The Glenwood post., 1922-09-21


element in his home.
Me, too?" Monona's ardent hope,
her terrible fear were in her eye
brows her parted lips.
"You, too. certainly" Dwight could
not do enough for every one.
Monona clapped her hands. "Goody !!
goody! Last time you wouldn't let
me GO"
''That's why papa's going to take
you this time" Ina said
These ethical balances having been
nicely struck, Ina proposed another:
But" she said "but. you must eat
more supper or you cannot GO"
81 don't want any more" Monona's
look was honest and piteous.
Makes no difference. You must eat
or you'll get sick
"No!"
every well. then. No ice cream
soda for such little girl"
Monona began to cry quietly. But
she passed her plate. She ate, chew
ing high, and slowly.
"See? She can eat If she will eat"
Ina said to Dwight "The only trouble
is, she will not take the time"
"She don't put her mind on her
meals" Dwight Herbert diagnosed it,
"Oh, bigger bites than that!' he en-
couraged his little daughter.
DIS mind had been proceeding along
its own paths
"Are you going to take Jenny and
Bobby too?" she inquired.
Certainly. The whole party"
"Bobby'll want to pay for Jenny
and l."
ME. darling" said Ina patiently
punctilously-and less punctiliously
added: Nonsense. This is going to
be papa's little party"
''But we had the engagement with
Bobby. 1t was an engagement"
well" said Ina. 81 think we'll Just
set that aside-that important en-
gagement. | think we just will"
Papa. Boby'll want to be the one
to pay for Jenny and L"
"Diw Inas voice dominated all.
"Will you be more careful of your
grammar or shall I speak to you
again?"
"Well. I'd rather use bad grammar
an--than-than-" she looked re-
sentfully at her mother, her father
Their moral detection was evident to
her. but 1t was indefinable They told
her that she ought to be ashamed
when papa wanted to give them all a
treat. She sat silent, frOwning. put
upon.
IL soI
swallowing third of an egg at one
impulse. Ina saw only the empty
plate.
Mammals nice little grill" cried
she. shining upon her child.
The rules of the ordinary sports ct
the playground, scrupulously applied,
would have clarified the ethical at
mosphere of this little family. But
there was no one to apply them.
When ri and Monona had been ex-
cused. Dwight asked:
Nothing new from the bride and
groom?"
mo. And, Dwight. it's been a week
since the last"
"See-where are they then?"
He knew perfectly well that they
were in Savannah, Georgia. but Ina
played his game, told him, and retold
bits that the letter had said.
81 don't understand" she added.
"why they should go straight to Ore
gon without coming here first"
Dwight hazarded that Mn probably
had to get back, and shone pleasantly
in the reflected Importance of a
brother filed with affairs.
81 don't know what to make of Lu-
LUIS letters" Ina proceeded. They're
$3.50"
"You haven't had but two, have
you:"
That's all-well, of course it's only
been month. But both letters have
been So"
Ina was never really articulate.
Whatever corner of her brain had the
blood in 1t at the moment seemed to
| be operative. and she let the matter
90 at that.
| 81 don't think It's fair to mamma
going off that way. Leaving her own
mother. Why, she may never see
mamma again" Ina's breath caught
Into her face came something of the
lovely tenderness with which she
sometimes looked at Monona and Di
She sprang up. She had forgotten to
put some supper to warm for
mamma. The lovely light was still
In her face as she hustled about
against the time Of mammals recovery
from her tantrim. Dwlght's face was
like this when he spoke of his foster
mother. In both these beings there
was something which functioned a,
pure love.
, Mamma had recovered and was eat
ing cold scrambled eggs on the corner
Of the kitchen table when the ict
cream soda party was ready to sci
out. Dwight threw her casual BET
ter come, too, Mother Bett," but she
shook her hend. She wished to go
wished II wirh violence. but she cpI
trivcd to give to her arbitrary refusa
u quAlity Of contempt. When Jenn!