The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-02-07
MARTHA-BURDEN BEARER,



to shirk responsibility but would give
her the strength to say NO" when
the occasion demanded. She knew,
too, that combined with this force of
character there was in Martha a
sweetness and charm that won all
hearts. The subject was not men
toned again until she had written to
her sister and made arrangements for
her visit Then it was simple mat
ter to send Martha to Nora for a
| month and half.
1t was after her mother was gone
and the house was closed that Martha
| went to the sitting room, and, climb
ing on a chair. took down from it's
| accustomed hanging place the little
brown frame with the homely worked
motto. She stood on the chair and
looked at the five little words that had
helped her mother to acquire so much
strength of character. Please, dear
Lord she whispered, and there was
an unusual moisture in her merry
brown eyes, help me to share the
burden with Nora and Ed" Then she
stepped down, and wrapping the little
brown frame in paper, tied it securely
in the top lid of her trunk.
Il shall hang it up in my room at
Nora's,' she whispered to herself,
and run up and look at it when |
feel myself failing"
On the morning Of her arrival,
Nora received her at the end of the
garden and took her bag from her
hands. Martha kissed her and en-
deavOred not 10 see her careless at
tempts to make preseltable appear
ance. Morals frilly, lace dressing
gown was ornamented with a soilad
white apron that hung ungraceful!y
over one hip. Her satin boudoir slip
pers slipped from her feet constantly,
when she walked, betraying the hole
in the heel of her silk stockings she
carried Billyboy in her arms, still in
his tiny pajamaS and waving a sticky
porridge spoon. Yet he greeted Mar
tina in pretty baby fashion, while the
Cherub ran shrieking with joy from
the porch step and cast her plump
little body straight at Martha, who
caught her in her arms. There were
the usual moments OF excited, Hurried
greetings and they walked into the
| house.
To Martha that first day was par
ticularly trying. Her nerves grew
! more and more tense as she watched
Moro hn
man, scolded the children and allv
sent them, unwashed and uncOmbpd,
to the farther end of the garden to
play. Shortly afterwards she an
| nounced casually that she had ordered
Ed to lunch downtown instead of com
ing home.
II simply couldn't have it ready in
time she said by way of excuse. Il
! never have Ed home to meals if l can
help it. 1t is such a nuisance getting
| mans meals three times a day.
She rose after this remark, went to
the door and called sharply across the
garden to the Cherub and Billy-boy.
| who were audibly arguing over the
| possession of toy hoe. Her rebuke
was without results, however, and
within a short interval she rose again,
| hurried to the end of the path, and
slapped the children soundly. Martha
| followed her and reached the dis.
tressed group just as Nora had caught
| up Billy-boy and, in a fit of penitence
| was showering his chubby face with
| fr,f{ lii ell
ground, where it was promptly seized
upon by the Cherub, who disappeared
with it behind the house, with her
mother in hot pursuit. Martha, strug
| Cling with desire to laugh at the
sight, caught the little marauder on a
return trip, and held her struggling
little body until Nora reached them
Then followed an excited, undignifie /
argument between the mother and the
| children, Nora compromising at length
| by giving Billy-boy the hoe and allo W
| ing the Cherub to use the hose-whecl
The two women walked back to the
house together, and as Martha gave g
backward glance at the children she
saw from the look Of introspection in
| Billy-boy's eyes that the hose-whee
was fast becoming more desirable
than the hoe and that another squal
was imminent. She fairly ran Nora
into the kitchen. She felt that an
other such scene with the children
would be too trying for the moment
The process of preparing luncheo,
for one guest was puzzling one t
Nora. Martha settled the question o
eating in the hot kitchen by taking
the table linen to the side porch
which opened from the kitchen ant
was charmingly screened by vines. A
she was drawing up the table, Nor;
came to the window with a skillet il
her hand, held tightly by a steamin.
dish-towel.
l Eve can't eat out there, Martha
The flies will torment us awfully."
Never mind the f1ies," answered.
Martha cheerfully, s'I'll get rid of then
easily enough In a seconds tim
she was across the lawn to the Chi
dren. Billy-boy was just about t
seize the hose-wheel and the Cheru
was getting ready to emit loud yell
when Martha reached them.
Nov, which one of you is going t
help Aunt Martha?" she asked, smi
ing pleasantly Neither one SCENE
| willing to Oblige her. but she ignore