The Ely miner., 1928-01-06
MEETING
HER TINS
MOTHER
"a by D. J. walsh.l


90 by d. J. walsh.)
JUDITH WETMORE pulled her black
hat over her tight brown braids.
She almost wished that she had
y had her thick locks shorn when
Dencey had fallen foro the convenient
bob. With leisure at minimum and
the mercury at its highest braids were
a nuisance. Besides, as Dencey de.
clared, they stamped her as old-fash-
ioned, than which nowadays nothing
was more inexcusable.s a
Yet Tim Haldane had asked her to
marry him. As she walked out of the
office building and waited at the cor
ner for her car she watched a knot
of her compatriots, chic and vivaciOus,
and compared herself with them. In
credible that Tim had choesn her.
There must have been number OF
other girls he might have had for he
was so fine and winning that no girl
could resist him. Even Dencey said
so, and for Dencey to say thing of
that kind meant much, for Dencey.
eighteen and modernly sophisticated.
had discriminating taste in heroes.
No, Judith decided. as the car bore
her through the burning streets, she
would never be able to understand
Tins selection of her, but whatever
not to agree with him; she might ac-
cept her sons choice of wife but
she would never approve it.
Judith dreaded to meet Tins moth
er. In fact, dread had all day been ac-
cumulating into something like panic
for that evening she was to face her
ordeal. OF course, 1t had to come some
time, but why should it come this
evening? There had been extra work
at the office and she was tired. More
over, her mother was not well and she
and Dencey had been doing the house
work fer few days.
Tins motherl Judith could visu-
alize her easily from her knowledge of
Tim. Slender, tall and fair, of course,
mOdish, perhaps even with a fondness
for French toiletries. Tim had not
told her. "Tll let you form your own
picture of her and see how near you
come to getting it right" he had said
laughingly. Then his mother came on
from the West to live with him at the
Ardmore until his marriage with
Judith, when he planned to have a
home, small house somewhere on a
quiet street. Meanwhile, Judith and
his mother must get acquainted, and
so he had arranged a dinner for them
at the Ardmore as the easiest way of
accomplishing what he desired.
Upon opening the door of the small
apartment Judith beheld a guest seat
ed beside her mother on the sofa
Aunt Ida Stanley, her fathers sister,
had dropped in for visit! Thin and
nervous, she was talking as fast as
she could.
"Why? Here's our Judy! You look
warm, Judy. Look out for blood pres
sure. Now, with me / am below nor
mal-simply have to have heat. This
is the first time I've felt really COM
Portable this summer"
Judith smiled family. In the kitchen
Dencey was struggling with a can
opener. 1t slipped and Dencey gave a
cry of pain.
LET me take it," Judith said. She
looked obviously at the can. "What
else for lunch, dear?"
Nothing much. She took US un-
awares. It's your afternoon Off, isn't
it? And you're going out to dinner
tonight. Lucky yOu!"
81 am not SO sure about that. Tins
mother may not like me-"
''It would be horrid if she didn't.
since you'll have to live together
There are plenty of eggs, Judith"
'Tll make an Omelet."
After all luncheon was something
more than presentable and Aunt Ida
arose refreshed and fortified.
snow, I'm going out to get me a
new hat and Dress" she announced.
'There isn't a decent hat in Packville.
AS for the dresses Andrew Miller
brings in-well, l may be thin enough
to be fashionable, but / simply won't
expose my arms and legs
Judy Call cab. And get ready to
go with me. I'll need some plotting
at is very hot, auntie," Judith pro-
tested family.
"Shucks! There's electric fans
Come, call that cab"
Shopping with woman whose tenn
perature was below normal and who
insisted on getting what she wanted
at a price she was willing to pay gave
judith one of the most trying after
moons she had ever experienced. Al
last she sank down upon divan and
while Aunt Ida tried on dresses held
her handbag.
"Pm coming up again to see yOr
married and l want something decent
to wear" she commented.
Sitting thus, Judith became aware
that a woman had sat down beside
her; the woman was elderly, plain an(
a bit d-fashioned. She clutched hel
purse tightly and looked about hel
with little eir of helpless bewilder
ment. Her upper lip was white IL