The Neshoba Democrat., 1922-11-16
"a failure ika. TOD, fetufhe8 .tpea

fortunes Of their evening meal, AND
turned upon Di, who had just entered
and with exceeding facetiousness In.
CURED how Bobby was,
Di looked hunted. She could never
tell whether her parents were going
TO tease her about Bobby, or rebuke
her for being seen with him. II de.
pended on mood, and this mood Di
had not the experience to gauge She
now CROPPED for some neutral fact, and
mentioned that he was going to take
her and Jenny for Ice cream that
night
Ina's irritation found just express
sion in her office of motherhood.
Il won't have you downtown In the
evening" she said.
"But you let me go last night"
"All the better reason why you
should not go tonight"
II tell yOu," cried Dwight. "Why
not all walk down? Why not all have
Ice cream :" He was all gentle
ness and propitiation, the reconciling
element In his home.
me, too?" Monona's ardent hone,
her terrible fear were in her eye
brows, her parted lips.
"YOu, too, certainly" Dwight could
not do enough forievery one.
Monona elapped her hands. "Goody /
goody! Last time you wouldn't let
me CO."
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."
II don't want any more" Monona's
look was honest and piteous.
makes no difference. You mast eat
or you'll get SICK"
"Now
Every well, then. No ice cream
soda for such little girl"
Monona began to cry quietly. But
she passed her plate. She ate, chew
iAg high, and slowly.
"See? She can eat IL she will eat"
Ina said to Dwight. "The only trouble
is, she will not take TIE time"
"She don't put her mind on her
meals" Dwight Herbert diagnosed 1t.
"Oh, bigger bites than thatl" 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 T."
me, darling" said Ina patiently,
punctiliously-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"
'W6l," 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 f."
"Dii" Ina's voice dominated all
"Will you be more careful Of your
grammar or shall speak to you
againf"
swell, I'd rather use bad grammar
than--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
treat. She sat SILENT frowning, put
upon.
'LoOk, mammal |" cried Monona.
swallowing third Of an egg at one
impulse. Ina saw only the empty
plate.
Mammals nice little girlI" cried
she, shining upon her child.
The rules of the ordinary sports of
the playground, scrupulously applied,
would have clarified the ethical at
m0sphere of this little family. But
there was no one to apply them.
When Di and Monona had been ex-
cused, Dwight asked:
"Nothing new from the bride and
groom7"
"No. And, Dwight, US 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.
II don't understand" she added
"why they should go straight to Ore
gon without coming here first"
Dwight Razarded that Min probably
had to get back, and shone pleasantly
In the reflected Importance of a
brother filled with affairs.
Il don't know what to make of Luz
lu's letters Ina proceeded. They're
$685.
"You haven't had but two, have
youl'
That's all-well, of course it's only
been month. But both letters have
been s0--"
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
60 at that.
A..s.fk ~. a. - q