The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-11-20
By Ethel Train

Before you begin to talk about your
mothers dying he said sweeping his three
daughters with an inclusive and soornfu
glance. you'd better give her . chance TO
live. She hasn't had that Yet. you know
even II she is nearly SIXTY years old. In my
opinion. it's high time she did
All three OF the Fsrnsm girls had paled at
his implication. Ruth started to speak but
her father prevented her by |, lift Of hi,
hand
Don't interrupt me- he continued. 1T
won't be my fault II you don't understand
me clearly by the time I'm through Ever
since you were old enough TO have any say
at all. you've been cr.mping your mother,
style. She was just a mother TO you-not ,
human being. You never saw her in any
social relations; you'~. kept her 50 sur
rounded with yourselves that abe never
could make any friends. You've talked !. lot
about doing your duty. but half Of your at
tention TO your mother came from , desire
TO be pointed out model daughters in tn.
town. People fell for II, / admit: they didn't
So in detail what that attention consisted
in; how you dictated TO her what she should
do, and read. and wear; how you bored her
TO distraction, how shsmelessly you intruded
on our married life. robbng us OF our time
IA valuable commodity at our age and Of
our privacy. Its appalling 10 think OF those
intolersble. wasted evenings. Of the reading
we might have done. the compsnionship We
might have enjoyed,
You always said you didn't want 10 neg
lect us-you never realized that we'd hav.
given our eye teeth for a little tudicious neg.
lect! We stood all that-wed have sone on
standing it IL you hadn't begun TO talk about
where your mother ought TO die. That vas
a little too much. Supposng she were 70
give in TO you and stay here. Instead OF
dying in her bed she might be knocked down
by trolley car tomorrow and draw her last
breath in the drug store up the street YOU
won't understand that 1t isn't where YOU Gle
that matters. nor even where you live but
how you 1--we and whether you live at all"
Ruth had begun to cry.
I'm beginning to understand" she sohb-d.
An, too" admitted Elizabeth
So am l. Thank you. Father" said May.
Their fathers glance sof,ened There waf
something in these girls after all
IL you'll only suy." promised Ruth
everything will be altogether different fr,
now on
Their mother stretched out her arms %
them. just a. abe had when they were Gtts
girls.
You be the one to tell us what TO do
about everything" Mary suggested humbly
in mid-embrace, after this-
look Of frightened protest appeared upon
their mothers face Releasing them. she an
swered:
Then ia be doing tn. very thing I'm
finding fault with in you. No, girls. Live
and let hve.' you know. I'd really better 60"
OF course she's roins.- their father inter
posed in matter OF fact manner. There's
never been any question about that"
Elizabeth sat down heavily.
But what viii you do in Chicago, Mother
she demanded, all day long when Fathers
away7-
Her mothers face siowed with anticipation.
%, III nnd plenty to do" abe said
ThereT be concerts and lectures. and we
may make some scquaintances in a business
way, and when nothing better offers, why, I
might even go to the movies onoe in a while.-
toopyrisht; 1877: By Ethel rr.inI