The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1922-06-29

IOuuu tOOkltk lOh ~ 10. 4
wanted to play on the plano. but
didn't dare to-nOt with all those
dead-haIr and wax-fower folks in the
parton watching me. and the chance Of
Fathers coming in as he did before.
was standing 10 the window star
Ing out at nothlng--it wasn't quite
dark yet-when again had that queer
feeling that somebody was looking at
me. turned-and there was Father.
He had come In and was sitting 10 the
| big chair by the table. But this time
he didn't look right away as usual and
give me a chance 10 slip quietly out
of the room, as I always had before.
Instead he said:
"What are you doing there, MaryT
Just Hooking out the window"
Come here. want to talk to you"
"Yes. Father"
I went, OF course, at once. and sat
down In the chair near him He
hitched again In his seat
"Why don't you do somethIng-read,
sew, knit? ?" he demanded. why do
always find you mOping around. doing
nothIng7"
Just like that he said It; and when
he had just told me
"Why, Father I" cried and I know
that showed how surprised l was.
II thought you just said couldn't do
nothing--that nobody could"
"Ehl Whatl Tut, tutl" He seemed
very angry at first; then suddenly he
looked sharply into my face. Next, II
you'll believe It, he laughed--the
queer little chuckle under his breath
that I've heard him give two or three
times when there was something he
thought was funny. "HumphT he
grunted. Then he gave me another
sharp look out Of his eyes, and said:
81 don't think you meant that to be
quite so impertinent as 1t sounded,
I'll put my question this way: Don't
you ever knit or read or sew7"
II do sew every day in Aunt James
room, ten minutes hemmlng ten min
utes scanning. and ten minutes basting
patchwork squares together. l don't
know how to knit"
"How about readlngf Don't you
care for readlngT
"Why, of course do. love It'll" l
cried. "And do read lots-at
home"
"At-home?"
knew. then, of course. that I'd
made another awful break. There
wasn't any smile around Fathers eyes
now, and his lips came together hard
and thin over that last word.
"At-at my home" stammered. y
mean. my other home"
"Humphl' grunted, Father. Then
after a minute: But why, pray, CAM
you read herel I'm sure there are-
books enough" He fourished hi:
hands toward the bookcases al
around the room.
"Oh, / do--a little; but, you see
I'm so afraid I'll leave some of then
out when I'm through" explained
swell, what Of III What II you dor
he demanded.
"Why, Fatherl" l tried to show By
the way I said 1t that he knew-oi
course he knew. But he made me tel
him right out that Aunt Jane wouldnt
like II, and that the books always haC
to be kept exactly where they be
longed.
swell, why not7 Why shouldn'
theyf Aren't books down therein
Boston--kept where they belong
prayr
1t was the first time since I'd com,
that he'd ever mentioned Boston; an'
,. / almost jumped out of my chair wheI
d heard him. But soon saw 1t WASH
going to be the last, for right thei
and there he began to question me
: even worre than iunt Jane had.
g He'd been up on his feet, trampinl
u up and down the room all the tim
u I'd been talking; and now. all of
n sudden, he wheels around and stop
. short.
d How Is-your mother, Maryr h
asks. And 1t was just as II he'
c. opened the door to another room. b
q had such a whole lot OF questions (
u ask after that. And when he'd tir
B. ished he knew everything: what tim
" we got up and went to bed. and wha
IS we did all day, and the parties an
g. dinners and auto rides, and the folk
r that came such lot to see Mother.
v Then ali of a sudden he stopped
q asking questions. l mean. he stoppe
y Just as suddenly as he'd begun. Why
+ was right in the middle Of tellin
II about a concert for charity we got u
~ Just before 1 came away. and ho'
Z. Mother had practiced for days an
% days with the young man who playe
!, the violin, when all Of sudden Fl
H. Their jerked his watch from his pockC
- and said:
10 "There, there, Mary, it's gettin