The Holbrook news., 1922-05-12


 there-how much of all that awful singing and banging he had heard.
 "Yes. sir" tried not to have my voice shake as said 1t; but l couldn't quite help that.
 What is the meaning of this. Mary? Why are you crying?"
 shook my head I didn't want to tell him. of course; so l just stam- mered out something about being sorry l had disturbed him. Then l edged toward the door to show him that if he would step one side I would go away at once and not bother him any longer.
 But he didn't step one side. He asked more questions. one right after another.
 Are yca sick, Nary?'
 l shook my head.
 Did you hurt yourself:" l shook my head again.
 "It isn't-your mother-yOu haven't mad bad news from her:"
 And then l blurted it out without thinking-without thinking at all what I was saying: No. no-but I wish l had wish had; Cause then l could go iO her, and go away from here" The minute I'd said it knew what I'd said, and how awful il sounded; and clapped my fingers to my lips. But | was loo late. It's always too late. when you've once said it. So I just waited for him to thunder out his anger; for. of course. l thought he would thunder in rage and righteous indignation.
 But he didn't. Instead, very quietly and gently he said:
 Are you so unhappy, then. Mary here:"
 And l looked at him. and his eyes and his mouth and his whole face weren't angry al all. They were just sorry. actually sorry. And somehow. before l knew it. I was crying again. and Father. with his arm around me with his arm around me, think of that was leading me to the sofa. And cried and cried there. with my head on the arm of the sofa. till Id made n big tear spot on the linen cover: and l wondered If 1t would dry up before Aunt Jane saw it. pr If It would change color or leak through tn the red plush underneath. or some other dreadful thing. And then. some way. l found myself telling il all over to Father-about Mary and Marie. l mean. just as if he was Mother. pr some one l loved-I mean. some one l loved and wasn't afraid of; for of course I love Father of course do.
 Well. l told him everything (when l got started there was no stoppins)- all about how hard 1t was to be Mary. and how today had tried to he Marie for just little while. io rest me. He interrupted here and wanted to know if that was why l looked so different today-more as l had when l first came and I said yes. that these were Marie things that Mary couldn't wear. And when he asked. Why, pray:" In voice almost cross, l told him. of course. ulat Aunt Jane wouldn't let me; that Mary had to wear brown serge and calfskin boots that were durable, and that would wear well.
 And when l told him how sorry l was about the music and such noise as I'd been making. he asked if that was Marie's fault. too; and said yes. of course-that Aunt Jane didn't like to lave Mary play at all, except hymns and funeral marches, and Mary didn't know any. And he grunted q queer little grunt, and said. Well. well, upon my soul, upon my soul v Then he said. Go On." And 1 did go OH.
 l told him how I was afraid it was going to be just like Dr. Jekyll and Mir. Hyde q forgot to say I've read il now. l found it in Fathers library.) of course not just like ii, only one of me was going to be bad. and one good. was afraid. If I didn't look out. P l kick up rugs and move the chairs out of their sockets in the carpet. and leave books around handy, and such things. And so today ii seemed aS if I'd just got to have q vacation from Mary's hot ginsham dresses and clumsy shoes. And l told him how lonesome l was without anybody, not anybody; and l told about Charlie Smith and Paul Mayhew and Mir. Claude Livingstone. and how Aunt Jane wouldn't let me have them, either, even if l was standing where thf. brupk and riyar meet
 Father gave another funny little grunt here. and got up suddenly and walked over to the window. l thought at first he was angry: but he wasn't. He was even more gentle when he came back and sat down again. and he seemed interested, very much inter- ested in everything I told him. But l stopped just in time from saying again how l wished I could ga back to Bos- ton: but I'm not sure but he knew was going to say il.
 But he was very nice and kind and told me not to worry about the music that he didn't mind il at all. He'd been In several times and heard It. And l thought almost. by the way he spoke. that he'd come in on purpose to hear 1t: hut I guess that was mis- take. He just put it that way so l wouldn't worry over it-about Its hothering him. mean.
 He was going to say more, maybe; but don't know. l had to run. heard Aunt Jane's voice on the piaZZa saving yopu -hN tu the lnuV fh.r h.