Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11

w. Dove. do you think it's fair-of
course, we are discussing this abstractly
but do you think it's fair for a girl
who is her mothers only daughter to
leave that mother. after she has put in
a third of her life bringing up that
girl?"
Il don't think the question of fair
ness enters into it," Mrs. TillotSon an
swered instantly. You see, Duck, l
don't belong to that school of parents
who believe that their children owe life
service to them. / believe it's quite the
other way about. 1 believe that par
entS owe life service to their children.
It's nothing to the parents credit that
they raise their children carefully. Aside
from any question Of affection. they
couldn't in honor or decency, do any
thing else. And, as for eXacting life
time of devotion from those children
we'll, I have always thought that a
wicked business"
you certainly are some mother!"
Duck commented. But her lips did not
lose their rigidity, her eyes their w1Stful
preoccupatlon.
IAN nv life" Dove continued, 81 have
tried to make you realize that expect
nothing from you-that Is nothing but
love- Your love 10 want" An instant
she dropped her eyes to her work, for
she felt them misting; but. when she
lifted them again, they we're bright
What mean is that hope that you
and-that-that some day you will
marry But, when you do marry. I eX-
pect to be separated from YOU"
nUCK cleared her throat. II quite
~ see your point of view, Dove, and
fAv Ut q dnI10hfnr
has a point of view. Just as much as a
mother has. You NAV not think that
daughter owes mother anything, but 1t
would be a pretty poor thing, feel, for
the daughter to think it, TO. Do you
suppose, after the long intimacy in
which he have lived, could desert you
for a mere husband? OF course. I
couldn't I love you toe much"
Abruptly Ducks eyes sought her watch.
Mine oclock!'' she calculated. She
shut the door and Dove resumed her
painting Now mists were Surging be-
tween her eyes and ner palette. IN
clouded, however. her mental vision tried
to map her daughters mind. 1t was
had lain open to her mother. Now 1t
had lost that limpidity.
1t was true that all her life she had
been preparing herself for the time
when Duck would go. But, as far as
active happiness was concerned, she
might just as we'll open an artery in
her soul the day she gave Duck away.
Strange, too, now that Duck was going,
she could not seem to visualize life
without her. And yet the joy when she
thought of Duck married to Dan.
Dove had liked Dan Edison the in
slant her eyes fell upon him. Debonair
he
instantly. And. close upon that-hon-
est! Finally, able. Yes, he was every
thing that she would ask for Duck. One
of Ducks customers had brought Dan
into her shop to approve her choice OF
lamp shades. Dan was building that
customers Long Island house. Dan
had approved the shade. How grateful
Duck was that she had sat up half the
night before to finish it. But Dan had
approved Duck even more, Dove Sus-
pected.
He had sent other clients to Duck;
had again and again returned. One day
Duck brought him home to lunch.
Thereafter he came often and oftener.
It was not alone that Dan was such
companion for Duck, Mrs. T1lotson
reflected 1t was that he was such a
companion for herself. He waXed en-
thusiaStic over her work. He had sent
a customer who had given her an order.
He presented her with an old botany
from his own library. He chuckled over
their plans for the Little House, made
valuable suggestions.
X X X \
WALKING up Madison avenue to her
W shop, Duck was traversing the
same weary round of thought that her
mothers mind was following.
What troubled Duck most, though,
was the matter of Little House. All
their life, at least, ever since her IA
theirs death, Dove and she had been
planning that house. 1t was to be
really little; the smallest story and-a-
half old house they could find. It was
to be painted white; 1t must have a
.fan-lighted doorway painted green; a
knocker.
Every detail of that house had been
thought out. Dove and she had drawn
innumerable plans. Reposing in Ducks
desk at this moment was the final one,
very neat, with-her heart gave hard
throb-several red-ink emendations in
Dams faultleSs architectural manner.
Dove and she knew what every piece of
furniture was to be and where 1t was
tn stand In their rides and walks out