The L'Anse sentinel., 1922-11-08
Ma Peabody Takes
a Hand
Iy CORONA REMINGTON

her glasses. To close observer IL
could be seen by the flush on her
cheeks and the nervous twitching of
her fingers that she was laborlng un-
der unwonted excitement. At supper
that evening her husband and son
were knocked speechless by com
monplace remark she made In what
she thought was a commonplace tone
Of voice:
"Thinkin' bout goin' down to New
ton," she said, gulplng half 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
tnblecloth before 1t was rescued.
'Thlnkln' bout what Mar" he
asked doubtfulfy.
"Why not, Pal" interrupted young
Peabody. "Why shouldn't she go?
It's only 35 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. want
her to see the ocean. It's great"
Mrs. Peabody cast a grateful glance
mt her big son and went on with her
planning quite naturally.
"Yes, | was thlnkin' I'd visit with
Betty Compton, the little girl that
spent last summer at the Crenshaws'.
You remember she was gettin' over a
spell OF typhoid"
Visit with her. them millionaire
people! Why. she amt asked you,
has she?"
81 reckon I got the letter right in
my pocket now, and it's the third
she's written askln' me In the last
month. She used, 10 come over here
most every day when you and Joe
was out in the field, and we got to
be partlc'lar good friends"
"Sure, remember her. She's a
pretty little trick" remarked Joe,
"and II she's asked you, ma, I'd just
pick up and go. She'll give you a
good time"
II am going" said Mrs. Peabody.
her tone now quite confident. BE
sides, got little business to attend
10 in town."
That was how II 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 settln'
hen in Dollys STALL" she called back
as she waved final goodby 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. Supposing
Betty should not meet her? Suppos-
Ing one of those rushing automobiles
should knock her down and kill her
and 60 rushing right along? 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
run over by an automobile, she went
whizzing along the crowded streets in
one Of the most magnificent, luxuri-
Ously upholstered cars that she had
ever seen.
MY! Amt this fine?" she sighed,
leaning back comfortably. 81 never
will be able to stand the old buck.
board again. Now tell me about
your trouble with your beau, honey.
i was that upset when l heard 1t
Just made up my mind to come right
on to town SOS we could talk II
over"
"Oh, it's dreadful, Mrs. Peabody.
It's all off. That's all"
"You mean you amt engaged to him
no moreY"
The girl nodded in answer and tried
20 check her Quivering lip.
"What come 'twixt you, Betty?" she
asked, avoiding the young girls eyes.
'We-we quarreled over trifle and
got furlously mad and told him |
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: If that's the way you feel
there's nothing to be done-I accept
the inevitable"
"But you do love him, child, and
you know you do"
.lts too late to talk about that"
the girl evaded.
"Is 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 l was fifteen"
That was all that was said about
the matter then, but the little old lady
kept thinking It over. II was shame
for sweet little thing like Betty to
break her own heart, to say nothing
of the nice young mans, simply be-
cause she was as proud as Lucifer
and had pretty unruly temper.
When she had been In Newton some
three or four days Mrs. Peabody de-
cided to go on shopping expedition
all by herself; but she would return
In time to have lunch with Betty, she
promised. Betty's car was at her dis
posal, and Mrs. Peabody felt very
much like millionaire herself as she