The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-06-22
A SCATTERED FAMILY
Chapter 81

A SCATTERED FAMILY !,
Chapter 81
Mile said nothing about the tele-
grams she had sent When Patty got
in from the theatre. Mile seemed
asleep. So he girl went quietly back
TO her mothers room, now hers, and
went TO bed wondering when all the
complications that barred the way be-
tween herself and Paul would be
cleared away
They seemed, in her sleepy mind,
like lot Of cobwebs across a doorway
from one room to another. One shiv-
cred away from touching them and yet
the slightest touch would tear them all +
out of her way. Nothing actually pre-
vented Paul and herself from marry
ing. They were both of age, they were /
in love, they could manage fairly we'll /!
even if Paul lost his allowance.
Yet though lack of money, family !
disapproval, possibly social astroeism !
were only cobwebs-Patty hesitated to !
break through their dusty, f1lmy |
strength and Mrs. Darlington, to her
mind, was not unlike a gray spider. |
Then Patty's conventional sense /
came to the front, and she was sleepily !
q
mother to a spider! She ought to love
her, because she was Paul's mother. |
But they weren't bit alike!
Il shouldn't be at all surprised,
said Mile next day, IF l heard from
Humphrey soon. think the poor boy
is lonely. I'm sure he wants me out
there
Patty took this remark seriously
She took everything seriously these
days
But when she repeated it to Mrs
Mum at tea time that afternoon, her
old friends sudden smile made her see
the humorous side of the whole situa-
ton
It's not like Mile to say that,
Patty said
Quite! l believe she has sent him
letter" Mrs. Mum guessed shrewdly
Or else, believe that Humphreys
new speculation has made him some
money, so she wants to 60
This was ungenerous. But Mrs Mum
had certain plans in mind, and Mile
stood in their way.
The trouble is she said once to
Paul, that Mile tried to force a GER
tain amount of friendly attention on
your mother. and your mother resented
it so she holds her resentment against
the whole family. Personally she likes
Patty"
Next day Mile fretted and was ner-
vous. But the day after, she appeared
with beaming face when Patty got
home from her office
There, told you my instinct was
right she announced. My instinct is
always right, my whole trouble in life
IS that | never allow my instincts to
guide me-
Patty wondered at this speech She
learned later that in her wanderings
about town, Mile had gone into a for
tune teller's, where she was informed
that her instincts" were peculiarly
subtle and that she should always be
ruled by them.
What do you mean" Patty asked
still in the dark
Il said | should hear from Hum
phrey. | felt il" Mile said jubilantly,
quite forgetting, since the fortune tell
err that she had sent him wire
He sent me $500. Telegraphed It.
He wants me to go out there right
away, and letter is following giving
me all the trains and the places to
change 1t takes FIVE days-and then
he'll meet me with a wagon and drive
oh, half day beyond the railway"
Mile was suddenly happy And in
her case, as in every other, happiness
was acting like a magic tonic
Il cashed the money today" she rat
tied on. And phoned Paul and asked
him to get me tickets, he know more
about those things than do. And I've
been trying to find out whether it would
cost more to ship the furniture out
there, or to sell it here and buy new
She walked around the fat, looking
critically at each piece.
"Of course, it SENS a shame to have
shipped these here last summer only
TO ship them back again" she exam
ined a scratch on the table top. Still
il would cost lot to send any furni
ture from even a nearby town-Hum
phrey says the towns are quite small
and, after all, there is something in
having ones old possessions around
enc"
This remark would have convulseC
Paul. But fortunately for the friendl!
relations between the two, he was no
present
But Paul had phoned this news t.
Mrs. Mum, and it brougt that lad.
around at once.
We're all so glad you've made
up" she said, and kissed Mile witt
real affection.
And she hustled about, directing he
own servants how to pack and label tn
furniture all next day while Patty wa
at work. A dismantled apartment me
her on her return. Mile was out buy
ing clothes.
Millie left in three days, with trunk
Io.4 Dil