Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-12-12
Moonlight and
Money
By Marion Rubincam
MATERIAL COMFORTS

CHATTER 81
The interview with her mother
was probably the very worst thing
for Louise in her present n~ervous.y
exhausted condition. She went up
the s4airs surprised to fine her
breath coming fast as h completed
the climb. Crossing her room she
looked again in the mirror and a
little shudder went through her. She
looked olS and Ill.
Her Imagination, of course, dis
torted the real facts. No woman goes
through the period of approaching
motherhood looking beautiful,
though with some there is an ideal
ICED expression, almost a sanity look
TO the face, that more than makes
up for the temporarily distored
figure. Louise had worshipped her
Dear Secret" as she still called it,
but as the months went by and the
mental end physical depression grew,
while er work and worry increased,
and while the financial outlook grew
worse and worse, her condition be-
came little but an intolerable burden.
Never very strong, she was doing
mora daily work than was good for
her, for the adored house was fairly
large for one woman to handle. par
ticu1arly one not skillful about plan
ming 'housework. Then, too, she had
CCO1OHfILEu OI HtI pWh lpOH thO
first place where a woman plans to
save,Fthe last for "a nan In her
condition. this of course was the
worst thing she could have done. But
she was so Intent IN keeping down
the food bills that she lost sight of
this fact. Harry would not have al
lowed 1t, but Harry did not know.
SoltLouise saw nothing now but a
figure that was ugly to her, a drawn
face, and hands that were red and
homely from work and neglect. Her
hair had lost it's f%uffinesS: 1t was
simply dry and hard to comb; its
golden brown was now more nearly
mouse color. The golden lecks that
danced In her eyes in the old days
when she vas happy. seemed to have
goneiA for good. They were simply
gray now, and not a pretty gray at
That's
Anne had only unpacked part of
the Suitcase, 30 Louise went over to
1t and began putting away her
things. AT the bottom was a large
bundle wrapped In soft tissue paper
the baby things she had worked
over So hard. She did not even undo
them but placed the bundle in a bot
tom drawer. Then, completely tired
out, she went over to the couch.
A few hours later Anne brought
her up a lunch and helped her into
a negligee. Early in he afternoon
her mothers doctor, who had at
tended the family for years, came up.
rs Mother very bad?" was Lou
tse's first question.
Not as bad as you" the big man
told her. II see l must transfer my
attentions to a new patient"
but I'm all right" Louise answer
ed irritably.
The doctor reached over and toos
her HAND.
Listen to me, my DEAR" he began
quietly. do you want a lot Of trou-
Bile and illness when the baby comes?
Do 0 want a healthy, vigorous
child, or one that will start life
handicapped by nerves, a poor
constitution, II indeed. 1t starts life
at all2"
"Oh, well, in that case" Louise
answered. alarmed at his words, IN
DO anything you tell me to. l didn't
think 1 was feeling worse than-well,
~tafaceriey usually do"
Now o talk like a good gill"
the doctor nodded. And he made
out a long list of things she was to
eat, and tonics to take, and hours for
rest and exercise, and sleep, a sched-
lille TO be followed faithfully.
Later In the afternoon a large box
Of violets arrived from a florist.
Louise tore open the paper with
trembling fingers. Suppose Harry
There was a note written on a
card and it simply said, Glad you
are back. I'll be home tonight and
hope you will feel well enough to
have dinner with me. Father"
Louise felt a little thrill of happi-
ness. 1t was the first time her father
had sent her flowers, or had don
anything at all that expressed per-
sonal affection.
Your mother had me telephone
him." Anne explained when Louise
wondered how he knew she was at
home.
Later stfil her mother came up