The Washington times., 1920-10-25

Island, the second Wl1e.
Their father dead. their own
mother living. yet these two boys
of twelve and ten were turned over
to their fathers second wife TO rear.
The law chose a stepmother, while
a real mother lived. II was worth
Investigating. decided 10 go down
to st. Adams and see this step
mother, talk with her, look at her.
hear from her own lips the twist
OF events and the change of heart
that left these little ones happy in
the care OF a woman they did not
know till within the last year or
two, a woman her stepsons gladly
called mother"
Mrs. Hatch led the way Into the
wide spaces of her luxurious living
room I'm the low -slung stucco house
built to shelter happy family.
Crowded with pictures of the two
boys. Charles and Ford. the peace OF
that homelike room WAS broken with
the yelps OF q Pekingese. Bee Nee.
the boys pet.
woman can best be judged in
the setting that is her own express
sion OF life. Mrs. Hatch's sphere is
evidently that OF the home. and her
attractive appearance was that of a
capable wife and mother. We sat in
a deep down divan, and my hostess
began TO unfold the story OF her
motherhood-by- her happiness
in IL, and her far-reaching plans
as careful as those of an actual
mother who dreams great visions for
her first born.
CLING TO sTEPMOTHER.
IL shall never forget that day
when. after our quiet marriage cere-
Ford / was their new mother. with
out a moments hesitation they rush
ed to me, arms outstretched. and
they called me mother" / cannot
express the deep affection and graft
tude i felt for those little fellows.
They had taken away all doubt in
my heart that I could be real
mother to them.
Our trip East to md permanent
home meant leaving them behind for
a short time. But they were over
joyed at this house. We were to
have been so happy here. But then
Mr.. Hatch died and the boys cried
to me: oh, mother, please don't
ever marry anyone, will you? We
don't want anyone, else. but just all
OF us here
my word that gave them. that I
would never again marry, will be
kept. I will devote my life in caring
for them
Already the pretty house is being
Hatch will go to some less preten-
tious place.
BATTLE IN THE COURTS.
The boys have been the object OF
legal battle between their mother,
Mrs. Eula Hatch. from whom their
father, Charles W. Hatch, secured
divorce and the custody of his sons,
and Mrs. Hazel Hatch, whom he mar
ricd about a year ago. Since their
fathers death in August the boys,
through a modification Of the divorce
decree gained in Cleveland, came into
the possession of their present pro-
tector.
Justice CalIaghan said that the
children's mother must share their
love and society with the woman
who was their fathers second wife.
The stepmother's lot IL not happy
one. usually. She encounters the an
tsgonisnr OF children, who resent one
in their mothers place. She is
watched lest she be too harsh in dis
cipline or too lax. Rearing the sons
Of a woman her husband once loved
is problem full of pitfalls.
But Mrs. Hatch seems supremely
happy in her role of stepmother,
which she considers a great privilege.
She smiles tenderly as she shows the
penciled scrawls in boyish hand sent
49,, oha of
school in Peekskill. Here is one Of
the notes:
LETTERS FROM SCHOOL.
"Peekskill. Oct. IL, 1920.
Dear Mother-Well. how is every
thing at home. and Bee-nee, too the
family Pekingese). I need lot of
things, so might as well make a list
Of them now. Shirts Especially,
laundry bag, trunk. small rug, face
towels. roller skates, and wagon.
well, I guess that's all. Please
write a letter to Major Stocking say
ing that I should take dancing les
sons; began last week.
Yours lovingly. - CHARLES.
"P. S.-Don't forget to write to me-"
"The boys went up there in a
hurry" explained Mrs. Hatch, and l
gave them just a few things SO they
could get started without delay
A note from Ford follows:
"Dear Mother-I am having a very
nice time up here. How are you?
know several of the boys now. Will
you come up Saturday.
II hope that you can bring up
Frank. viii you please write ne
when you can? Charles IL all right.
Gee! But they have a dandy place
up here. Well, l hope that you will
come up soon. VIII you ask Frank
Well, ] guess III say goodbye.
With lots of love. FORD"
USE DIFFERENT NAMES.
Although the elder boys name is
Charles Jordan Cnd the younger's is
Milton Ford. II is a curious fact that
the mother and stepmother call the
boys by different names. Mrs. Eula
Hatch, the mother from whose charge
the boys were taken by court ruling
at the time of Mr.. Hatch securing a
divorce. calls Charles Jordan merely
Jordan and his brother Milton. The
stepmother refers to her oldest
adopted son as Charles and his