Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1922-08-31
MOTHER SLIPS
BY ELIZABETH M'NAueHr

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q. 1922. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
II don't think she's as pretty as
Billie Bunts," Isabel's voice was tense
and positive in defense of her favorite
screen star.
"Oh, l don't know" and Isabels
twin sister, Bess shrugged a dainty
shoulder. "You think there's no one
quite so pretty as Billie Bunts, but
there are Others"
Tom, the elder brother, a young stu
dent Of twenty, stirred uneasily but
soon settled back into his accustomed
calm, his mind absorbed in the latest
best seller. Father dozed in his chair
glasses in perilous juxtaposition with
his nodding chin. Only mother was
awake alert and interested, intensely
so at the mention of the Bunts name.
swell, when you girls begin finding
beauty In Bunts it's time for me to
explode"
"Why, mother, Billie is a perfect
peach"
Peach nothing Haven't I known
John and Mollie Bunts all my life?
And If you think they could produce
anything pretty Or"
"Oh, splash I" in unison, 1--WE aren't, |
discussing the Bunts up the street nor /
their Billie. We mean the movie star"
Mother relapsed into a very, very
rigid silence. But in the hours that
followed and next day, her mind was
not at all rigid, 1t was making most
unheard-of decision, and the following
evening, about potato-peeling time.
found her ordering a well-chosen, II
meager, repast in a well-known cafe
terra in the heart of the city.
Yes, she vowed, she would find out
for herself what it was that the girls
liked In these moving pictures for,
quite frequently, had come the eve
ming message over the wire, Don't
keep supper for me, ma, I'm going to
the movies"
The woman passed quietly into the
darkened auditorium and dropped
nervously into the nearest vacant seat
She gazed spell-bound at the screen
and her eyes moistened with SYM
pathy as she became familiar with
the vicissitudes of woman about her
own age who after a life of hard
work and struggle, was now facing
the poorhouse.
With mother, the words ''poorhouse'
and "extravagance"-ext of
the kind she herself had been guilty
of, were synonymous. She felt for
her purse. Horrors, it was gonel
In a flash, she was ON her feet, !.
blindly making her way toward the
exit. 1t did not occur to her to APP
preach an usher or the desk; home |,
was her one thought. :
She approached the girl presiding :,
over the turnstile in the subway. !.
"Tve lost my purse, Miss" meekly. :
The girl eyed her suspiciously. !.
What's that dangling from your ,
arm" The young woman snapped
,ut the question as calmly as if alb
customers were her spe-
'ialty. The distressed woman glanced
1t her arm and there swung her 81
'urse as airily as young imp. II
In a more composed state of mind g
he continued home, quietly let herself W
n and stepped eXpectantly to the .
itchen. The usual wel-ordered OF
itchen was now rather pathetic in ly
IS array of dishes and pans, piled th
Ugh and unwashed, and the air was W
eeking with the extra warmth of ia
DrgOtien gas oven. In the dining tn
pom the two girls were stretched out J tn
Ill length on the floor, absorbed in a to
lper pattern of a coming gown. and al
mnlie, the young pride of the house, 81
ept comfortably, dressed even to the ca
pots. in his small bed. Mother de
cted the remains of tears on his
'imy cheeks and her heart re
coached her. ms
Couldn't you girls put your little me
other to bed one night without leav- is
g him in the state he's in and break ba
g his heart besides? And / bet you tht
rgot his prayers" fee
The girls were aroused Don't by
antion that kid to us, mother; it Sh
ok the combined efforts of dad and for
I'm and us to get him as far as we snc
We, and we nearly had to call on the
: neighbors" of
Gee, what a kid" added Bess, in be
r more quiet, yet positive voice. hea
And where's your father and tul
M"
Both gone up to Bunts' for little
me-" His
Did they have anything to eat or .,, w
re they gone to Bunts' for that?" vt
pslf Ill FL