The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-04-12
anananuunuHn1
When Ma Was Sick

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
It was Sunday morning. Pa Jenkins
wearing a kitchen apron. shirt sleeves
rolled Up, and his arms covered to the
elbow with flour, stood at the kitchen
table trying to make bread. Ma sat
nearby and directed the operation.
ITO think / had to go and slip and
break that arm on a Saturday, be-
moaned Ma, gazing di~sapprovingly at
her bandaged right arm, land leave US
without any fresh baking for Sunday"
We'll, your little old William is on
the Job" cheerfully quoth Pa. "Slong's
I've got any muscle we'll have bread
He kneaded with energy.
"You must not work it as hard as
that. declared Ma. Now cut it into
pieces and make loayes, and then It'll
have to rise again. No-not like that.
That won't make a nice shaped loaf"
whats shape if it's good to eatf'
inquired Pa. you just stop worrying,
Ma. Everything's going to be all right,
and you'd better lie down a while.
Soon's | get this dough stuff off my
hands Fll make the BEDS
II do hope nobodyH ONE in today"
fused Ma, thinking Of the undusted
house and her inability to provide re-
freshments. Pa meant well and was
more than willing to edo his durndest,"
but of course he couldn't do things
right.
And company camel Word had gone
abroad that Ma Jenkins had suffered
an accident, so everybody called all
the neighbors and club ladies and
members of the Ladies' Aid, and the
minister's wife and mother-inlaw.
Some brought flowers and others
brought such substantials as healthy
looking veal loaf. two beautiful loaves
OF homemade whole wheat bread, a
couple OF pans of home baked rolls, a
huge loaf of white bread, a plateful Of
luscious looking currant jelly tarts,
glasses OF jelly and jars of fruit and
cookies galore. Besides the flowers
and the "eats" all brought condolences
and thrilling tales of accidents that
happened in other families, related in
much painful detail.
Finally the callers had all departed
except one middle aged woman whose
limousine was waiting for her. She
was a member of Mas church-a veal
49, oxno r-6a en114po bod onufhfpo
to say, and who, rumor said, had
started life in very poor circumstances
She had brought neither flowers MOI
cakes, and while others talked she sat
silent, looking her sympathy for Ma.
When they were alone-Pa had gone
down cellar to attend to the furnace
she began to speak hesitatingly, as If
II was difficult to find words to ex-
press her feelings.
Il didn't know there'd be so many
callers. right away said the rich
M And l didn't think of bring
ing anything-like the rest did. I'm
rather slow thinking about things
that way. But l did think that / might
come in and Fix up your house. I'm
good at that"
"Now that's kind OF you,'' answered
Ma, 'but Pas awful handy around the
house"
'But a man isn't like a woman to do
things,1 answered the caller, "and
know how a woman feels about her
house. Now, there's the kitchen floor
Couldn't / scrub that for your Let me
be Of some use"
Il was simply dumbfounded,p said
Ma to Pa, afterward. But she really
meant It. And she's going to send one
Of her maids over tomorrow to stay
as long as we need her. Now, who'd
think a woman as rich as that Would
want to scrub my kitchen floor fol
me7s
Even money can't keep a good
heart down. sentimentally stated
Pa. "Say that was a dinged good batch
Ut bread l turned out all right, now
wasn't itf-
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