The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1922-11-24
Ma Peabody Takes
a Hand
By R REMINGTON


g 1922. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
Mrs. Hettie Peabody thrust the letter
back In her apron pocket and removed
her glasses. To a close observer 1t
could be see by the flush on her
cheeks and the nervous twitching of
her fingers that she was laboring I'M
der unwonted excitement. At supper
that evening her husband and son
We're knocked ~speechless by a com
monplace remark she made in what
she thought was a commonplace tone
Of voice:
Thlnkin' bout goin' down to New
ton" she said, gulping half a cup of
steaming coffee to hide her confusion.
The molasses jar slipped from Pa
Peabody's hand and spilled half its
sticky, %trickling contents on the red
tablecloth before it was rescued.
Thinkin' bout what, Maj" he
asked doubtfully.
why not, Pal" interrupted young
Peabody. "Why shouldn't she go?
It's only 80 miles and Ma hasn't been
that far from home since she was
married, I'll bet, and it's only eight
miles from here to the beach. l want
her TO see the ocean. It's great"
Mrs. Peabody cast a grateful glance
at her big son and went on with her
planning quite naturally.
Yes, | was thinkin' I'd visit with
Betty Compton, the little girl that
spent last summer at the C~renshaws'.
You remember she was gettln' over a
spell Of typhoid"
Visit with her, them millionaire
peoplel Why, she amt asked you,
has she?"
Il reckon / got the letter right in
my pocket now, and it's the third
she's written askin' me in the last
month. She used to come over here
most every day when you and ice
was out in the field, and we got to.
be particular good friends"
Sure, l remember her. She's a
pretty little trick" remarked Joe,
"and If she's asked you, ma, I'd Just
pick up and go. She'll give you a
good time"
i am going" said Mrs. Peabody,
her tone now quite confident. BE
sides, l got a little business to attend
to in town"
That was how 1t came about that
the following Monday the eastbound
express stopped at Clearview and
picked up a trembling, excited little
figure in black and hurried her to
the big seacoast town.
Don't forget to feed the settin'
hen in Dolly's STALL" she called back
as she waved a final good-by to her
son.
Settling herself in her seat, a little
feeling Of panic swept over her and
once more she wished that she had
not been quite so daring. Surprising
Betty should not meet her? Suppos-
ing one Of those rushing automobiles
should knock her down and kill her
and go rushing right along7 A city
was such a wicked place.
But all her anxiety was for moth
ing, for Betty did meet her, and In
stead Of her being knocked down and
u over by an automobile, she went
whizzing along the crowded streets in
n of the most magnificent, luxurl.
ously upholstered cars that she had
ever seen.
N.Y. Amt this finer she sighed,
leaning back comfortably, 81 never
viii be able to stand the old buck.
board again. Now tell me about
your trouble with your beau. honey.
] was that upset when l heard il I
Just made up my mind to come right
on to town SOS we could talk IL
over"
"Oh, it's dreadful, Mrs. Peabody.
It's all off. That's c'."
You mean you ain engaged to him
no mOre7"
The girl nodded In answer and tried
to check her ~quiverlng lip.
What come 'twixt you, Betty2" she
asked avoiding the young girls ewes.
We've quarreled over a trifle and
l got %furiously mad and told him I
didn't love him any more and threw
his ring on the floor and rushed out
OF the room, but not before | heard
him say; II that's the way you feel
there's nothing to be done--I accent
the inevitable"
"But you do love him, child. and
you know you do"
TITS too late to talk about that"
the girl eyaded
rs he that Henry Winthrop man
that's In the marble business you were
telling me about last Year,"
"Yes, we've been going together
ever since | was fifteen"
That was all that was said about
the matter then, but the little old lady
kept thinking It over. 1t was a shame
for a sweet little thing like Betty TO
break her own heart, to saw nothing
Of the nice young mans slmniv