The St. Charles herald., 1922-04-15
The Old Fashioned
Way
By MARGARET M. LUKES


Ing over and rocked contemplativel
back and forth as she waited for he
daughter to come back from the tele
phone.
who was that?" she asked sharpl
when Jerry finally came from the from
hall and slid with half a sigh into tn
rocking chair on the other side of tn,
cOzy open fire. Snowfakes were fly
ing in great beautiful swirls ant
making fantastic patterns on the livin;
room window. For a minute Jerry
watched as if she had not heard wha
her mother said. Then, bending hel
pretty blonde head over the blue sill
stockings she was mending, she an
swered:
1T was Jack, mother"
"What'd he have to say about the
dancer
"Said he wasn't sure Said all along
he was thinking it was another night
and now he doesn't know what to do
because some folks in Albany asked
him In to party You see,
mother, it does put him in a fix.
l."
keep still !" Mrs. Higgins voice
rang sharply through the living room.
"How long are you going to sit there
making excuses for Jack Crawford? !?
How many times does that make now
he's tried to disappoint you at the last
minute? Albany. Fiddlesticks! You're
good enough for him to come around
here every lasting Sunday night when
there's nothing else going on, notice."
But, mother" Jerry's voice, small
and meek, tried to interrupt. ""you
don't understand"
Understand! understand some
things all right. I understand he's
been hanging around here three years
now taking up all your time and keep
ing all the other boys away. It's
Albany now, is It. I'll tell you, when
was Z. girl there was none of your
dawdling around like that Humph-
party In the city!" Mrs. Higgins sewed
viciOusly.
Tears were very near the surface
Of Jerry's sweet. blue eyes. She had
to swallow hard before she spoke
''But, mother. 1t was different when
you were girl. That was the old
fashioned way. Jack likes me. I
know he does, only"
"Onfyl Thinks he's so fine" Mrs. |
Higgins poised her needle in midair.
There's other folks have friends in
Albany" she said.
Just then light step crunched on
the snow that Jay in small drifts on
the front porch. There was a pull at |
the bell and in a second Minnie |
Cooper, rosy and vigorous with the |
cold, burst In on them.
"Oh,s Mrs. Higgins" she cried, ''the |
hall for the dance looks beautiful. |
It's all those shiny kind Of icicles and |
we've got moon to hang over the
chandelier. 1 think we'll have the
best time tomorrow night It's the
incest dance the Knitting club ever
gave" She drew a new breath.
"Why weren't you down helping to
decorate, Jerry? I'll tell you what.
come down tonight. There's still lots
to be done. You and Jack come down
tonight"
For q moment there was perfect
silence in the room. Then Mrs. Hig-
gins cleared her throat and spoke in
offhand fashion,.
with Jack"
"Why. mother" Jerry put in with
while Minnie Cooper
stood there, wide-mouthed and speech
less in her surprise. Mrs. Higgins
might as well have said she and
Father Higgins were going to get a
divorce. For three long years the
little town Of Bristol had
never seen dainty. piquant SJerry In
the company Of any boy but the big,
Jack Crawford
.Now, then." Mrs. Higgins quickly
added. 'Pm not going to give away
your little secret. Least not all Of it.
I'll just tell one part. Jerry's going to
have new evening dress, Minnie
rye decided she can't wear this old
blue thing I've been fixing up" She
paused. "Jerry's going to have that
.ose one with the silver lace you may
rave seen In Sherack's window"
Now Minnie Cooper was not spite
Iul; she was not even a scandal
but 10 minutes after she
walked slowly. thoughtfully down the
Iteps of the Higgins front porch half
he young folks In Bristol knew what
drs. Higgins had told her.
In the meantime back in the dining
Dom. as she went methodically about
citing the tAbae. for supper, this ener-
,etic little woman was dealing with
he speechIess Jerry. In all Of Jerry's
years she had let other
.e0ple have their way. Perhaps that
the reason Jack Crawford, good
atured but pampered son Of the silk /,
all Crawfords, had never had quar-
el with her. Perhaps that was the
eason now that the twinkly eyed
,0ther was able to keep her plans from
er. She said mysteriously:
aYou've heard tell that your mother q
as friends In Albany. haven't your
FELL. maybe the friends have sons. e
'othing strange about that, Is there?' e
hen shaking her head at any further e
nestioning from poor bewildered Jerry
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