South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-29
WHY MRS. DURKEE WAS VERY
GLOOMY INDEED.

1AOOhl INDEED.
oh, Madge, what do YOU think
Aft has been doing nOw?"
Little Mrs. Durkee came up to my
room one evening after l had re-
turned from school with a most
woebegonc expression upon her face.
] knew from long experience of my
little friends vaEaries what was the
matter with her, and / tried un-
successfully not to smile as she
threw herself into my easiest chair
and dabbed her eyes with the daint-
lest. most intnitesimal Of handker-
chiefs
"Oh, YOU needn't GRIM she said
petulantly. 81 know you think I'm
fool over that boy of mine but
YOU just wait until that baby grows
up. Noull be Watching every girl
with eyes like "a hawks for fear she's
going to steal him away from you"
The Years Hasten.
! stopped smiling suddenly. Her
words called up a vision which. alb
surdly enough, gave me distinct
pang For a startled moment !
looked down the coming years 10 the
time when my baby, ~ idolized SON
should be mine no longer, but be-
long 10 some other woman.
Little Mrs. Durkee's maternal jeal-
ousv of Alfred had long been
source of quiet amusement TO me.
lie is a model son, but ne has a
penchant for pretty faces. and as he
adoreS his mother, he invariably, at
an early stage of his acquaintance
ship with an attractive girl, asks
his mother 10 invite the young wO-
man of his fancy TO dinner or for a
week end, or for some social func-
ton i'm her honor. MRS. Durkee at
once conjures up dire visions Of we'd
ding bells and orange blossoms, in
consistently regardless of the fact
that Alfred's affairs are never seri-
Gus and seldom las. but a few
weeks.
I have listened to many walls
from Mrs. Durkee upon the subject
of Alfred's foibles. and my Stereo-
typed reply is always ready. But
this time il didn't rise so readily
20 my lips. for her petulant re-
mark about the girl who would some
day steal my own son had robbed
me of both amusement and poise.
In another minute, however. the
Illuminating thought had come 20
me that in all probability the girl
who should lure my infant son from
me had not Vet been born L
laughed aloud both at my own alb
surdity and my friends doleful re-
sentiment.
You little goose"' I said laugh
,ngly, ignoring her frown. What do
YOU mean by frightening me like
that? 7 had Richard Second mar
ried and settled and turning me out
into q driving snow storm TO freeze
10 death, all in the space Of a second
or two,
What Madge Asked
Her face cleared instantly. and
she dimpled into a charming laugh
little Mrs. Durkee's tempers and
tears are usually but the briefest OF
summer thunder storms.
II hope ne beats YOU up into the
bargain!" she said vehemently. But
FOR goodness sake. Madge. you're not
going 20 afflict that blessed baby
with that dignified name are sou .
Poor. N.tle defenseless creature. its
bad enough 20 have your grand
mother always addressing you that
way without your mother starting
in
she bent down 20 The baby. who
was sitting up i'm his crib. propped
up with pillows. and having a most
Glorious time in his own baby fash
ion with n couple OF bright balls
fastened from the ceiling i'm such
manner that they danEled fascinat-
ingly IN front OF him She held out
her arms coaNlngiy. but Juniors
his father and 7 call him-ignoseG /
her cold -bloodedly although ne
usually goes to her Willingly
'T-ugrateful little wretch" Mrs 7
Durkee apostrophized him. and the |
baby eurgied deHghtedlv. Hes Just
like all the men" she said. TURNING
away If there's anything new and /
slitterinG dangling before his ewes