The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-05-19
Mary
Marie
Best story ecer leritfen By
ELEANOR III. PORTER
Author Al
"Psllvanna. Just Daeid."
"Dawn, etc.

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 fight.
There wasn't anywhere else to go, and
Mother must be somewhere, of course.
And 1t seemed suddenly to me as If
I'd Just got to find her. l wanted
her 30.
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 / exclaimed
out and ran over to her, / found she
was sitting beside an old trunk that
was open and across her lap was a
perfectly lovely palS-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, l tried and tried to stop
her, and I begged her to tell me what
was the matter. Butt couldn't do a
thing. not thing. not for a long time
Then 1 happened to say what lovely
dress, only what pity twas that the
lace was all black.
She gave a little choking cry then
and began to talk-little short sen
fences all choked up with sobs, so that
I could hardly tell what she was talk
Ing about, Then, little by little, l be
gan to understand.
She said yes, 1t was all black-tar
nished and that 1t was just like every
thing that she had had anything to dc
with-tarnished her life and her mar
Rage, and Fathers life, and mine
everything was furnished. just like that
done II by her thoughtless selfishness
and lack Of self-discipline.
And when / tried and tried to tell
her no, 1t wasn't, and that | didn't
feel furnished bit, and that she
wasn't, nor Father either, she only
cried oil the more, and shook her head
and began again, all choked up.
She said this little dress was the
enc she wore at the big reception
where she first met Father. And she
was 60 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 q minute all the eve
MiAR. And then four days later be
asked her to marry him; and she was
stu 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 a little bit of tar
nish appeared, and then another and
another.
She said she was selfish and willful
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 within. She said she could
see II all now, but that she couldn't
then, she was too young, and undis-
ciplined, and she'd never been denied
q 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, her
wants and wishes. She never once
thought that he had rights and
wrongs and hurt feelings, maybe.
She said a lot more-oh, ever so
much more; but l can't remember it
all. I know that she went on to say
that by and by the tarnish began to
dim the brightness of my life. too
and that was the worst of ALL she
said-that innocent children should
suffer, and their young lives be spoiled
b. the kind of living I'd had to have,
with this wretched makeshift of d.
vided home. She began to cry again
then, and begged me TO forgive her
and cried and tried to tell her I didn't
mind It; but, of course, I'm Older now,
and know I do mind 1t. though I'm try
ing just as hard as | can not TO be
Mary when I ought to be Marie, or
Marie when l ought to be Mary. Only
/ get all mixed up so, lately. and
said 50. and | guess cried some more
Mother jumped up then, and said
"Tut, tut" what was she thinking OF
60 talk like this when 1t couldn't dc
O bit Of good. but only made matters
worse And she said that only went tC
prove how she was still keeping or
furnishing my happiness and bringing
tears to my bright eyes, when certain
~ nothing Of the whole wretched bust
Aess was my fault.
She thrust the dress back into the
trunk then, and shut the lid. AnC
she began to talk and laugh and tel
stories, and ne garer and jollier thar
I'd seen her for ever so long. AnC
she was that way at dinner, too. unit
Grandfather happened TO mention thu
reception tomorrow night, and ask L
she was going.
She flushed up red then. IN, so red
and said Certainly not" Then Sh'
added quick. with funny little draw
ing-in of her breath. that she shoult
Lot Marie go, though. with her Aun
Hattie. 1t was the only chance Fa
thsr would have to see me, and sh
DIDN'T feel that she had any right t
Aaprive him of that privilege. and sh