Evening star., 1925-08-23

| Tudor is gorgeous name for dec
Grating firm" she added.
You may have changed that name
| in six years" mother pointed out. She
had busted herself at her bureau 80 as
not to face them.
Their mods admitted it. Both had
abundant suitors.
I'VE could keep it for the firm
name" they said. Betty added that II
she would make him change II to Tu
dor anyway, and Mona said that q
man who would do that was poor
fish, not worth marrying, and as Bet
tvs best suitor was abjectly ready tc
change Funk for anything, there wal
a squally moment. Mother never
troubled to pour oil. Thirty seconds
later they were trying over Funk-Tu
dor and Tudor-Funk with gurgles OF
against Mona's. They had always
done that-squeezed their joyous faces
together with murmured "Um-um"
They would do it to her when she told
them.
She had not often in her life said 81
can't" but the words were saying
themselves now: Il can't tell them.
1t was like asking her to cut into their
flesh. What If she simply waited until
|
were MISUNDERSTANDING. They were
sure her eyes would be well enough
for town in the Autumn.
| Communication is veXation," Betty
| chanted, and was secretly kicked by
Mona, who declared that ii was hall
the fun. Betty instantly agreed. The
good children. Why must she. who
had lived to further their lives, be
now the dead weight that dragged
them back?
She had meant to tell them when
they finished the dishes. She had her
casual beginning all arranged: oh
children, l went to town today and
saw DIR. Oscar Stein-' But they
were called to the telephone, and then
| a neighbor came in. and then 1t was
10 o'clock and bedtime.
| III tell them in the morning" she
decided, and lay all night staring into
the dark; but in the morning there
| was no time.
After all, Sunday morning would be
| better; they would have all day to get
used to the idea and make their plans.
| Reprieved for five days, mother went
| brfskly about her new business Of be-
coming the smarteSt blind woman in
the country. She learned the rooms
and the garden paths by heart; she in
| vented pricked labels for kitchen con-
| diments; she spent hours mastering
| Betty's old typewriter; she simplified
her clothes and did up her hair in the
dark. She was busy from morning
till night.
I'm kind of enjoying it," she ad-
mitted to herself. II always did like
being smarter than other people,? The
girls found her in her usual even
spirits that week and told her that
she was getting better all the time.
They noticed that she moved more
securely. She let them rejoice in il
would be time enough.
ERIDAY night they came in with
the shout of good news. Mother,
gathering Europe" and -four
months" sat down as though her
knees had melted.
She'll take you with her? For
four months?" she repeated mechan-
ically, and then, hating to kill their
JOY in its first splendor. she added a
temporizing. "She must think you
girls are pretty prornisinG!"
| "She thinks we're wonders Mona
declared, and Betty added, "Tudors, .
and they laughed richly over the old
joke.
| But, of course, mother. we viii
find some one nice to stay with you,
they said. and fell upon her with
comforting arms and cheeks, then
went into a rhapsody OF what four
months among Old World treasures
would do for them professionally.
I'm bet she means to hand on the
business to us when she retires.'
Betty declared.
| They must be told; tho moment had
come. If they had looked into mother q
face then they would have known her
news without words. But they were
hauling out their clothes for inspec-
| ton. Betty thought Mona's serge look.
ed shabby and Mona retorted that 1t
was a good deal fresher than Betty's s
crepe, and there was a sharp spatter
of you always" and The trouble
with you" Then a gust of laugh
ter cleared away wrath, and the warm
dearest" and "ducky'' were back in
| their speech.
You know, muddie, we're sailing
next Wednesday," they threw out.
Mother went to her room and closed
the door. For a moment it almost
seemed to her that she needed some
outside help. One must stay home,
one must go burdened with the others
loss as well as with the family sor-
row.
Si0 SiiO iiiuilSiN cNiiSi
even thought of death, but was too
sensible to encourage the idea. That
wouldn't help much. But I might just
wait till morning. They can't do much
before morning. she decided, and
again lay staring into the dark all
night. What she saw there finally
brought peace. She let the girls race
happily off after breakfast, and as
soon as her house was in order she
telephoned for Pussy Meadows.
Pussy came with a lonely eagerness.
1T is too soon to tell yet, but he
believes he can cure me-" she began,
her face lovely with it's new light.
THE family doesn't know a word
about it-they think I'm gadding to
town all the time. Oh, / am SO happy
Mother let her talk about 1t until
Pussy herself remembered. You
| wanted to see me-" she broke off.
Yes, did, Mother meditated her
beginning. How would you like a
job?"
Pussy sighed her desire. "Oh. II
there were only something I could do"'
There is. My girls are going to
! Europe for four months with their