The Nevada County picayune., 1922-05-11
AEKQMARY;azA @&&MARIE2TW ELEANOR H. PORTER
 ILLUSTRATIONS BY
 RH.UVINGSTONE. =  (Copyrsht by ELEANOR H. PORTER)
ILLUSTRATIONS BY RH.UVINGSTONE.
(Copyrisht by ELEANOR H. PORTER)

 as they used to do in Boston. But of course il can't be for the same reason here. for they've known all along about the divorce and haven't minded it at all.
 heard this morning that Stella Mayhew had party last night But l didn't get invited. Of course, you cant always ask everybody to your parties, but this was a real big party, and l haven't found girl in school, l guess it wasn't anything, after all. Stella is a new girl that has come here to live since l went away. Her folks are rich, and shes very popular, and of course she has loads of friends she had to invite; and she doesn't know me very we'll Probably that was il. And maybe l just imagine t about the other girls too. Perhaps it's the brown serge dress. Still, it can't be that, for this is the first day I've worn it. But. as said. l feel Maryish al ready.
 1 haven't dared to touch the piano since that night week ago, only once when Aunt Jane was at a missionary meeting, and l knew Father was over to the college But didn't 1 have good time then? just guess did
 Aunt Jane doesn't care for music. Besides, it's noisy she says, and would l ,,rh n T. to keep on with my music lessons here. She's going to teach me to sew in- stead She says sewing is much more sensible and useful.
 Sensible and useful l wonder how many times I've heard those words since I've been here. And durable, too. And nourishing. That's another word. Honestly, Marie is getting aw- fully tired of Mary's sensible sewing and dusting, and her durable clumpy shoes and stutfy dresses, and her Dour- ishing oatmeal and whose-wheat bread. But there, what can you do! I'm trying to remember that it's diffeg- ent anyway. and that I said l liked something dlleTeht
 I don't see much of Father. Still, there's something kind of queer about 1t. after all. He only speaks to me about twice day--just "Go0d-mQrn- ing, Mary" and Goodnight" And so far as most of his actions age con cerned you wouldn't think by them that he knew I was in the house. Yet, over and over again at the table, and at times when l didn't even know he WAS round. I've found him watching me. and with such queer, funny look in his eyes. Tben. very quickly al- ways. he looks right away.
 But last night he didn't. And that's especially what I wanted to write about today. And this is the way 1t happened:
 It was after supper, and l had gone into the library. Father had gone out to he observatory as usual, and Aunt Jane had gone upstairs to her room as usual, and as usual was wandering round looking for something to do. l wanted to play on the piano, but l didn't dare to--not with all those dead hair and waxfower folks In the parlor watching me, and the chance or Fathers coming in as he did before.
 was standing in the window star ing out at nothing-it wasn't quite dark yet-when again had thai queer feeling that somebody was looking at me. l turned-and there was father' He had come in and was sitting m the big chair by the table. But thls 'lihe he didn't look right away as usual and give me chance to slip quietly out of the room, as I always had before. Instead he said
 What are you doing there, Mary!
 "Nnothing Father frowned ana bitched in his chair Father always bitches in his chair when he's irritat- cd and nervous. You can't be doihg nothing. Nobody but a dead man does nothing-and we aren't so sure about him. What are you doing, Mary
 Just Hooking out the window,
 "Cmne here. l want to talk to you.
 "Yes, Father
 went. of course at once, and sat down in the cbair near him. He hitched again in his seat.
 why don't you do something-read. sa,v knitPn he demanded "Why do l always find you moping around, doing nothingf'
 Just like that he said 1t; and whTa ba had inst told me-