Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-30

apart. IN fact, I advocate pooh-pooh-
ing the idea of any sentiment between
'nSv, even pretending disapprDvnl"
You're right dear" said Williams
mother mother as she thoughtfully knottcd her
Unread. because young people are
ureadtully uncertain. What you don't
expect, Is what they do, and you've got
10 act accordingly"
. consequently it was along these lines
that the two scheming parents prepared
the modest social calendar which was
10 ehliven the Christmas holidays and,
at the same time, COnsummate ma tiers
between the two youthful scions of their
respective households.
On the night of the informal little
party that Mrs. Shaw gave for susan,
Wllilam presented himself to his mothrr
Tor final inspection of the symmetry
or his tie. And as Mrs. Bradford gave
1t nnal adjusting pat, she delivered
another of Nher calculated little utter
ances which she had had penchant for
of late
Remember dear boy, not TO hang
/ around Sue all the time. Sues attrac-
| tive. OF course, but you must distribute
your attentions. There's that nice Re
gina Saunders, for instance"
William, on the point Of thrustng
his arm into his overcoat, paused and
eyed his mother suspiciously. what the
| deuce is up?" he said to himself. "Re-
gina Saunders! Stiff as a bean pole and
no brains. And It used to be Susan
Susan-Susan with mother from morn
his head at the perversity of parents,
he slipped on his coat and was Off.
Now at the very same time that viii.
liam was walking the short block which
| separated the two houses, Laura Shaw
was passing critical eye ove- her
daughter, allurinrly dressed in rufly
lavender orEandie.
You'll do" she said approvingly.
Then she hestated quite as If she had
not thought out hours before precisely
what she was going to say. "See here,
dear | don't want to bother you, but
aren't you being little mite over-nice
to VIII? You don't want the other boys
like that nice Charley Rogers, for ex-
ample, to get the impression there is
any--oh, understanding or anything like
that between you"
Sue shook her sleek brown head mpa =
tiently. Don't worry, mother" she
said. Then, with an adorable little
blush, I'm sure Charley's doesn't" she
added.
Now. ordinarily sues blush would
have claimed her mothers immediate
and anxious attention. But. as fate
would have II. at that moment the door
bell rang announcing the arrival of the
first guest and Mis-. Shaw hastencd be
low.
During the gay evening which toll
lowed sues mother noticed WIN secret
complacenCy that for all her recent ad-
monition TO her daughter, or rather,
no doubt, cCause of It, Sue ard Will
liam seemed to have great deal to say
to each other. And Mary Bradford,
running in along at the latter end to
help in serving the hot chocolate and
ices. smiled happily to herself as she
overheard her son whisper softly to Sue,
"An elopment Is the obvious way out -
Arch consprators. the two of them,
bless their hearts!
Two-by-twO the party broke up. Will
liam, as if suddenly mindful of his
mothers parting request suggested to
Regina that he see her home and Re-
gina, for SONG strange reason or other,
gave a hysterical little giggle as she
said Yes"
One by one the lights disappeared
from the windows of the Shaw home
Quiet night envelopcd its inmates. Sud
denly, with a ring which seemed
strangely pregnant with potentiality, the
telephone tangled its summons. Kimono-
clad and curl-papered, Mrs. Shaw an
swered. while Sue. sleepy-eyed. hung
over the banisterS. Her mothers ex-
clamations, disjointed though they were,
told her the whole message Mrs. Brad
fore was sending so frantiCally.
Mary Williams cloped - Regina
Saunders Were seen at the station
with a bag THE 70 o'clock express =
My poor Mary No. no, don't blame
yourself OF course what we did was
for the best We never dreamed-"
At that moment in her condolences
Mrs. Shaw became suddenly aware of
a giggle above. with n last hastY word
Of affectionate COMMUNICATION to poor
dear Mary at the other end. she hung up
the receiver and sent an investigating
glance upward. what she saw almost
unnerved her. The news had driven her
daughter into Mysteries!
Yes. seated in the upper hall was Sue,
her slim hands locked about her knees
as she .ayed back and forth in
laughter