Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-03-24
existence. but in her heart she was
far from feeling satisfied. She was, of

far from feeling satisfied. She was. of
course, an absolutely competent
mother to girls, but she felt that she
would; have been a more capable and
wonderful mother to boys.
More than six years after 1sabelleis
birth Florence Haviland began to talk
smilingly Of my boy" Gardner
worships the girls" she said. with
wifely indulgence. but + know He
wants a son-and the girlies need IA
brother!" A resigned shrug ended
the sentence with: $50 I'm in for
the whole thing again." @
1t was said that Mrs. Haviland
greeted the news that the third child
was a daughter with" a mechanically
bright smile, as n puzzled beyond
all words by perverse event, and. that
her spoken comment was the single
mild ejaculation: EXTRAORDINARY"
Now the two older Haviland girls,
following their mother into her bed
room, seated themselves there while
she changed her dress. Florence
junior, in passionate argument with
the butler owe the death of n of
the drawing-room goldfish remained
downstairs. Mrs. Haviland. casting
the hot, high-collared silk upon the
bed, took a new embroidered pongee
from a box. and busted herself with
it's unfamiliar hooks and straps.
Charlotte and Isabelle were never
quite spontaneous in their converse
tons with their mother, their attitude
in talking with her being one of alert
and cautious self-consciousness; they
they. laughed constantly. Yet they
both loved this big, firm, omnipotent
being. and believed in her utterly and
completely.
Charlie near the club this morning,
Nina" volunteered Isabelle.
"And they asked about Mrs. Bow
ditch's Dance" Charlotte added with
a little innocent craft. but I said
that Nina had been unable to decide.
OF course I said. that we would like to
would allow it If you. possibly could
THAT was quite right, DEAR" Mrs.
Haviland said to her Oldest daughter,
calmly ignoring the implied question,
and to Isabelle she added kindly:
Nina doesn't quite like to hear you
calling a young man you hardly know
by his first name, Isabelle. OF course,
there's no harm in it. but it cheapens
a girl just a little. While Charlotte
might do it because she Is older, and
seen Charlie Gregory at some of
the little informal affairs last winter,
you are younger, and haven't really
seen much Of him since he went to
college. Don't let Nina hear you do
that again."
- Isabelle turned a lively scarlet, and
even Charlotte colored and was silent.
The younger girls shamed eye met
her mothers. and she nodded in quick
embarrassment. But this tacit con-
sent did not satisfy Mrs. Haviland.
fr SSvo,, ,,a1 Ia rofo M a NfSvNo 1n~f 1,nu
dear?" she asked. Isabelle murmur-
ed something indistinguishable.
Eyes, M'ma!" said that lady herself,
encourasingly and briskly. Isabelle
duly echoed a husky. Eyes, Nina"
,"Did you give my message to Miss
Roper, Charlotte" pursued the
matron.
'she wasn't at church, Nina" said
Charlotte, taken unawares: and in
stincttvely uneasy. Mrs Roper said
she" had q heavy cold; she said she'd
80 M'ma's message. was forgot
temp. the mother asked pleasantly.
Charlotte perceived herself to be in
an extremely dangerous position.
Long ago both. girls had lost, under
this close surveillance and skilful sys-
tenn" Of cross-exafnination, their orig
inal. regard for truth as truth. That
they usually said what was true was
because policy and self-protection
suggested It. Charlotte had time now
for. q flying survey Of the situation
ed. somewhat uncertainty: "
u. asked Mrs. Roper to deliver It,
Nina Wasn't that Her. voice
faltered pervously, Was 1t some
thing you would have rather tele-
ph0ned about7"