Evening star., 1926-11-27
The Backbone of Martha.

K ARTEtA IRES 1ON gave d
N m start which was succeeded
| I" by a breathless f1uttering of
1 pulses. In rounding the
showcase she had come face
to face with her sons wife.
"Why, mother" young Mrs. Ben ex-
claimed. What are you doing here?''
why, II just thought Id
Martha stopped. There was some
| thing about Mrs. Ben that she suf-
fered from whenever they met. Young
Mrs. Ben made her feel so old, so
| incompetent, SO behind-hand. Yet
| she was only 81, and her mother had
been active and useful right up to her
ninetieth birthday.
Young Mrs. Ben regarded her
shrinking. stammering little mother
| in-law thoughtfully. Very chic, vlvld
| and Self-aSSured was she, noticeable
contrast to the shabby, somber figure
before her Somebody jostled Mrs
| Ben and succumbed with apology be-
| fore the glance shot from her bright
black eyes. People did not step on
her toes with impunity. Neither did
they make too much fuss when she
stepped on their toes. Life and
suitable backbone gave young Mrs.
Ben desirable privileges.
"Oh, | know" she said at last.
| You're here to get you a hat. You
needed one. How lucky that l ran
across you. Come right with me.
mother, and I'll help you make
selection"
Martha went, outWardly submissive,
inwardly uncomfortable to the point
of misery. She had stolen downtown
for the purpose of buying her own
hat She wanted to buy her own nat
for once.
Young Mrs. Ben beckoned sales
woman and gave the order. Some
thing plain and quiet and black, l
think" she said.
But, Clarice, that's so much like
nv old one," Martha objected family.
IT'S the style most becoming to
YOU. mother" Clarice returned tartly.
You don't wave your hair or use
powder, you know-I think that does
very well. How much is 1t?
The salesWoman glanced at the
tag. Five eninety-eight. 1t was more
earlier in the season. But the Spring
effects are coming in
"Oh, yes! Well take 1t. BY the
way, mother, I've the car down here
and I'll take you home. I've still
half an hour before 1 must be at Mrs.
Hills luncheon"
Martha sighed. She felt numb, shat
tered, unable to resist Clafice. Clarlce
had lately come into some money OF
her own and the first thing she mad
done with it was to buy car. Poor
little Martha, bouncing alone on the
velour seat, staring at her daughter
in laws erect back helplessly, and felt
like a very small dog being led by
strong chain.
She lived in a small apartment by
herself, and entering 1t now the whole
force of what had happened rushed
upon her in an overwhelming torrent.
She had paid for hat which she dld
not want; she had been brought home
| like a bad child when she wanted TO
stay down and go to the matinee
Worse than that. she had lost
chance to see Elmer Holcomb again.
He had telephoned her to meet him
| in front of Marcy's at 11:30. 1--WE will
| lunch together and go to show and
have a chance to talk over old times. y
! She had responded eagerly. To see
| Elmer after almost a decade, Elmer,
| the boy she had gone to school with,
| the youth who had seen her home
| from countless parties, the man whom
| but for John she might have married?
Elmer meant the old, happy life to
her, before these dreary days of
widowhood had befallen her. She had
hurried downtown to get herself a
new hat, becoming hat. and to meet
| Elmer. Instead she had met Clarice.
And somehow she could not explain
| to Clarice about Elmer.
It was 1870, the moment at which
she should have been shaking hands