The Jasper news., 1922-10-19
Copyright BY Eleanor H. Porter
CHAPTER Ix-cOptinued.
By Eleanor H. Porter

Then she spoke of me, of my child
hood, and her voice began to culver.
You can see things SO much more
clearly when you stand OF at dis
tance like this, you know. than you
can when you are close to them
She broke down and cried when she
spoke Of the divorce, and Of the influ-
ence 1t had upon me, and Of the false
idea of marriage 1t gave me. She said
II was the worst kind of thing for me
the sort Of life 1 had to live. She said
grew pert and precJcious and worldly
wise. and full Of servants talk and
ideas. She even spoke Of that night
at the little cafe table when gloried
In the sparkle and spangles and told
her that now we were seeing life-real
life. And of how shocked she was.
and of how she cav ther what this
thing was doing to me. But II was, 100
late.
She told more, much more, about the
later years, and the reconciliation:
then. some way. she brought things
around to Jerry and me. Her faSe
flushed up then. and she didn't meet
my eyes. She looked down at her sew
ing. She was very busy turning a hem
just so.
She said there had been time,
once. when she had worried a little
about Jerry and me. for fear we would
separate. She said that she believed
that, for her, that would have been the
very b.ackest moment {, her life: for
1t would he her fault, all her fault.
l tried to break In here, and say.
'No. no." and that It wasn't her fault !;
hut she shook her head and wouldn't
| listen, and she lifted her hand, and |
had to keep still and let her go on talk
ing. She was looking straight into my
eyes then, and there was such deep,
deep hurt In them that Just had to
| listen.
She said again that II would he her
fault; that IL / had done that she
would have known that II was all be-
cause OF the example she herself had
set Inc OF childish willfulness and self
ish seeking of personal happiness at
the expense of everything and every
body else. And she said that that
would have been the lust straw to
break her heart.
But she declared that she was sure
now that she need not worry. Such a
thing would never be.
| guess l gasped little at this. Any
how, know / tried to break In and
tell her that we were going to sepa-
rate, and that that was exactly what
had come Into the room in the first
place to say.
But again she kept right on talking
and was sllenced before had even
begun.
She said how she knew It could
never be--on account of Eunlce. That
l would never subject my little girl "a
the sort of wretchedly divided life that
l had to live when was q child.
CAS- she spoke was suddenly back
in the cobwebby attic with little Mary's
diary, and thOught-what II II were
Eunice-writing thatO
She said l was the most devoted
mother she had ever known; that
was too devoted, she feared sometimes
for / made Eunice all my world. 10 the
exclusion of Jerry and everything and
everybody else. But that she was very
sure, because l was so devoted. anC
loved Eunice SO dearly. that ! would
never deprive her OF fathers love
and care.
shivered q little, and looked quick
ly into Mothers face. But she was moi
looking at me. was thinking OF how
Jerry had kissed and kissed Eunlce .
month ago. when we came away. as Il
he Just couldn't let her CO. Jerry /,
fond of Eunice. now that she's ole
enough to know something. and Eunic,
adores her father. knew that par
was going to be hard. And now 4
have Mother put 1t like that
began to talk then OF Jerry. JUS
felt tha. I'd got to say something. Tha
Mother must listen. That she didn'
understand. told her how Jerrl
loved lights and music Rnd dancing
and crowds bowling down and worship
Ing him all the time. And she said yes
she remembered; that he'd been tina
way when | married him.
She spoke so sort OF queerly tina
again ] glanced at her; but she stil
was locking down at the hem she wal
turning.
/ went on then to explain that
didn't like such things; that be
lieved tnat there were deeper anC
higher things. and things more WORT
while. And she said yes. she was glad
and that that was going to be my saw
ing grace; for. OF course. realize,
that there couldn't be anything deepe
or higher or mose worth while thar