The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-01-09


only n little less carefully than she
listened TO her condolences. qucs
toned her about persons and things,
and looked for inaccuracies In her
I speech.
George jr. was a care. too. In these
days at the non.eommittnl. uncnthu.
slastio age OF II. when all the vices
/ In tho world. finger on lip. form n
/ bright escort for waking or sleeping
hours. and the tendcrcst and most
tac,ful OF maternal questions slips
from the shell of boyiAh silence and
grufrness unanswered. Full OF appro-
henslon and eaEerncas. Alice watched
her only son. she could not give him
every hour OF her busy days. she
would have given him every instant
/ II she could lie was a good hoy
but he was human. Dressed for din.
ner and the theatre. his mother
would look into the chlldrcn's sitting
room 10 md Mary reading. George
reading. Martha. very conscious of
being there on sufferance. also read.
ing Virtuously and attentiVciy.
Good night. my dhrlingH You're
going ~ bed promptly at .. aren't
you. Maryland Gogo. too7 You know
we were all late last night" Alice
would say. coming In.
Il am Mary would give her
mother her sunny smile. Leslie FER.
~ IN going TO bc here tomorrow
night. anyway. and we're going 20
Thomsa Princes skating party in the
afternoon. aren't we. Motherg"
Thomas Prince. tho big boob
0ogo might comment without bitter.
ness
Hes not big boob. either, IL he.
Mother" Mary was swift In defense.
He's not nearly such a boob az
Tubby Butler or Sam Moul,anr'
"uoah. that's right knock Tub
by 0oxo would humble.
"oh. my darling boy. and my dar.
ling EiriF' Alice. fun Of affection and
distress. would look from one to tho
other GoEo, standing near hin
mother, usually had request.
They'r. all over NJ Sans tonight.
Goahl they're going to has- funf'
Father said No, again this
week." May Nigh, chant.
Mary Aiice's reproachful look
would silenee her daughter. sho
would put an arm about her son.
what 10 II tonight, dear7''
''oh. nothing muehr' Gogo would
''ing up his dark head isnpatlentiy.
Just Tubby and Sam"
II guess 80" Eruf'iy.
But Daddy feels Ailcr would
stop short In pcrpicxity Why
shouldn't he goT She had known
Mrs. Moulton from tho days when
they were brides. tho Moui,ons
house was near. and Il was dull
for-CoEo here. under the sitting room
lamp. II he had only been as con
tented as MARY. who. with a good
time to remember from yesterday
and another to look forward to to-
morrow. was perfectly happy Go.
| night But boys were different. Gam
was a Trustworthy little fellow but
Alice did not no much like Tubby
Butler. And George did not like 20
have Gogo away from tho house at
night She would smile into the
boys gloomy eyes.
Couldn't you Just read tonight.
my son. or perhaps Mary would play
rum with your Wouldn't that be
better. and a long nights sleep. than
going over to Sans every nigh,T''
But she would leave a disappointed
and Hulien boy behind her. his dis.
gusted face would haunt her turnout
the cntir. evening.
Martha was not no much a prob
lem. and little Katharine was still
baby enough to be Joy To the whole
house. But between the chilircn's
meals. their shoes and hats and les.
sons. Alice WAS "A busy woman. and
shs realized that her responsibilities
must increase rather than lessen In
the next few years. when Mary was
married. and Coeo finishing college.
and Martha ready TO be entertained
| and chaperoned by her big sister.
then she and George might take Kit.
tiwake and run away. but not now.
Rachael formed the habi, of call.
ing az the Valentine house thru the
wet winds OF March and April. com
ing In upon Alice at all hours. some
times with the boys. sometimes alone.
Alice. In her quiet way. was ready
to open her heart completely TO her
brilliant friend Rachael spoke OF
all topics except one 10 Alice. They
discussed houses and maids. the chill
dren. books and plays and plans for
the summer, birth and death. the
approaching responsibility OF the
vote. philosophers and religions.
saints and sagcs And the day came
when Rachael spoke Of Warren and
Of Margaret Clay.
II was n quiet. wet spring after
\ noon, day when the coming OF
green leaves could be actually felt in
the foftenod air. The two women
were upstairs in Alicc's white and
blue sitting room enjoying wood
fire. Jim and Derry were In the
playroom with kittiwakc. the house
was silent. no silent that they could
hear the drumming OF rain on the
leads. and the lazy purr OF the fire.
! Alice was first lncredulous. and
then stunned at the story.
Rachael told all she knew, the
change In her husband. the opening
night OF The Bad Little Lady" her
lonely dinners and evenings. and
MaRsie's complacent attitude Of pos
session.
"wcifs said Alice. wSb had been
an absorbed and aatounded listener.
when she finished. 81 confess don't
UNDERSTAND ~ II Warren Gregory
Is making n fool OF himself over
Margaret Clay. no one IL going to
be M much ashamed as he is when
he is over Il. think with you.'
Alice added. much In earnest. that
az far as any actual Infidelity goes,
| neither ono would be cnpn bic Of IL