The Nevada County picayune., 1922-08-03

and, "good-by." But he still held my hand tight, and his eyes were still rov- ing all over the house. And I had to tell him again that I really had to go: and l had to pull real determined at my hand, before I could break away.
 l went back to Mother then. The hall was almost empty and she wasn't anywhere in sight at all; but I found her just outside the door, I 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.
 Her face was still pinky-white, and her eyes were shining; and she wanted to know everything we had said everything. So she found out, of course, that he had asked if she was there. But she didn't say anything her self, not anything.
 In the afternoon l went to walk with one of the girls and when I came in 1 couldnt find Mother. She wasn't anywhere downstairs, nor in her room,
  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.
 1 went upstairs then, another flight. There wasn't anywhere else to go, and Mother must be somewhere, of course. And It seemed suddenly to me as if I'd just got to find her. l wanted her so.
 And 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 l exclaimed out and ran over to her, l found she was sitting beside an old trunk that was open; and across her lap was perfectly lovely pale-blue satin dress all trimmed with silver lace that had grown black. And Mother was crying and crying as if her heart would break.
 Of course, I tried and tried to stop her. and begged her to tell me what was the matter. But I couldn't do thing, not thing. not for long time Then I happened to say what lovely dress, only what pity 1t was that the lace was all black.
 She gave a little choking cry then and began to talk-uttle short sen- tences all choked up with sobs, so that I could hardly tell what she was talk. ing about, Then, little by little, be gan to understand.
 She said yes, it 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 riage. and Fathers life, and mine everything was tarnished just like that silver lace on that dress. And she had done it by her thoughtless selfishness and lack of self-discipline.
 And when I tried and tried to tell her no, 1t wasn't, and that didn't feel tarnished 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 at the big reception where she first met Father. And she was so proud and happy when Father and he was fine and splendid and handsome then, too, she said-singled her out. and just couldn't seem to stay away from her minute all the eve hing. And then four days later he asked her to marry him; and she wsa still more proud and happy
 And she said their married life, when they started out, WAS just like that beautiful dress, all shining and spot less and perfect; but that It wasn't two months before little bit of tar nish appeared, and then another and another.
 She said she was selfish and wfilful and exacting, and wanted Father all to herself and she didn't stop to think that he had his work to do, and his place to make in the world; and that all of living, to him, wasn't just in be- ing married to her. and attending to her every whim. She said she could see it all now, but that she couldn't then. she was too young, and undis- ciplined. and she'd never been denied a thing in the world she wanted.
 She said things went on worse and worse-and it was all her fault. She grew sour and cross and disagreeable' She could see now that she did. But she did not realize at all then what she was doing. She was just thinking of herself-always herself; her rights, her wrongs, her hurt feelings, heT wants and wishes. She never once thought that he had rights and wrongs and hurt feelings, maybe.
 La rnnra-Nh ever so