Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1922-11-16
GLORIOUS FREEDOM
BY DOROTHY DoNAHUE

1 -tNat gNg WITH MA W lllliNkRT NRIllRtl
to take yacution-minus Pa.
| OF course, Pa conceded, within the
| protective walls of the woodshed Ma
had a few merits, She did darn his
stockings and keep his clothes mended
and give him the best of meals, besides
keeping the house as Spotless aud
shining as new aluminium pan under
the direct rays of the sun but Pa felt
Justified, nevertheless in his happiness
because OH how Ma Whittaker's
tongue could fly.
SO II was that Pa closed the house
the next day and made for the city.
Ia reached the city in state of
glorified Individuality. His funds were
low, very low-so the only restaurant
that could possibly attract him was
exceedingly undesirable with it's
smoke-clouded windows greasy, wet
counters and suspiciously revolving
stools. But Pa was hungry, so he
forced his way in and sat down a lit
tie mournfully, with the odor OF corned
beef and cabbage prevailing. lie was
thinking Of Ma Whitaker when he or
dered hapjacks-and was disappointed.
Thin, soggy, burnt-horrible Pa
gulped down his coffee, and, forget
ting that he was not in the broad
backed chair at home leaned back
Two dark-faced roaring sailors picked
him up, snapped few pieces OF in
visible hayseed from his shiny coat
and bowed low.
Pa reached the street, greatly sur
prised and humhled, minus the bravado
Of early morning.
Pa felt sudden desire for quiet and
calm. Everyone seemed to be rush.
Ing past him. In the midst of the ex-
cited, iabbering throng he felt strange
Iy alone The cool gray front of a
movie theater, with It's welcoming
gaudy splotch of posters, attracted.
Pa went into the soft darkness and
CROPPED his way to seat near the
back, sitting down with a worried lit
tie sigh of relief. But his eyes were
little weak, and he couldn't read the
sub-titles Ma Whitaker had read
them, gladly, the few times they had
been
A stout, laughing woman wedged
her way into the row In front of him,
followed by her husband. Her broad,
expansive back INSTRUCTED Pas view
TO the point of evaporation He moved
uneasily in his chair. The stout lady
read the first title in a loud, husky
voice. The man with her nodded and
stared straight ahead.
An aching flood of genuine home
sickness almost overcame Pa. He crept
out Of )the dark little palace into the
sunshine and decided at once to 80
home aid sleep rather than brave the
terrors of public and cheap hotel
Pa found the house empty, hollow
sounding, lonely The deadly absence
Of Mas merry but insistent chirping
was distracting He fell asleep read
ing the Gazette and stroking the cat.
lie dreamed it was Mas hand he was
patting while she scolded him, furi-
ously, fer some little thing and he
awoke smiling, only to frown at sight
Of the purring little ball Of fur.
Outside 1t was DRILLING 1t had
been drizzling In Pas heart all day.
He pulled on battered hat and start
ed for the garden. He could almost
see her now puttering among those
swaying peoples and that deluge Of
color that spread over half an acre.
"Pa whitaker"
Pa bllnked pale eyes and swung
around like a well-trained soldier. He
must be getting old His eyes
"Pa Whittaker-out in this wet gar
den without your rubbers I've told
you and told you, and just because
you think I'm not looking, you sneak
out and pillow through this wet
You're not a young man, want you
to remember, and if"
Pa followed the voice blankly into
the house and fell into chair. The
voice went on.
"And | decided I'd better not stay
away more'n day with you so fer
getful, so / trudged right home, ana
here you are, as usual, doing some
thing that Will be the death Of you.
I've been looking everywhere for you
everywhere, and"
Pa still stared. Understanding crept
slowly, very slowly into his mind.
Something inside him kept repeating:
shes hereto stay. She's hereto
stay"
Fifteen minuters later Ma ran out Of
breath and stopped to regard the 81
lent figure In the chair.
Fer land sakes, Pa, are you dumb7
Say something
Pa looked up into the sharp eyes
that held a CLINT Of kindness.
Ma, please-please keep right on
talking. / was never so happy In my
life Never
Strange Bear.
The ChemOst, or Nandl bear, a