Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1921-09-23
SWEETEST NAME
BY MARY wiNIFRED FORD.

W. lbAl' Dy mcclure Newspaper Syndicate)
Good morning, Mrs. Abbot" called
the postman cheerlly, as he placed
dainty pink and white envelope in the
wrinkled old hands.
Before he had time to be out of
sight she called to him excitedly to
come back, and she waved the pink
and white envelope as though this
alone would tell him to hurry-how i'm
portant was the letter he handed her
this morning.
"Oh Mr. Jackson, read it--Oh, my
Oh, myW was all she could say, but
Mr.. Jackson knew her old heart was
glad over something and the thought
that he was the one to deliver any
good news to this dear old lady"
thrilled him through and through,
"a precious little baby girl has
come to gladden. our hearts," was
what he read.
Just think, Mrs. Abbot, at last your
wish has come true-yQu are really
and truly grandma to someone now"
and as he saw her brush o tear away,
he left hurriedly, for In his own eyes
there had gathered q mist,
Mrs Abbot had buried her children
years ago and her sorrow had made
her old, and hard work her hands
coarse and wrinkled; but lip her eyes
shone the soul Of wonderful woman
and mother. Every morning at Q
found her working around little
restaurant near her home, and O
o'clock at night she could be seen
leaving the restaurant, tired, but a
smile was there playing around the
sweet mouth. She adopted the baby
girl Of her glrlhood friend and play
mate, Mae Adams, who died shortly
after her husbands death 20 years
previous.
The child was named Mae after
her mother, but she had known only
one mother, Mrs. Abbot, who toiled
hard to bring the child up as she felt
Mae Adams would have done had
she lived. When in high school the
girl protested and declared she must
leave and help her "Mumsy" out, but
that dear old soul also protested, say
ing that her own mother would have
desired nothing more than to see her
little girl properly educated.
With n pension she was receiving
since her husbands death, and the
money received for her daily work In
the restaurant, she was able to buy
the things young girls heart would
desire, so that Mae was rich Will
the things she craved-pretty frillet
dresses shoes, etc, and a wonderful
motherly love from Mrs. Abbot.
Then along came her handsome
young knight, and they we're married
and "Mumsy Abbott" was alone, al
Jack Edmond insisted that his wife
should leave her home In the country
and go to New York with him to live
They pleaded with Mrs. Abbot to ac
company them, but she refused Il
part with the old home and the things
she lOved-the trees, the birds that
had become a part of her wonderful
life. Now came the wonderful news
And "Mumsy" must come at once tt
Stt illt llllit gill AphNI uito PSNi
little mother was now along In years
and the trip would prove too much
for her. so she sent q letter OF con
graduation and love to them both, In
stead
Jack, here Is letter from Mumsy
and she feels the trip would be too
much for her Oh, / am so disap
pointed | just wanted to see Mum
sy cuddle baby to her and to see tho
Joy In her eyes, for, Jack, she al
ways wanted to be grandma way
back, and now, when her wishes are
fulfilled, she cannot come" and teal
trickled down the pretty check. Jacl
brushed 1t away lovingly, saying tha
Just as soon as baby and she wert
strong enough they would visit deal
old Mumsy.
But, Jack, what are we going u
name this precious babyf / want
real pretty name for her"
"Why, your own name, dear, would
please me best of all"
moi mol that isn't pretty-Clair'
L hlNuyb ulu lihti anu lhch hhNiS "
Dorothy and Geraldine"
But neither Of them knew that bacl
home In the country, sitting near thu
window watching her birds, was
dear old lady telling each little birt
what she wanted most Of all, ana a
the thought Of 1t her blue eyei
sparkled and her heart beat faster.
Some time later when the baby wal
strong enough, they went out to thu
little country home, still puzzled wha
they should call baby. Grandma wal
consulted but she just looked at then
both, and as she Rugged baby clos
to her there was the same longing
in her eyes that the little birds saw
one day, yet she said nothing.
While looking through her moth
er's writing desk one day Mae fount
a slip Of paper, and on 1t was writ
ten ever 80 many times, "Anastaslf
Mae Edmund" Then 1t dawued Of
Mae that Mumsy's hand had writer
that name and was hoping they youlS
name their first baby after NUNS
and her own mother.
"It's bit old-fashioned, Jack, bu
she has been the most wonderful
mother to me, and now that II Is ms
two mothers names, shall love thu
name and baby, too" and Mae Ed
mond hurried to tell Mumsy about II
A smile and then a few tears, ant
a hug for little Anastasla Mae wal
orandma's means of telling them how