The Nevada County picayune., 1922-08-31

was looking down at the hem she was turning.
 went on then to explain that didn't like such things; that I be- lieved that there were deeper and higher things, and things more worth while. And she said yes, she was glad, and that that was going to be my sav- ing grace for, of course. I realized that there couldn't be anything deeper or higher or more worth while than keeping the home together. and put ting up with annoyances, for the ulti- mate good of all, especially of Eunica.
 She went right on then quickly. be- fore l could say anything She said that, of course, I understood that I was still Mary and Marie, even if Jerry did call me Mollie; and if Marie had married man that wasn't always con- genial with Mary, She was very sure Mary had enough stamina and good sense to make the best of it and she was very sure, also, that if Mary would only make a little effort to be once in u while the Marie he had married. things might be a lot easler-for Mary.
 Of course, I laughed at that. 1 had to. And Mother laughed, too But we understood. We both understood. I had never thought of 1t before. but had been Marie when 1 married Jerry. I loved lights and music and dancing and gay crowds just exactly AS well = he did And it wasn't his fault that | suddenly turned into Mary when tho baby came, and wanted him to stay at home before the fire every evening with his dressing gown and slipperu. No wonder he was surprised. Hs hadn't married Mary-he never knew Mary at all But, do you knowf I'd never thought of that before-unt1 Mother said what she did. Why, prob ably Jerry was just as much disap. pointed to find his Marie turned into . Mary as I--
 But Mother was talking again.
 She said that she thought Jerry was wonderful man. in some ways; tha1 she never saw a man with such charm and magnetism, or one who could oo readily adapt himself to different Tso. sons and circumstances. And she sa10 she was very sure if Mary could cu1V show a little more interest in picturD (especially portraits), and lea u to d1D-I cuss lights and shadows and pefSpsep lives. that nothing would be lost, and that something might be gained; that there was nothing. anyway, like con- munity of interest or of hobbies to bring two people toge,ter; and that It was safer, to say the least. when it was the wife that shared the commu- nifty of interest than when it was some other woman, though of course, she knew as well as I knew that Jerry never would She didn't finish her sentence, and because she didn't finish il. it made me think all the more.
 Then, in minute. she was talking again,
 She was speaking of Eunice. She said once more that because of her, she knew that she need never fear any serious trouble between Jerry and me. for, after all it's the child that always pays for the mothers mistakes and short sightedness, just as it is the sol- dier that pays for his commanding offi- cer's blunders. That's why she felt that l had had to pay for her mistakes, and why she knew that I'd never com pei my little girl 10 pay for mine She said that the mother lives in the 4eart of the child long after the mothfr is gone and that was why the mother always had to be-so careful
 Then. before I knew it. she was talk ing briskly and brightly about some thing entirely different; and two mn- utes later I found myself alone out side of her room. And I hadn't told her
 But l wasn't even thinking of that. 1 was thinking of Eunice. and of that round. childish scraWl of a diary up- stairs in the attic trunk. And was picturing Ennice in the wears to come, writing her diary; and thought. what if she should have to-
 went upstairs then and read that diary again And all the while l was reading I thought of Eunice And when it was finished knew that I'd never Tell Mother and that Fd never write to .lerry-not the letter that l was gos ing to write knew that
 
 They brought Jerry's letter to me at just that point. What wonderful letter that man can write-uhen he Wanl~ to,
 He say~ he's lonesome and homesick, and that the hodse is like tomb with on Euuice and me. and when am I coming honez