Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-12-28

wv HEN her son Hugh wrote
w that he was going to mar
ry a stenographer in the
office where he worked, and then,
few days later, wrote again
to say that he had married her,
Nancy Oliver felt as if her hitherto
happy little world were crumbling
to pieces about her. While the agony
was still new she could scarcely
speak of it to her husband, though
she was sure he would understand.
Owen Oliver was one of those men
who did understand.
"Now, mother" he said. 'patting
her shoulder, you must get used
to this. No use in your cutting up.
now the thing is done. The boy
knew what he wanted and as for
his not wanting to show her off to
us before he married her-why, l
don't see any harm in that. There's
nothing wrong about the girl, I'm
certain"
Nothing wrong, but, oh, SO much
that may not be right" moaned
Nancy. There she stopped, for after
all Elinor was Owens daughter now,
and he must not be prejudiced
against her. But she thought to her
self drearily, Il never dreamed that
nay son would choose that kind Of
girl for his Wife-a stenographer
who probably puts every cent she
that such things as custard pies
just happen. 1 shall bear it, of
course, but it's hard" she finished.
Hugh had supplemented his last
letter with another following imme-
diately in which he said that he and
Elinor were going right to house
keeping. I'll bring her home just
as soon as they'll let me have a few
days off at the office. Then you'll
see why 1 couldn't resist her. She's
so beautiful and good and fine. It's
an education to love her. I don't see
yet how she ever let me do it. !
wish I had her picture to send you,
but she never has any taken"
All this did not console Nancy. 1t
was evidently a clear case of propin-
guilty, and Hugh, country bred and
Two
tie blonde simpleton with an out
rageous taste in dress and no edu.
cation outside her fingers. One could
not imagine those slim, flexible fin
gers beating cake or washing dishes.
But the worst part of the whole
thing for Nancy was the inward
borne conviction that she had failed
in providing her son with judgment
and discretion. This was almost
worse than the fact that he had
spoiled her loving confidence in him
and wrought disappointment in her
by not marrying the girl she had
fondly hoped he would marry. Lefty
Spicer was not only a great beauty
of the genuine sort, but a wonderful
personality besides.
Letty's eauty and predominance
were things which Nancy admired
all the more because she did not
have them herself. But Nancy had
all the markings Of a good mother
and a good wife. She had been g
poor girl when Owen Oliver married
her, and he had nothing but his sal
ary. But since then he had pro
crossed until now they could have
anything they wanted that was
within reason. Nancy could AFFORD
nice clothes, and she had them, ant
what was more, managed to look
well in them. She always had trlet
to keep her figure and her feet anc
her hands we'll cared for. When sht
went out with Hugh she liked hin
to feel that his mother was equa
to any other boys mother, and wher
he asked his comrades to the house
she wanted the house to convey jus
the right impression of home ant
comfort. She read things that dit
not interest her, but which sh'
thought might interest Hugh.
In spite of all this Hugh had neVe
. seemed to appreciate much of al
she did and strove to be. She wa
just mother, his mother, somebod!
he was sure of all the time. L
troubled her sometimes even nov
to think that he might be a little
disappointed in her. When he ha'
gone to work in the city she hat
honed his heart might grow fonde
toward Lefty Spicer. But instead II