Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-07
DAILY NOVELETTE,
WHEN MOTHER
FORGOT
BY A. NJ. Renear
MRS. HARRISON looked up inquir-
Afl ingly as her young hopeful burst in

A'1 ingly as her young hopeful burst in
you brought the Strawberries, Hen
ry?" Henry paused on his way to the
pantry.
Il forgot. Cant Sarah make some =
thin else for dessert?''
His mother sighed.
Sarah is tired, son. This is wash
day and I planned to make the short.
cake myself. Well, we'll have hot GIN
gerbread."
AT supper she turned to her pretty
daughter.
"Lenora. you told Mrs. Burton
couldn't entertain the club tomorrow {?
What did she say?"
Leonora's dark eyes widened.
'Oh, mother. forgot. Beth was
telling me about her new hat and we
walked right by the house. But YOU
never make much work of having club,
mother"
Mrs. Harrison sank back in her chair.
'Child, the paperhangers will be here
tomorrow to do the living room. it is
Sarah 81 afternoon out, all the rugs are
at the cleaners. | simply cannot have
the club -
Her husband eyed her rcprovingly.
My dear. don't become so excited
over trifles. Simply telephone Mrs. Bur
ton that you are unable
He stopped as his wife interrupted
eagerly:
But | cant telephone The men
haven't been to fix it yet and it's been
out of order two days. You notified the
main office, of course, Herbert?"
4 peculiar expression crossed Mr..
E1arrison's face. He fumbled with his
napkin.
"I-I-thc matter must have slipped
my mind. Send Leonora to the neigh
bor's to phone"
But Mrs. Burton could not be reused
on the telephone and it was too late to
notify the members.
The next day was a nightmare. Sa-
rah grumbled at forfeiting her. after
noon; the living room. adorned with
stepladders, paste. buckets and rolls of
paper, was thing of beauty. Bobbie,
the youngest forgot half the errands at
the store. Lconora forgot to dust the
library, Henry forgot the wood for the
fireplace and Mr.. Harrison forgot to
get his lunch downtown and hungrily
appeared at noon.
Fevcrishly Mrs. Harrison prepared the
library for her guests. made sandwiches.
sponge cake and fruit salad. AS she
closed the door upon the last guest
several hours later, she turned to Leon
ora at the piano.
Where was the ice cream?" she de-
manded in despair. Loonora's fingers
crashed into chord.
Don't believe I ordered it. Absolute.
ly forgot
In her room that night. the mother
thought long and deeply. Who was to
blame? How cure this dreadful habit of
forgetting? This dear, IRRESPONSIBLE
family of hers must be taught a lesson. |
For years they had 'forgotten" they
must learn to remember. With dawn. |
the inspiration came.
1T will be cruel" she murmured.
but they need it,
Leonora came hurrying into the living
room.
"Mother,' she whispered. ncrvously. |
where have YOU put the fruit punch
and the sherbet? I cant find them any
where"
Mrs. Harrison raised blank face.
'Punch?' she repeated vacontIv. !
"Oh. didn't make any. l completely |
forgot
"Forgot!'
ip1y tl,a
increduity of the girls tone. Her
mother was mildly apo!ogetic.
'Why yes. This book is so good I
couldn't tear myself away Send Henry .
down for ice cream and fancy cookies, y
Bought stuff. I hate it - muttprcd
Leonora. "But what allied you, mother?
You knew the crowd would be here to-
night: YOU never forgot before"
MA ~ shouted Henry the next after
noon. where's my baseball shirt? First
time I've had a chance to sport it since
I won my letters. How's it look since
you sewed EN- on?'
Mrs. Harrison rocked placidly,
Its hanging in your closet. son. but
I haven't put the letters on. forgot"
The boy was young the disappoint
ment keen. With a pang at her heart
his mother bit her lip.
II wonder if I'll hold out she said
softly. She forgot" Bobbie's promised
cookies. Leonora's new dress. Hcnry's
lunch to take fishing. She forgot" to
send her husbands evening clothes to
the tailor's to be let out, and Mr.. Har
rison attended the business mems din
ner in blue serge and a savage coun-
tenance. In fact. Molly IIarrison's ex-
istence for the next month was truly
but sleep and a forgetting" while
her aghast family approached the verge
of nervous prostration. Invited by her
husband one day to a matinee and dim
ner afterward she was astonishcd 70
find herself in the office of the citv's
greatest brain specialist. Her bcwldcr
nent deepened as the eminent man piled,
rrr with questions, At last he turned
to her husband.
Merely touch of temporary apha.
ia, he pronounced brusQuely a sligbt
loss of memory, but nothing to distress
n l..