Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-12-13
Moonlight and
Money
A NOTE
By Marion Rubincam


The following morning Louise
awoke early, as h had done when
keeping house. She started UP in
bed with a feeling of being late, then
she remembered there was no Harry
to make breakfast for this morning
and no early train to hurry him off
to catch. She looked under the pill
low at her watch. Eight o'clock, an
hour later than she had been getting
up, but certainly more than an hour
too early for this household to be
stirring.
So she lay back In bed again, glad
to be able to relax and rest, yet far
from happy. Harry had had a whole
day now to think about her absence.
For the first time she began>to Won
der what he would do. Then the
delicious sense OF comfort and
warmth stole over her again, and she
snuggled down under the covers and
dozed until ten o'clock.
Indeed, Anne had to wake her.
Your mother is up and wants to
know whether you'll have breakfast
with her in her ROOM" she said,
closing the windows and turning on
the heat as she talked.
'Of course I Will" Louise w
ed, reaching for her bathrobe.
'Then I'll serve It in your moth
CT . DOu-uOlL llSAL away I1AS
woman said. you look a heap bet
ter this morning than when you
came yesterday" she added looking
critically at Louise. 1T Is most re-
markable what a little sleep will do
for a person"
It was indeed, Louise thought, as
she dressed quickly. She was feeling
better than she had been for weeks.
Her mother, in the same frivolous
cap and gown, was seated by the
small table in the bay window when
through a pile Of letters. Unsocial
as her life was actually, she still
seemed to keep UP q voluminous cor
respondence. She looked up, as she
greeted her daughter, and her ex-
precision was one Of anxiety. She held
one letter away from the pile, face
down. Beyond the good morning
greetings, neither spoke while Anne
served the breakfast.
When they were alone again Mrs.
Driscom turned the letter face up.
1t was addressed to Mrs. Henry
Morton. Louise took it, her face
suddenly white and her hands Cold.
1t was In Hhrry's writing.
81 knew, of course, hat he would
try to get in touch with you," Mrs.
Driscom said, looking at the letter
which Louise still held unopened.
He 'phoned last evening and I an
swered.".
Louise looked up startled.
you didn't tell me-" she accused.
NO." her mother said, 81 didn't.
And I am not playing the dragon
either, to keep you and your beloved
apart. I thought you had had
enough for one day and I told Harry
SO. You were going to bed and 1
wanted you to sleep. I told him 1t
would be much better If he would
| write-that after a nights sleep you
| would not be so nervous"
What did he say7" Louise asked
eagerly. .
"We had very little conversation"
Mrs. Driscom remarked dTily.
Louise broke open the letter.
my dearest wife" the letter be-
gan, "I don't know what to say or
what to think. I am feeling utterly
amazed and confused and guilty and
forlorn and a little bit hurt, too.
"I did not know things were as
bad as you seemed to think thern. 1
know it's been awfully hard and that
YOU have been very brave and good
to stand it as long as o did, but
[ didn't know you were worrying so
hard over all this wretched poverty
and these debts.
st thought about it all day today
and when 1 couldn't stand 1t any
longer l telephoned. I thought you
might let me come UP and we could
talk 1t over and perhaps find a way
out. Your mother said you were
| lust going to bed and needed sleep.
I suppos she was right in not let
ting me see you; you have been aw-
fully tired, and I guess that's the
! whole trouble.
Don't you think you'll be all right
IL you just RES up? Won't you
| please let me come and take You
home again? You can sleep late,
| you know. 1 can fix my own break
fast and you needn't do any work. II
doesn't matter If things aren't kept
clean and 1 can get someone to come
in and help. You needn't do any
| thing but rest and sleep.
81 know it's wrong for me to urge
| YOU to come back and take up any
of these worries again. But I love
YOU so much I can't help it. Please
let me come and see you, at least,
and talk this over. Let me see you
anyway, dear. I can't stand being
cut off from you"
Unheeded, the tears were rolling
down her cheeks while Louise read
When she looked UP from the letter
she vas alone. Mrs. Driscom ftd
done a rarely tactful thing. She had
gone into the next room and closed