The Jasper news., 1922-09-14
CHAPTER VIIl-continued.


lie saw me. And, oh, how did love
the look that came to his face; it was
so surpri ed and glad, and said, "Oh |!
Your in such a perfectly lovely way
that / choked all up and wanted to
cry. CThe idea cry when l was so
glad to see him y
The next minute he had drawn me
out of the line, and we were both talk
ing at once, and telling eac.l other how
glad we were to see each other.
But he was looking for Mother-I
know he was; for the next minute hft-
er he saw me, ne looked right over my
head at the woman back of me. And
all the while lie was talking with me,
his eyes woulA look Mt me and then
leap as swift as lightning first here,
and then there all over the hall. But
he didn't see her. l knew he didn't
see her, by the look on his face. And
And then he said:
Your mother-perhaps she didn't
did she Gomez" And his face grew all
red and rosy as he asked the question.
And l said yes, and she was waiting,
and that was why ! had to go back
right away.
And he said, "Yes, yes, to be sure"
and, "gor 1-by." But he still held my
hand tight, and his eyes were still row.
ing all over the house. And l had to
tell him again that really had to go ;
and l had to pull real determined at
my hand. efore could break away.
/ went back to Mother then. The
{hall was almost empty, and she wasn't
anywhere In sight at all but found
her just outside the door. knew then
why Fathers face showed that he
hadn't found her. She wasn't there to
find. l suspect she had looked out for
that.
In the afternoon went to walk with
one of the girls; and when l came In
/ couldn't find Mother. She wasn't
anywhere downstairs, nor in her room,
nor mine, nor anywhere else on that
floor Aunt Hattie said no, she wasn't
out, but that she was sure she didn't
know where she was. She must be
somewhere in the house.
I went upstairs then, another flight
There wasn't anywhere else to 20, and
Mother must be somewhere, of course
And 1t seemed suddenly to me as II
I'd just got to find her. / wanted
her so.
And l found her.
In the little back room where Aunt
Hattie keeps her trunks and mothball
bags, Mother was on the floor In the
corner crying And when exclaimed
out and ran over to her. l found she
was sitting beside an old trunk that
was open; and across her lap was a
perfectly lovely pale-blue satin dress
all trimmed with silver lace that had
grown black. And Mother was crying
and crying as II her heart would break.
OF course, tried and tried to stop
her, and l begged her to tell me what
was the matter. But l couldn't do a
thing, not thing, not for long time.
Then l happened to say what lovely
dress, only what pity II was that the
lace was all black.
She said yes, 1t was all black-tar-
nished and that 1t was just like every
thing that she had had anything to do
!with-tarnished; her life and her mar.
rlage, and Fathers lire, and mine
everything was furnished, just like that
silver lace on that dress. And she had
done 1t by her thoughtless selflshness
and lack of sefdiscipline.
And wheh l tried and tried to tell
her no, 1t wasn't, and that l didn't
feel furnished bit, and that she
wasn't, nor Father either, she only
cried all the more and shook her head
and began again, all chOked up.
She said this little dress was the
one she wore Mt the big reception
where she first met Father. And she
was so proud and happy when Father
and he was fine and splendid ant
handsome then, too, she said-singleI
her out, and just couldn't seem to sta!
away from her a minute all the eve
ming And then four days later h,
asked her to marry him; and she wa
still more proud and happy.
And she said their married life, whel
they started out, was just like TIM
beautiful dress. all shining and spot
less and perfect; but that 1t WASH
two months before a little bit of tar
nish appeared, and then another an
another.
She said things went on worse an
worse-and II was all her fault. Sh
grew sour and cross and dlsagreeabl'