The Holbrook news., 1922-06-02

to Be Entertained.
 got to me. he looked so glad to see me. only there was the same quick search ing with his eyes. beyond and around me. as ii he was looking for somebody else. just as he had done the morning of rhe lecture. And I knew It was Mother, of course. So I said:
 ''.No. she didn't come"
 "So I see." he answered. And there was such a hurt. sorry look away back in his eyes. But right away he smiled, and said: But you came. I've got you
 Then he began to talk and tell stories, just as if 1 was a young lady to be entertained And he took me over to where they had things to eat, and just heaped my plate with chicken patties and sandwiches and olives and pink-and-white frosted cake and ice cream (not all at once, of course, but fin order.) And had perfectly beauti- ful time. And Father seemed to like it pretty we'll But after while he grew sober again. and his eyes began to rove all around the room.
 He took me to little seat in the corner afterward, and we sat down and began to talk-only Father didn't talk much. He just listened to what I said, and his eyes grew deeper and darker and sadder, and they didn't rove around so much, after a time, but just stared fiXedly at nothing, away out across the room. By and by he stirred and drew long sigh and said, almost under his breath:
 Tt was just such another night as this"
 And of course, 1 asked what was and then I knew, almost before he had told me,
 That l first saw your mother. my dear"
 "Oh, yes. knOw." I cried, eager to tell him that I did know. And she must have looked lovely in that per fectly beautiful blue silk dress all sil- yer lace"
 He turned and stared at me.
 "H0w did you know that?" he de- manded.
 'I saw It."
 You saw it
 "Yesterday, yes-the dress" I nodded.
 ''But how could yOu?" he asked, frowning, and looking so surprised. "Why. that dress must be-seventeen years old. or more.'
 I nodded again. and I suppose I did look pleased; it's such fun to have a secret. you know, and watch folks guess and wonder. And I kept him guessing and wondering for quite a while. Then, of course, 1 told him that 1t was upstairs in Grandfather's trunk room: that Mother had got 1t out. and I saw it.
 But. what-was your mother doing with that dress?" he asked then, look ing even more puzzled and mystified.
 And then suddenly I thought and remembered that Mother was crying, And. of course. she wouldn't want Fa- ther to know she was crying over it- that dress she had worn when he first met her long ago, q don't think wOm- en ever want men to know such things. do you? I know I shOuldn'tD So didn't tell. Father had begun to talk again, softly, as If to himself:
 "I suppose tonight, seeing you, and all this brought it back to me so vivid ly." Then he turned and looked at me. "You are very like your mother tonight. dear.'
 "I suppose I am, maybe, when I'm Marie" I nodded.
 He laughed with his lips. but his eyes didn't laugh one bit as he said:
 What quaint little fancy of yours that is. child-as If you were two in one.'
 "But I am two in one" I declared. That's why I'm crOss-current and a contradiction, you know" I explained.
 "A what?' he demanded.
 "A crosS-current and cOntradic- tion." I e. 'lained once more. "Chil= dren of un.ikes, you know. Nurse Sa- rah told m. that long ago. Didn't you ever hear that-that a child of unlikes was cross-current and cOntradic- tion?''
 "Well, n0-I-hadn't." answered Fa ther. in queer, half lf-smothered voice. q suppose, Mary. we were-unlikes. your mother and I. That's just what We were: though I never thought of 1t