Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-08-05
When Mary Jones
Disappeared
(Copyrlght.)
By AID SCHUSTER

II WAS the day of the fire In Moth
er Lawrence's button shop that
Clovertown realized its possession Of
a mystery. First, 1t was found that
the girl who roOmed over the burned
shop was gone and then, when atten-
ton was given this quiet woman, it
was discovered no one knew where
she worker or much concerning her
comings and goings. Mary Jones in
the flesh was modest and lonely girl
occupying q single room over the
establishment In which Mother Law
renee mended shirts and darned socks
for bachelors. Now that she was gone
she became subject for puzzled COM
ment.
A rumor that Mary had been burned
with the little building In which she
lived was set at rest by Mother Law
renee herself.
First thing 1 did," the matronly
proprietor Of needlework first-aid sta
ton said, was to run up and see II
Mary was there. The room was empty
mary was gone.
Slowly the gossip spread When II
was determined that no one knew
where Mary had worked 1t was as
sumed she must be an idler. Others
recalled that the girl had never been
seen on the streets in the daytime al.
though more than once, In the eve.
nings, she had graced the theater Of
the main dining room of the Clover.
town hotel The police questioned
Mother Lawrence as the one best
acquainted with the mysterious Mary.
1--WE been busy, you know that"
Mother Lawrence replied, smiling in
a sweet way which was her main
stock In trade. "You know | fix the
clothes for the men who have no
wives or sisters or mothers and 1t
keeps me busy all the time. Now you
speak Of 1t, l don't remember seeing
Mary In the daytime. Perhaps
have heard her walking about over
head. l don't know, it's HARD to tell
I always liked Mary, though, she
was so pretty and llghthearted
can't see why she should run away
just because the place burned down.
If my opinion is asked think when
she saw her clothes and belongings
were burned up she bought a ticket,
took a train, and moved away"
And Mother Lawrence proved right.
A few days later when the ruins Of
the shop had been cleared up In
preparation for rebuilding Mary came
back. She had taken the opportunity
to visit friends in another city, she
said, and she could not understand
why the station agent ticket seller,
and even the conductor on the train
had failed to remember that she was
a passenger There was some won
derlng and doubt, then came another
sensation. Mother Lawrence was
gone!
Clovertown loved Mother Lawrence
as a friend In need and because she
fitted so well the traditional picture
Of the motherly woman anxious to
serve her fellows.
"She would have said gooG-by.
There is something really peculiar
and terrifying about this" And In
their perplexlty the town asked Mary
Jones for an answer to the riddle.
Cant you see," said the girl "ThC
burning Of this place has broken hel
heart. She was wrapped up in the
little business, felt she was doing 9
large, though simple work, and wher
she was forced to sit In idleness wait
ing for the shop to be rebuilt she wor
rled. l think she just had to ge
away"
1t was really cruel of Mother Law
renee to appear again suddenly an(
without a word of explanation, bu
more cruel of Mary Jones to time he
second disappearance with the return
Of the older woman. Clovertown be
came convinced the two women wer'
plotting as practical jokers and salt
as much when Mother Lawrence shool
her head and refused to answer ques
lions. Then came a smile on tn,
woman's face.
at is too much" she said, "too har,
a task playing both parts when Their
are not shop and room overhead t
help" And Mother Lawrence re
moved her gray hair, fluffed up tn
bob underneath and started wipin
the traces of makeup from her face
II couldn't be a mother to the tow
and only twenty-three," she saic
"and now, just because of your curl
osity will have to give up payini
business" And Mary Jones, emerge,
from the role of Mother Lawrence
| looked annealinpIv for svmnathy