Evening star., 1928-04-08
MIMI-MARY

! that followed her attempts TO be con-
| fidante and adiudicator of the domestic
| difficulties of her only son.
/ Lola Grafton took In the whole show
AT a glance, but wasted no time in eX-
preSsions of sympathy. Instead, she
drew down the blinds to achieve deli
cately tempered light, but unimpaired
ventilation. folded the taffeta cover from
the bed, pulled back the sheet and
blanket, arranged the pillows, ana got
ont her mothers gown and slippers.
Now. my dear" she said, coming to
the sufferer. And Mary Grafton yielded
herself to her miniStrationS.
*
IN spite of her chronic ill-health, Mary
Grafton was still beautiful. MY
beautiful mother" Lola often called her,
and she was beautiful. as a motneV
should be. Also she had another sort
of beauty-the beauty, let US say OF
rather knowing, whimsical twi'n oasn
of the fantaSticl godmother. Sne was
tan and dark. like Edgar and Lola, put
in her it was slender. fragile. alluring
darkness. She had been witch at ~.
She was still a witch at 81. Her trou-
HES did not make her look old-they
n,aSe her only more subtle and comph-
rated And her eyes were springs or
vouth. even in her present pam.
lola took of her mothers slip OF
softeSt rose gray brocade, ana oeluy
slipped on her silk nightgown. She tooN
down the coil of black hair, now inter-
lined 50 strongly with gray bruSneo ailo
braided it, So far, she had Sslo no.n-
inc about the recent visitors, but. aIteI
t,,s oct her mother into bed. she voiced
her annoyance. IAN.
an I'm completely out of patience with
Edgar and Kitty" she said. Iheyre
Ike a wretched fate. whenever I've
something specially good for your oin-
uer-something you might really ENJOY
they rush in with one Of their regu-
lar rows. and then-thiS!
Mary Grafton's eyelids slowly lifted,
an6 the brilliance of her eyes made her
seen, well and strongly vital. Send
them over my menu after this, she
n,urnured. Tell 'em to choose Ham
burg steak days. hate Hamburg
steak
"As if I ever made you eat it." smiled
Lola. She was Strengthening the room,
making everything exquisite ana or
What is 1t tonight, any way?" asked
Mary Grafton.
he has had for days. I suppose 1t can't
be helped. I'll bring YOU a cup OF tea.
What were the children squaboling
about this time?"
The usual triie. Kitty bought an
antique table on day when the stock
market was staggering, 50 Edgar de-
clared they'd soon be in the poorhouse.
Was the Fortnightly fun?"
IN tell you about ii tomorrow,
mother-don't talk now. 1t always
makes you worse"
willful lines appeared in Mary Graf
tons face. II wish you'd call me Mimi,
as the others do"
II think it's silly. You're mother to
me. not Mimi"
I feel like a Mimi" It was an old
playful quarrel between them, this mat
ter of the nickname Lola so steadily
rejected. Her mothers inSistence on
being called Mimi by her children was
one of the many things about her that
Lola had never fathomed. AS was her
custom. she had thought the matter
out. decided on line. and taken it,
The nickname, she had decided. was
just a joke of her mothers Lola did
not consider it a funny joke, but. If
her mother did, well and good-it
should be treated as such. Now she
Well. don't feel as If you were a
Mimi. So that's that. Now, mother
don't get started"
You have no imagination, Lola"
Il don't want any, IL that's what
Edgar and Kitty have"
Please tell me what you heard at
the Fortnightly."
Tomorrow You know it makes
your head ache worse if you talk I'm
going TO get your tea now"
E#
MARY GRAFTON gave an impatient
A'A jerk. but lay still. peeping at Lola
guardedly, her eyes mere Sits. Lit with
points OF mirth. Lola did not notice.
The room had been restored 10 its
usual appearance of a lovely back
ground for one who treasured the re-
finements and amenities Of living.
Lola Grafton's own room was q nuns
cell for simplicity and plainness, but
that was because. for herself, as she
said, she "disliked impedimenta. But
for her mother--ail, the differencel