
81 couldn't do this" he said, "if 1t
weren't for what has happened.
couldn't ever hope to be your husband
If weren't sure that would succeed.
I am sure, Just as every man must be
sure when he knows that the profess
sion he has chosen Is the right choice.
And today I received word from the
firm of Hewes & futile that they
would take me In as soon as pass my
bar examinations next week at sal
airy to start Of two thousand. I was
fortunate enough to have the help and
friendship of one of our best professors
and the appointment came through
him. I am still unworthy Of you, Ter
ry, but with something In the way Of
prospects I have nerve enough to ask
YOU"
Terry took his outstretched hand in
both Of hers and held 1t reassuringly.
bob, I'n surer of your success than
you are yourself. knew you'd succeed
when I saw the way you scrubbed the
floors and kept at that drudgery TO
save your mother"
/ George Eliot Seldom Read.
! George Eliot was writer almost