Evening star., 1923-12-23
Transplanting Mother
The True Christmas Spirit
Which Came in the Midst of
Loneliness in the New Home

lady said quietly. And when her
daughter r-in-law had explained that
the Carleys would not take posses
sion until the following spring q bit
OF smile came into her face, "Oh,
so can stay here till then. Which
lnecessitated Beatrice's explaining that
Clarence didn't dare put the sale off
day, for fear the Carleys would
back down, and they had offered sucn
a price.
The corners of Abby's mouth tight
ened. II think I remember her She
stopped last summer for a drink of
water. asked her in. She exclaimed
over everything and I showed her
all around. I wish now I hadn't"
Beatrice's eyes widened. "wish you
hadn't! 1t was the luckiest day of
your life. They will make over the
place beautifully, In a few years you
will be proud to say you ever owned
it,
She rose, and commenced pulling on
her coat. 1t seemed a propitious mo-
ment to leave. "I wish / could stay
longer, Mother, but I've simply loads
\
this thing over, and Clarence will
be out the first of the week.
at doesn't need any thinking over,
Beatrice. I will be ready to go to
your house any time you say"
Driving out of the yard. Mrs. Clar-
ence Renshaw drew a long breath.
Thank goodness, that's overt"
Abby went slowly into her spotiess
kitchen. The old clock on the mantel
chimed 12. Mechanically she plac-
ed a solitary plate and cup and
from the pantry q golden-brown john
ny-cake. an apple pie with faky
crust. Then she sat down and, leaning
forward. buried her face in her arms.
The next day Phoebe Shorter con-
fided to a passing neighbor, IT guess
Abby Renshaw's. clean gone crazy! l
saw her feeding those chickens a
perfectly good-lookin' johnny-cake
and a whole apple pie Now. what
| do you think OF that?"
/! A BBY Renshaw had been in her
sons home two weeks. To all
| appearance she had contentedIy fitted
into her niche, that niche being a
| comfortable room at the back of the
house. From one window was a view
of well-kept driveway leading down
to the garage. The other stared
blankly at the closely curtained win
dows of the house next door. Abby
wished that some time those curtains
| might be drawn aside. If only for a
| moment. Not that Abby was curious,
but often the lonely ache in her heart
was a bit hard to bear.
That first week she had made some
dreadful mistakes. After breakfast
she had put on q clean ginsham apron
and gone out into the kitchen to help
with the dishes and perhaps bake a
loaf Of gingerbread. But the girl who
had waited on the table was wiring
dishes, and another woman whom sh Q
had never seen was deftly rolling out
tpie crust. Beatrice had appeared like
q whirlwind. why, Mother Rem
shaw. whatever are you doing out
here7'
Then, as they safely gained the liv-
| ing-room, Bridget Is such an old
fuss! I hardly dare offer sugges-
tfon. But she is a dream Of a cook
For goodness sake. Mother, don't
ever go into the kitchen-you would
upset the whole system"
| The next day Abby had tentatively
suggested helping with the mending.
| well, don't believe you could
! - -,
fully. You see, I put everything in
| the sewing room and Miss Robinson
| comes in once a week. She is SO
eficient; never have to go near her. .
| At table the old lady soon learn ed
to maintain a discreet silence. The
family usually talked OF things she
| knew nothing whatever about, or the
| children wranEled and the entire din
| ner hour was devoted to discipline.
| Roland ignored her with the blase
| nonchalance of sixteen. But Gwendo-
lyn often found her way to her
| grandmothers room.
Tell me what you did when you
were q little girl, grandma"
| The stories thus evoked were sure
to be fascinatingly entertaining.
1t was Gwendolyn who brought
news OF expected guests. Next
week'u be Thanksgiving, and Uncle
Fred and Aunt Clara and Rosamond
and Hazel and Junior are coming
she announced gleefully.
Aunt Clara was Beatrios's sister.
That's fne," she said. "What a
good time you will have:
Mother don't know what she is
going to do with you. She wants to
use this room. She wonders If you'd
mind being put in the attic room. It's
nice, but kind of cold"
Abby gazed down the gravel drive.
way for a moment. Then she turn
ed with smile: "Why, of course ]
wouldn't mind. Did your mother tell
you to ask me?'
"She said 1 might sound you"
Abby's eyes twinkled. well, run
away and tell her that sounded--all
right"
So Abby was moved up another
light of stairs.
sIt's a shame to ask you to do
It, mother" declared Beatrice COO
ingly. Anyhow, 1t win only be for
a few days.
But after Thanksgiving Aunt Clara
stayed on, and Abby RepshAw also
stayed on In the ATTIC room. In spite
of the oil stove It was rather cold
and Abby developed = slight cough
and one morning after = restless
sleepless night felt too miserable tc
60 down two flights OF stairs to the
dining room.
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