The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-08-18


trying Co make me Marie and
nothing else: and that mother says
she knows father'll never be happy
until he's made me into "a stupid lit
tie Mary" with never an atom Of
life 81 my own. And. do you know
u does seem. sometimes. ms II Mary
and Marie were fighting inside Of
me. and wonder which Is going 10
beat. Funny. isn't u?
Father is president OF the college
now. and ! don't know how many
stars and comets and things he's
discovered since tho night the star
and ! were born together. But
know he's very famous. and that he's
written up In the papers and maya
Zines. and IL in tho big fat red
who's Who" In the library, and
has lots OF noted men come TO see
him.
Nurse says that Grandma Ander-
son died very soon after | was born.
but that I, didn't make any par
hcular difference In the housekcep-
Ing for things went right on Just as
they had done. with her giving the
orders az before. that she'd given
them all alone anyway. mostly. the
last year Grandma Anderson lived,
and she knew Jus, how father liked
things. She said mother tried once
or twice to take the rcing herself.
and once nurse let her. just 10 see
what would happen. But things got
In an awful muddlc right away. 70
that even father noticed u and said
things. After that mother never
tried again. I guess. Anyhow. she's
never tried IL since I can remember.
She's always stayed most Of tho
time M In her rooms In the east
wing. except during meals. or when
she went out with me. or went TO
the things she and father had to 10
to together. For they did go TO lots
81 things. nurse says
II seems that for n long time they
didn't want folks 10 know there was
going TO be a divorce. so before
folks they tried 20 be just as usual.
But Nurse Sarah said she knew
there was going TO be one long ago
Tho first | ever heard OF II was nurse
telling Nora. the girl We had in the
kitchen them and the minute got
chance asked nurse what {, was--a
divorce.
Ny. can remember now how
scared she looked. and how she
ciapped her hand over my mouth.
She wouldn't tell me--nos q word \
And that's tho first time I ever saw
her give that quick little look over
each shoulder. She's done II lots OF
times since.
As said. she wouldn't tell me, 80
] had TO ask someone else. ! wasn't
going TO let II 80 by and not find out
not when Nurse Sarah looked so
scared. and when II was something
my father and mother were going 10 |
have some day.
didn't like 10 ask mother. Some
way. had "A feeling. from the way
Nurse Sarah looked. that Il was
something mother wasn't going TO
like. And thought n maybe she
didn't know yet she was going 20
have II. that certainly didn't want
TO be the one 10 tell her. SO didn't
ask mother what a divorce was.
didn't even think OF asking
father. of couse. never ask father
questions. Nurse says did ask
him once why he didn't love me like
other papas loved their little girls.
But was very little then, and I
don't remember II at all. But nurse
said father didn't like II very we'll.
and maybe ! did remember that part
without really knowing II. Anyhow.
never think Of asking father ques-
lions.
! asked the doctor first thought
maybe twas some kind OF n disease.
and II he knew II was coming, he
could give them some sort OF n medi-
cine TO keep II away-like being vac
cinated SOS not to have smallpox.
you know. And told him so.
He gave a funny little laugh. that
somehow didn't sound like n laugh
at all. Then he grew very. very
sober. and said:
I'm sorry. little girl. but I'm
afraid I haven't got any medicine
that Will prcvent--a divorce. II /
did have. there'd be no eating or
drinking or sleeping for me. I'm
thlnking--fd be so busy answering
my calls.
Then 10 Is n diseased I cried.
And I can remember Just how
frightened I felt But isn't there
any doctor anywhere that can stop
it,"
He shook his head and gave that
queer little laugh again.
I'm afraid not" he sighed. AS
for it's being a disease-therc are
people that call II n disease. and
there are others who call II a cure;
and there are still others who say it's
a remedy worse than the disease II
tries 70 cure. But, there, you babyl |
What am ! saying? Come. come. my
dear, Just forget II. It's nothing you
should bother your little head over
now. Wait till you're older"
TIL I'm older. indeed How hate
TO have folks talk to me like that!
And they do--they do II all the time.
As II I was a child now. when I'm
almost standing there where the
brook and river meet!
But that was just tho kind of talk
I got, everywhere. nearly every
time l asked anyone what n divorce
was. Some laughed. and some
sighed.
Some looked real worried. cause I'd
asked II. and one got mad Chat
was the dressmaker. I found out
afterward that she'd had divorce
already. so probably she thought |
asked tho question on purpose to
plague herr But nobody would
answer me--really answer me sem
sibly. so I'd know what II meant;
and most everybody said. Run away
child" or "You shouldn't talk of such
things" or wait. my dear. till your
older" and all that.
Oh, how / hate such talk when
really want to know something!
How do they expect us to get our
education IL they won't answer our