The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-06-21
d ctitiols and are not to be taken ~
Mace or Arm

Mace or Arm
than Mrs. Middleton and she looked
up to him, and loved him as Il he
were her father,
Il know he's dead" she said.
drawing her eyelids together in pain.
Il know he's dead!'
''Oh, mother!" Flossie cried.
open it, and let's see If he's deady"
Excitement in any form was the
breath, of life to her, and telegram
In the Middleton household was the
apex Of excitement.
"Flossie!' Mary Rose reproved
her. She turned to her mother.
"Open it, Mumsie," she said
Maybe it isn't bad news, after all. +"
Mrs. Middleton gave her wild
look and thrust the envelope into
her hands. "Of course, it's bad
news! kilograms are always bad
news for me-" she said, and col
lapsed on the bottom step of the
stairs you open it, Mary Rose.
can't! A telegram is a terrible
thing! You never know what's in
it,"
Mary Rose tore open the tele-
gram. 1T is about Uncle Charlie,
Mumsie,' she said slowly. "But he
isn't dead-only a little worse than
usual, Aunt Jane says. But she
wants you to go down there right
away"
Then know he's dying! She
would not have sent for me un-
less" and Mrs Middleton began to
cry without a sound. She threw
her white apron over her head and
rocked to and fro.
Mary Rose bent and put her
young arms around the shaking
figure.
Now, mother. that won't do,
dear" she whispered. you've got
to be brave-and you've got to
hurry! Aunt Jane says to come
right away"
She had q feeling that If only she
kept things moving, her mother
wouldn't have time to think of her
trouble. The one sight in the world
that Mary Rose couldn't bear to
see was her mother in tears. She
would have gone through any tor
ture to spare her any grief.
Tom" she said sharply, you
look up the next train for Spring
field! And Flossie, you dash up in
the attic for mothers valise. You'll
find it way up in the front, under
the windows. Come along, mother,
and I'll help you dress"
She dragged the shaking little
figure up the stairs. Mrs. Middle
ton sat staring straight ahead Of
her into the mirror, while Mary Rose
did up her hair in neat knot, laced
up her best shoes and brought the
black taffeta dress that Mrs. Mid
| dleton wore on Sundays.
There's train in half an hour
Wen have to shake leg to make
it," Tom called upstairs at the top Of
his voice.
For the next ten minutes there
was great excitement in the little
house. The valise was packed, with
Mrs. Middleton's mourning ven laid
in neat square on the very top,
and suddenly Mary Rose remem-
|
the house, but a dollar or two that
she and Flossie had for their
| lunches.
Never mind, I have a hundred
with me-" Tom called UP the stairs,
as he heard them discussing it,
Hurry up, mother, the cars wait
Ing outside. Bring down the valise,
Floss, and I'll put 1t in"
Il wish you were my son, Tom"
Mrs. Middleton said soberly, a quar-
ter of an hour later, as she kissed
him and Mary Rose good-by at the
station.
II wish I were" Tom repeated,
when he and Mary Rose were driv-
! ing back to the house He drove
slowly. withs one hand His right
arm was thrown around the girls
shoulder, and Mary Rose had not
the heart to ask him to take it
away.
How good he was! How quick
and willing he had been to lend his
money, his automobile and his com.
fort in her mothers hour Of need,
Tell me about this Manners guy
that you work for. Is he young?"
Tom asked suddenly And at the
very sound of John Manners name
something stirred In her heart
something that Tom, for all his
goodness, could never stir and
waken.
Yes, he's young" she said in a
low tone. 1t was very hard for her
to speak of him to Tom.
Il think my mother plays bridge
with his mother, or something like
that" he went on. And she real.
lied that Tom had been talking to
his mother about John Manners.
But I've never met him, as far as
l know"
He stopped and looked closely at
her. Mary Rose, he isn't the fel.
low you're in love with. is he?"
She couldn't speak. A lump came
in her throat. She turned to Tom.
and buried her head against his
coat
She felt the car stop after a while.
and knew that they were standing
before her own house. But she
didn't move. She felt as If she could
not raise her eyes and look at Tom,
now that he knew her secret-that
she loved John Manners.
She felt his clumsy hands stroking
her hair. Poor little kid" he was
saving. Poor little kid"
Strangely enough, all his pity was
for her-none for himself.
t Flossie met them at the door with
shining eyes.
"Houp-la! We're going to have a