Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-12-11
Moonlight and
Money
By Marion Rubincam
THE MOTHER

CHAPTER so
Later In the morning Anne came
up again to tell Louise that her
mother was awake. Half glad, and
half frightened, she went downstairs
to see her. Her first glance at the
older woman gave her a complete
shock.
Their are some people around
whom the sun never seems to shine.
Mrs. Driscom was one of these. Most
of her life, at least what Louise re-
membered of it, had been spent IN
doors, or somewhere in the shadow.
Her mornings had been given ovel
TO a lazy toilette and to reading, her
afternoons spent with dreSsmakers,
or at matineeS, or perhaps at home
attending to innumerable unimpor-
tar details. She never seemed to
live and breathe until after twilight.
Yet she was not unWholesome she
simply seemed to avoid both the
physical and spiritual sunlight OF life.
But today she sat full in the glare
of a winter un, in the bay window
of her boudoir, and the penetrating
rays showed up all her defects and
years and the marks of her temper
ament. Neither the silk gown nor
the lacy boudoir cap could soften her
appearance. She looked dry and old,
and suddenly terribly tired. Louise
felt her heart contract as she faced
q new worry.
But she crossed the room, smiling |
and kissed her mother, then took a
chair near her.
The two women looked at each
other and behind the eyes of Zach
there was a CLEAN of pity.
Louise decided it was best to come
straight to the point. Her hand felt
cold and she was not sure her voice
would be steady, but she began
I've come back, you see."
But the pity that was deep in Mrs.
Driscom's eyes was not in her voice
when h answered, calmly enough: |
80 1 see. L knew you would"
Yes" acknowledged Louise, with
8 curious desire to drink all the Bit
terness that was in this special cup.
You told me 1 would. You said two
people could not live on love-that
material comforts of life, as you
called them, were necessary to hap
piness."
And you found out I was right.
didn't your" Mrs. Driscom leaned
ack in her chair, her coffee cup In
hand. and regarded her daughter. |
With her question an expression of
grim satisfaction came into her eyes.
They had always been a queer, hard
gray; today, with her gray skin, and
the frivolous cap that was so incon- |
a. aohoi JChthAuAg bhCS IoOhCI I'll |
mose Louise changed the
subject abruptly.
you look rather badly, mother. |
Anne says you're simply %nervous, but
I didn't think she would know. What
is the trouble? ?"
Nothing at ALL" Mrs. Driscom
answered sharply. "A touch Of nerves
perhaps. but I never feel well until
late in the day, as you know. I shall
have q bath and massage shortly,
and bv 400 I'll look twenty years
younger"
You were active enough last
May" Louise reminded her. Don't
you remember the mornings we
spent opening and answering mail
and planning my wedding? I don't
see how anyone could work the way
you did then. and from the time you
woke up. too"
"A nervous temperament is some
times a blessing" Mrs. Driscom an
swered shortly. 81 had a summer on
the Pacific to recover. And it wasn't
my wedding, either, though I felt
badly enough about it."
Don't" Louise said sharply.
However. it had to be. l saw
that" her mother went on, as though
she had not heard. $50 I accepted
1t with Is good grace as l could, and
made q Joyous wedding out of 1t, as
Iar as tHe ueSplSeu material InllSS
went. at least"
Eyes" Louise said with n sigh, at
was a very beautiful wedding but an
awful lot of work and a waste of
money when o think about 1t af-
forwards"
"What do you mean?" the older
woman leaned forward eagerly. $50
you do agree il was a failure? You
see now that love isn't everything
indeed. is but the smallest part of
III" She sank back in her chair
again.
II don't agree at ALL" Louise an
swered. "Ard 7 don't admit my mar
riage was a failure. though I have
come back to Won, for a time at least.
For / still love Harry. l always will.
Somehow. sometime, 1 know Wen be
happy torether. The fact tina Tve
left him because 7 was too tired to
stand the little discomforts doesn't
shake nv belief. Love Is everything Y"
But you did leave him." Ms.
Driscom brought her back to earth
shar3ly.
Eyes" Louise said. with all her
passion rome, IT did leave him"
TomorroW-NateFiai Comforts.