San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-25
Sandy Decides to Wait
Before Telling Isabel
Divorce Plans. .:y
CHAPTER 46


brothers room, but he was
seldom home.
She sat near the window,
framed in a patch of sun
light. Little curls struggled
on her plump, rosy neck as
she lowered her head over a
stocking she darned.
Alice came in with a sharp
Mamma! What are you doing
You know you're not to exert your
self,
Mrs. Mcneil made furtive gesture
Of concealment, recovered and smiled
appessingly: "This won't hurt me
dear. 1 noticed your father wore ono
with a big hole near the toe."
at won't hurt him to have hole
In his sock once in 80 years. Why
didn't he show it to me?" &c.
"He wasn't complaining. He didn't
cay 4 word. He just put it on, hola
and sll." ..-...
"Well. he didn't need to stand where
you could see it! I'm sure he's a
martyr" Alice took the darning from
her mother. With a shrewish kind
ness she pumped the pillows, snapped
off q loose thread in the worn mat,
ting and with warning: "Now resi-
resigned the dust rag to Sandy.
Mrs. Mcneil folded her little full
hands and sighed. I'm afraid Alice
will be very harsh to your father
when I'm gone, Sandy"
Sandy ran the dust rag slowly over
the black walnut chiffonier. In its
mirror she saw her mothers face with
that resigned smile; saw her mother
raise a hand and wipe tears from her
eyes.
Crying because she might 90 and
Angus would be left with holes in his
socks! Alice might not be kind TO
him. But it would be Alice's duty to
minister to her father. Alice, at 30,
should be willing to forget herself
completely. She would accept joy
ously and sweetly the fulfillment Of
Isabels life.
No one would question this! Why
IL Sandy were now to say aloud the
flashing things she was thinking, Isa-
A bel would stare blankly. IL Sandy
fwere to say: "Why should Alice be
1 clad to live your life, mother? Why
should you blame her IL she's harsh :
WAS Angus very gentle when he
broke up Alice's life?" If Sandy said
31is, her mother would stare in hurt,
k::.iocked silence, as at some ruthless
11eretic.
n Didn't the parent have the right TO
a child? Didn't the parent know
n what was for the child's good?
H Mrs. Mcneil believed this. 1t was
her duty to raise her children accord
ing to her beliefs. 1t was their duty
to follow.
"Yes," thought Sandy holly. "they
had the right to prevent Alice from
marrying Teddy. He wasn't her equal.
He wasn't a mate for a Mcneil
They interfered to save Alice. The
fact that she didn't want to be saved
was Of no moment. Isabel and An
gus wished her to be saved from this
recklessness, Their wish was more
important than poor Ally's love-"
Sandy opened the drawers, closing
them with a little bang. Her mother
sighed loudly. This meant Isabel
wished to talk.
"Sbe wants to talk about me, F"
thought Sandy, becoming more and
more heated. "Shc wants to tell me
what my duty is and make sure I'm
willing to follow it. Yes! They had
right to live Alice's life for her.
Now, Of course, they have right to
live mine!"
She had often heard her mother
say: "I've sacrificed my life-your
father sacrificed his life, for you chill
dren." And she had been saddened
by these words many times. They
had oppressed her because these two
had brought her here at such terrific
cost to themselves.
But now, watching her mother
seeing her hopping the tears, hearing
her audible signs, Sandy had feeling
of aversion. They hadn't given life
freely, gladly. They hadn't poured
themselves out for their children.
Hadn't forgotten hemselvcs-EVER :
They hadn't said: ave did the best
we could-lived according to our
lights. Now the life is yours. Go it
bravely. fearlessly. May your light
be fuller, clearer, sharper"
No! They wanted Alice to see only
as they saw; wanted Sandy to walk
rs Isabel would have walked. They
wanted kind of earthly immortality
their thoughts, their feelings, their
beliefs perpetuated without change !;
without growth.
Because Isabel felt it the duty of
wife to surrender; )" to obey; to have
no thought for sweetness or joy in
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