The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1922-04-20
THE NEW HOME

by ADA BORDEN STEVENS


at each other across the dining table
set for two. Just SO they had looked
for three weeks, ever since Tom and
Dorothy had left on a long trip. Even
with the other children gone, it had
not been so lonesome while Tom and
his wife were in the house. There was
young life and laughter, and four to
exchange experiences at every meal
Dinner never had been dull, then
Even Mother Bateman's broken teacup
seemed important with Dot to sym
pathize.
Since their departure echoes rang
through the large, old-fashloned rooms,
Father and mother took to sitting in
the dining room evenings, Today each
knew that climax was at hand.
Say, Mother 1t was father who
began it. Cant YOU think of anything
besides that Kitchen? Seems to me-
after all these years You might have
something else to talk about"
you aren't particularly interesting
yourself. pa. going to and fro the way
you do all day. l should think you
might"
Now, Sally. don't turn down Pine
street instead of Chestnut every OTTER
day to make varietyf" He brought a
sudden fist to the table. "rhe trouble
with us is, we've got into n rut ! We've
thought of nothing but those children,
and now they want their own homes.
They don't want to sit every day at
our table, listening to our pressing, or
helping With your dishes; no. Dot
wants dishes of her own. We thought
Tom would always live with us In this
big house, but they went off this way
to sort of break the shock. Well, as
far as I'm concerned it's broken. When
Tom and Dorothy come back, they are
going to their own homel"
Mother Bateman sat down before
the piano after hasty glance over
her shoulder, then rose to shut TN
hall door, glad no one could see low
foolish she was. Then she sat on tn.
old stool, and her fingers found the
notes of Robins Return" She stopped,
a liAiC SNulluillLCu at litSf OiNl ItCiu-
cries, and took up a modern piece of
music left there by Dorothy. She tried
a few bars; 1t wasn't so impossible
81 believe I'll take it up again." she
thought, and went about her work with
new courage.
daring thought struck her. Tom
was the only son within miles. Those
children of hers had startled her al
most as much by their wide flights In
search Of fortune, as ducklings startle
a mother hen.
Fred's room, for instance. Fred was
in China. A revolutionary idea oc-
cured to her; why keep things as they
had always been? There was pioneer
spirit in Mother Bateman, but she had
been too busy to give it a hearing,
When pa came home to dinner, Moth
er Bateman seemed eager and excited
"What's happened, ma? Somebody
left you fortune?'
She laughed mo. pa, I just had Il
sudden idea.p
Goodness gracious, Sally it must
Dt SOillt itiNu W aVui ~ SAilhN
like that"
at isn't; we'd ought to have thought
of 1t long ago. How long are those
children going to be gone? Two weeks
more? Well, JIM l was looking the
house over and it seems to me it would
take mighty little fixing to make up
stairs into first rate little apartment
all by itself Jim, let's do it, and have
1t ready when they come home.
Jim looked at his wife with new In.
terest sally" he said, you're won
der I'll speak to Brown and Rogers
on my way down town.,
There was plenty to talk about dur
ing the next ten days and two animat-
ed "old folks" met Tom and his wife
at the station. 1t was the young folks
who seemed spiritless.
"Well," said pa, Il suppose you chill
dren will go house haunting first thing"
ooh, don't know" Tom spoke with
resignation. dot and ! were reading
ads all the way down, and there isn't
a thing where we want to live. guess
We'll settle down with you; hey, moth
err"
"Well," said Mother Bateman, doubt
fully. "Well see; there's an apart
ment on our street, separate front door
and electricity, for pretty reason
able sum- I'd have more time if you
children were out of the way"
Tom looked Mt her in establishment.
He had never heard her talk like that
before But they were stopping at the
door, and nothing could be said or
done until they were safely in the
house
"Why, WHY'S this where the apart
ment isl" For where there had been
one front door, two stood in friendly ri
valry, waiting for the touch of the
proper key.
dad" cried Tom, 81 wished-I--the
old housel Come on, Dot, we can eK-
plore later; let's carry mother in to
supper"
With quick understanding they made
a chair and picked up the fAshed little
lady, whose hair was silver under her
hat.
"Queen Bee they said, "let US walt
on you this once, and tomorrow we
shall invite you to our own little home.
BE sure and ring the bell Now, then,
hurrah, for the best parents two people
ever had !"
Skilled in school cheering, the ire
pressible young people gave it with a
will.
Got 'Em All Worried.
"Pa's sick in bed"
''That so? Is your mother worrledT