Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-28

U
| was rather awkward being caught
still in bed or not completely clothed.
This morning. as usual. grandma was
the first one to wake up. She got up
quickly, and putting on her old gray
bath robe, which hung in the hall
closet next TO Ralphs raincoat.
grandmas dresses and the family
umbrellas, she made the bed. She
tucked her nightgown into the pillow
slip next to the pillow, as she always
did, for some one was always opening
the hall closet if she hung it up
there, and saying things about it.
She put the bedclotheS back into the
closet, closed and fastened the daven-
port depOsiting upon its sleek and
uncomfortable surface the two hand
embroidered pillows that reposed
there by day. Grandma hurried 40
the bathroom; 1t was the best time
to battle. If she waited until later,
Martin and Ralph were wanting to
get in, and at night grandma was too
tired. Then grandma dressed. She
took her clean house dress from a
pile Of three that she had carefully
hidden I'm the buffet drawer under
the kitchen towels She always put
away the laundry herself. and Mary
always took the top towel. They
laugh at her if they found her
dresses there. but even house dresses
have to have some place.
Grandma set the table then, and
lad the coffee on when Mary came
into the kitchen. Theirs was a sim
pie breakfast of SteWed fruit, a
cereal with milk, and toast. Grandma
was so excited she could hardly eat
anything. She waited patiently for
DAVID to leave with his customary
by, folks; don't work too hard, =
meant for a great pleasantly. He had
an idea that women have got an
easy time of it." 1t was as if Isabel
had never been there. No one men
/ toned her name, and Yet there was
her room.
After the dishes ware done and
grandma. had swept and busted the
living room, she said, with careful
attempt at nonchalance:
II believe Ill go in now and
fix up Isabel's room. | think I'd
like
You certainly are laundering after
that room, Ma" Mary answered.
well, you might as well go ahead
Don't put that lace scarf back on the
dresser. Isabel'll want it: and leave
all of her things in her closet the
way she has them until she comes
back and looks 'em over"
''Of course; that will be all right.
| My things won't take up much room,
grandma said pleasantly.
= K x
1T was a delightful occupation,
Il cleaning up her own room. First
/ she swept il, opening wide both the
windows. Then she busted, going
carefully over every round of the
two chairs. polishing the mirror and
the top of the dresser. She made
the bed, putting on her own two
sheets. she'd used the top one only
two days. Then grandma brought In
her possessions; there were three
empty drawers in the dresser and lots
den under towels and napkins, came
the morning dresses, aprons and
decent, thick underwear From the
back partition of the knife-and fork
| drawer came grandma'S comb and
brush of imitation ivory that Ruth
had sent to her the year before for
Christmas. These and a silverplated
mirror, once owned by Isabel. but dis
carded when her father gave her a
better one, grandma placed on a
clean towel on the dresser. She added
a picture of Ruth and Ruth's two
children, sent to iler only a few
months before: an old picture OF
Jessie. and kodak picture of Isabe
hand Ralph Next TO this she put q
little china vase that had been given
to her at church bazaar five years
before. gay little vase with blue
china forget me-notS on the front of 1t
To these she added a hand painted far
Jessie had done years before. and. as
q final touch. a faded daguerreotype
in a broken frame of Grandpa Martin
and herself. taken 60 years ago, sit
tingly stiffiy. holding hands. fine
array! The room was in order, hel
room! Grandma was tired now but
that did not matter Nothing seemed
to matter but the room, a room no
body had to pass through. room,
with door that closed and locked
her own room.
All afternoon grandma sat ant
rocked: Mary had gone to her care
club. 1t was fun just sitting still
She hardly remembered to put on the
dinner dishes in time. and was Just
finishing setting the table when Mary
came home. At s o'clock, almost as
soon as dinner was over and before
she felt even sleepy, grandma said:
I'm awfully tired. Believe I'll &C
to bed, if you'll please excuse me-
She worked herself tired fixing ur
that room in hurry" volunteered
| Mary.
so you got moved into Isabel.
ROOM asked David. Then: "Womer
are always wanting to move around
! don't know that her mattress is any
more comfortable than yours, and it.
much older.
It's a very nice ROOM" said grand
ma. softly, and went to her own room
Grandma undressed slowly, with 6
light on and the shades pulled down
Seated in her bathrobe, in the rock
ing chair. she finished David's socks
and read a chapter in a book a woman
she had met in church had loaned
her. 1t was Il wonderful evening
At 9 o'clock she went to bed. 1t was
fine bed, and all ready to get into
just by turning down the spread, ant
with no bar In the center to have tc
! think about.
| Grandma woke up the next morning
at her usual time: she was not one
who had to depend on alarm clocks
Then. when she realized where she
was, in Isabel's bed, in her own bed
she lay there luxuriously, instead OF
getting UP Immediately on awakening
as she usually did. But she was I'll
and dressed and had the table set il
plenty Of time. II was nice TO dress
with al - c-c'- tsinCs spread around