The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-12-02
TIE DAILY
STORY
The Son-Daughter
81 Martha Meeulloeh.Wiinar

of that family is beyond me. John
jAand Mollie ought to see that 1t IS
actually, misunderstanding a fam
iIy Of this sort, with no chance OF
providing for IT." Mrs. FortneE
commented fretfully, looking up
from the special letter in her
hands,"
Miss Dreve. her splnster sister
in.law said acidly. Seems Ike
they're proud Of their performance
jim such a hurry 10 let you know
of It,"
"They are. You should hear
Mollie," Mrs. Former returned.
Says she is so lucky-has never
had 10 make n single set OF BABY
clothes-juBt a piece at a time as
the first wore handed down. And
that she can be thrifty without
hurting the children in the least
thew don't have TO wear things the
least bit tlght-shoes even a be
passed on SO no feet are cramped.
feel like shaking her-but what
good would It do? John Is just as
bed, l asked him what under the
, sun he expected 10 become OF mis-
family. He only grInued and told
me there might be too many women
hut never in the world could there
be too many good wives. Like MOI
lie, / suppose he meant, anyway
ne sounded mad to me. No girl
can marry we'll II she is not well
brought toward Though can
nossibly do something II live to
see them grown, I doubt X n OF
the flock will have looks enough
or Wit enough to make her worth
/. my bringing out"
4 YOU'D have to dress her n
Everything. Brother 'Lisha wouln
ever stand for that" Miss brave
Maid reflectlveiy.
Mrs. FORMER cast up her eyes.
saving piously: Life is uncertain.
None OF US can count on It,
il there wa a note Of regret
over the uncertainty It was too
veil masked 10 iii a casual ear.
Mrs. Mollle Bryson's sole regret
over her seventh daughter was that
she herself was not likewise a
seventh, That would mean untold
luck on the small adorable mite
even better luck than having come
into a place full OF loving welcome.
John had a fair 5alary-they own
Vgd a bit OF a home instead of hay
: ing life insurance, so with a trttle
of saving against emergencies
what need was there for worry:
Mrs. Former was Johns halt
% ister. the ricn woman OF the con
Injection so of course her attitude
coward the Brysons set the fam
lily tone. All hands agreed that
seven girls like stair steps were
next door 10 a criminal offense-
ctie that fate could not afford TO
leave unpunshed. Sparse visits to
The Bryson home usually mitigated
the visitors harsh judgment. The
were adorable-rosy, radiant,
RRaonabIyp obedient, sun-shipy
spirits singularIy alike. yG! agree
ably different. 1t was not, after all,
80 strange that john, who had pu!
by ambition 10 be an artist for a
steady fob, and that Mollie should
say, looking at the flock: Beats
anything | could ever have imagin'
ed /" But once safe away prudence
again prevailed--pity, kindly or
acid, was meted out to the reck'
loss parents.
Pretty girls, very pretty girls,
with sweet home voices. adorable
dancing feet, and Madame Mollte's
knack Of cookery, sewing and home
making, they were married out Of
hand as II were before they came
to nineteen. To the rout and con
fusion of Mrs. FORMER, by that
time a welLdowered widow. who
offered to take Lenore, the eldest"
and give her a two years chance
to marry well-that is to say rich.
there was a candidate al
14nost in the offing-Major Burke,
n man Of millions. just turned
sixty, who had divorced one wife
and buried another, hence was
eager to find a submissive and we'll.
broken third. John Bryson was SO
foolish as to resent even a men
ton OF him. saying: HE shan't
look at my girl-as for anything
"But-think Of the aiImony. If
she got to dislike him." Mrs. Fort.
ner remonstrated-with a result OF
shutting herself permanently away
tom her brothers. house.
With five married daughters,
John Bryson chuckled over the
fact that there was neither a min
5Gster nor G millionaire among his
sons in law. True, one OF them,
Toe valverly. had expectations, but
they didn't hinder his doing a
mans part. Then Hymen STUN
htod-:nstcad OF carrying off Miss
Marion seriatim. his dart bit Baby
| Rernice, just turned seventeen:
Them, for the first time, John ana
9Mollie cried hard. 1t did not in the
least console them thnt Marie said,
trying to gIggle: Dad, don't spoil
Your beauty-you know you've got
your ~son.daughter left"
"For how long. | wonder" John
>said, viciously. Marion swept him
n curtesy. Years and years and
years" she said. I'm serious-you
must make me the son I ought to
have been. You don't know it-but
!, rim a real good stenographer and
typist-can't you use me down at
the office? l won't tell I'm my kin
\ TO you"
y to- -. 60