Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-01-13
BOARDERS
WANTED
CAME
"a By 3. J. walsh.I

~ SIZE uulSnSu EeuuluB heE
V sons letter. Fred was a good
boy; he wrote every week and
came home whenever he could, al
though his work kept him confined
pretty steadily in the city. As usual,
he had tucked in a $40 bill for ex-
penses. Mary owned her house, but
she had almost no money aside from
what her son sent her. And Fred
would not let her earn by taking
boarders.
But this letter-Mary read it again
slowly, dwelling upon each word.
Yes! 1t was what she had always ex-
pected some time. Fred was going to
be married.
That letter changed the whole
course of Mary Carman's life. "a son
is a son till he gets his wife," The
old saying was true enough. She had
seen 1t again and again. Son married
- daughter-in-law unsympathetic -
mother gradually neglected. OF course
Fred had a right to happiness. 1t
was only that-that she felt as IL she
had lost her son.
She sat there behind the white cur
tains and geraniums Of her living
room window with the letter in her
lap, crying. And Mrs. Binner, step
ping through the back door, caught
her at 1t.
"Why, Mary Carmanl What's the
matter-Fred slck?" noticing the let
ter.
Mary tried to laugh as she wiped
her eyes.
Hes going to be married."
Married. Mrs. Binner pumped
her 211 pounds into a protesting rock
er. swell, you know what that means
as well as I do-who's the girl2"
"Her name Is Helen Branch. She
works where Fred does. They're 60
ing to be married soon. And Of course
they'll live in the city, though he
didn't say"
"Bobbed hair, paint, cigarettes,
maybe" Mrs. Binner shifted. "Well,
what can't be cured must be endured"
"Oh, Fred wouldn't choose any but
a nice, sweet GIRL" his mother said.
my dear womanl You don't know
what he'd choose. Take a country
boy, brought up as carefully as he's
been, he'd be too innocent to know
what he was getting"
Mary was glad when Mrs. Binner
departed. She felt she had stood all
she could
She sat looking about the room. 1t
was full of simple, intimate treasures.
Inc wnoIe mouse was Iurnisned Win
things that had belonged to her moth
er and her grandmother. She had
hoped to pass these things on to
Fred's wife. But city girl, bust
ness girl, would not care for such
things. She would want oyerstuffed
furniture and etchings Well-Mary
felt she had much graver problem
still to consider-how was she going
to live? Fred's salary could not sup
port two establishments. Probably
they would offer her a home with
them. No! She would have to do
something to support herself. She
would have to take boarders.
When daylight broke on the quiet
street there was to be seen by early
passersby a card in Mrs. Carman's
crystal-clean front window: Board
ers wanted" 1t was looked at with
surprise.
Late that afternoon Mrs. Carman,
again sitting at the window behind
the white curtains and geraniums,
saw two girls coming down the street
They wore simple, dark clothes and
one carried a single bag, the other
carried two bags. They were looking
for somebody. When they saw the
card In the window they paused and
consulted together. Then they mount
ed the steps and rang the bell.
do you really take boarders?" the
dark-eyed girl asked as Mary opened
the door. "And-and would you take
us for At"
"A few daysT finished the blue
eyed girl, who seemed to have hard
cold.
The sight of the blue-eyed girls
nose decided Mary Carman and she
asked them In. The best room was
made ready-aired, with fresh sheets,
spread, snowy towels distributed. The
girls seemed delighted with 1t.
"Now, there's a book for you to
read, Peg" said the dark-eyed one.
you're to stay in when it's warm
while I hustle to make few sales"
She was gone with the smaller bag.
Mary Carman made biscuit, made n
chocolate cake, opened jar Of straw
berries, creamed potatoes, shlrred
some eggs. She was lifted out Of her
depression. And the rate Of $40
week was the pay the girls insisted
upon.
The dark-eyed girl came back at
six and reported excellent sales.
"Blodgetts best breakfast tea" she
explained to Mrs. Carman. "You pre-.
sent the housewife with coupon and
she calls at her grocer's for a sample.
Here's sample for you. It's really
excellent tea"
am sure II is, or-or you wouldn't
be selling It," Mary returned warmly.
The girl poised her pencil over the
page of small book.
an just dot down your name II
you will give It to me, please" she
said in a buslnessllke way.
"Mrs. Mary Carman."
The girl looked up at her with some
thing like a start. Next instant she
was scrlbbllng.
1t seemed the blue-eyed girl called
Peg was really quite sick with her