The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-06-21

through the large, Old-fashioned IONS
Father and mother took to sitting In
the dining room evenings. Today each
knew that a climax was at hand.
"Say, mother" 1t was father who
began 1t. Cant you think of anything
besides that kitchen? Seems to me,
after all these years you might have
something else to talk about"
"You aren't particularly interesting
yourself, pa, going to and fro the way
you do all day. l should think you
might"
NOW, Sally, don't I turn down Pine
street instead Of Chestnut every other
day to make varietyY He brought a
sudden fist to the table. "The trouble
with us Is, we've got into a rutl We've
thought Of nothing but those children,
and now they want their own homes.
They don't want to sit every day at
our table, listening to our pressing, or
helping with your dishes; no, Dot
wants dishes Of her own We thought
Tom would always live with us in this
big house, but they went off this way
to sort Of break the shock. Well, as
far as I'm concerned, It's broken. When
Tom and Dorothy come back, they are
going TO their own home"
Mother Bateman sat down before
the plano after a hasty glance owe
her shoulder, then rose to shut the
hall door, glad no one could see how
foolish she was. Then she sat on the
old stool, and her fingers found the
notes Of Robins Return" She stopped,
a little scandalized at these old mem-
cries, and took up a modern piece Of
music left there by Dorothy. She tried
q few bars; 1t wasn't so impossible.
II believe I'll take 1t up again." she
thought, and went about her work with
new courage.
A daring thought struck her. Tom
was the only son within miles. Those
children OF hers had startled her al
most as much by their wide flights in
search Of fortune. as ducklings startle
n mother hen.
Fred's room, for instance. Fred was
in China. A revolutionary Idea oc-
cured to her why keep things as they
had always been? There was pioneer
spirit In Mother Bateman, but she had
been too busy TO give 1t a hearing.
When pa came home to dinner, Moth
er Bateman seemed eager and excited.
"What's happened, ma? Somebody
left you n fortuneT
She laughed. mo. pa, I just had a
sudden Idea"
Goodness gracious, Sally, 1t must
be some idea TO make your eyes shine
like that"
"Ig isn't; we'd ought to have thought
OF II long ago. How long are those
children going to be gone? Two weeks
moreg Well, Jim, / was looking the
house over and II seems to me It would
take mighty little fixing to make up
stairs into a first rate little apartment.
all by itself. jim, let's do II, and have
II ready when they come home.
Jim looked at his wife with new In
terest. "Sally," he said, you're a Won
der I IN speak to Brown and Rogers
on my way down town.,
There was plenty TO talk about dur
Ing the next ten days and two animat-
cd "old folks met Tom and his wife
Mt the station. 1t was the young folks
who seemed splritless.
"well," said pa, II suppose you chill.
dren viii 20 house hunting first thing"
ooh. | don't know" Tom spoke with
resignation. dot and | were reading
nds all the way down, and there isn't
n thing where we want to live. l guess
well settle down with you; hey, moth.
err"
"well," said Mother Bateman, doubt.
fully. even see; there's an apart
ment on our street, separate front door
and electricity, for a pretty reason
able sum-. I'd have more time II you
children were out Of the way"
Tom looked at her in establishment
He had never heard her talk Ike thnt
before. But they were stopping at the
door. and nothing could be said or
done until they were safely in the
house.
"why WHY'S this where the apart
ment isl" For where there had been
one front door, two stood In friendly RI
valry, waiting for the touch Of the
proper key.
pad" cried Tom, ~ wished-I-the
old housel Come on, Dot, we can cx-
plore later; let's carry mother in ia
supper"
with quick understanding they made
n chair and picked up the flushed little
lady, whose hair was silver under her
hat.
queen Bee" they said, 'let MS wait
on YOU this once, and tomorrow we
|. shall invite you to u own little home
BE sure and ring the belll Now, then.
hurrah, for the best parents two people
ever hadl"
Skilled In school cheering, the IRE.
a. ... odd. .a.a IA ..lth a