Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-11-29
MOLLY'S
WONDERFUL
INHERITANCE


"A worked, cleaning her already
4 a immaculate house 1t was
. now only six O'Clock and her
train left for Chicago at ten-thirty-
four long hours before she could 60
to the station. Her bag was packed,
the square black bag that had not
been used since she had made that
trip to Chicago seven years before.
Her neat little black hat. purse and
gloves were on the. hall table. "Gray
Puss' had been taken over to Lettie
Desmond's by LettIe's small freckle
faced son who was extraordinarily
fond Of Molly's pet. Four long hours
and not thing to do.
She wandered from room to room.
The Fremont Chronicle was on the
table and she tried to interest herself
In Its pages, but 1t was futile. She
wished she might lie down and sleep
for she knew there would be no sleep
for her on the train that night. Had
the telegram come last night instead
Of this morning she would have taken
the day train over. But II had come
at six o'clock this morning and the
day train went through Fremont at
TOT a. m.
The kitchen was shining in its clean.
Illness. There was a roaring fire in
the big kitchen range and Molly sud.
denly bent and pushed the damper
over the oven. A moment later she
emerged from the pantry with
bread-board under her arm and a mix.
ing bowl and bottle Of sour cream
in her hand.
For the next two hours she worked
busily making cookies. It was strange
making cookies this late fall afternoon
and every time she moved, the yellow
telegram In her pocket cracked, the
telegram advising her of the death
Of Weston Lathrop, her husband. II
was very brief, very noncommital. A
dozen times that day she had paused
In her work and unfolded 1t. 1t was
signed Dandron h Eaton. attorneys,
and stated that Weston LathrOp and
Mrs. Lathrop had been killed in Eng
land. Papers in his possession and
also In the office Of the Chicago at
4. tofneys, had requested that she be
notified. That was strange, too, be-
cause she had not seen him in seven
years, since the day she met him in
Chicago and told him he could have
his freedom to marry the woman for
whom he had deserted her after sew
enteen years of married life; since
she had told him she would not inter.
fere In any plans he might make be-
cause she didn't want to hold him II
he didn't want to be held.
The telegram also requested that
she appear IN the Office of Dandron
4 Eaton, Chicago, on a certain day
ito discuss aamatter which could only
he settled with her assistance. mas.
much as the late Mr.. and Mrs. Lath.
rop had no relatives with whom to
communicate.
Making cookies-sour cream, spices,
brown sugar-WestOn's favorltes-and
he was dead II was hard to believe
that the man she had loved, still
iOved, was dead. And there was so
little by which to remember him, ex.
cept memories. They had lived IN
her old home, inherited from her par
ents lie had brought little into II,
but had taken much when he took
himself out of It. She lifted her hand
to her lips-the hand that bore the
narrow gold band placed there on a
June day so many years before.
II was nearly eight o'clock when she
placed the last cookie In the big crock
which stood on the lower shelf in
the pantry II was nine when she fin.
Ished her light supper and washed
the dishes Only Mrs Desmond knew
she was going away-On business
trip thni could not be postponed but
she could return the day after tomor.
row. II was dark when she locked
the door and hung the key behind
the right pillar Of the porch. The sta.
tlon was almost deserted and she
slipped into the Pullman unnotlced by
the few townsfolk who lOtered on the
platform.
All through the long hours OF the
night Molly Lathrop lay thinking of
the days that stretched behind her:
of the days to come. The last seven
years had been very lonely but the
years ahead seemed intermlnable.
There had always been the sweet un
certainty that perhaps some day IVES
would come back to her, and although
the heart In her was crushed. she
knew she would welcome him back.
Now he was dead. She raised herself
on her elbow many times and watched
the countryside slip past. Slckly street
lamps threw out murky glow In the
strange little towns that slumbered
in the night stiffness. How many Of
those little homes contained the hap
plness that had once been hers7 How
many knew the heartaches that she
knew? And II only she had something
definite. something tangible by which
to remember those happy days before
he went anywhere was plenty to
bring back the long days and the cruel
hours of the night after. but so little,
so llttle-and then they were rumbling
into South Chicago and Molly Lathrop
was The first off the train. neat,
tlmId little figure In the great bus.
thing rallrond station
Al ten O'clock she appeared In the
offices Of Dundron x Eaton and was
ushered In almost Immediately to the
presence Of Mr.. DnndrOn. He read
her II statement that Weston had pre-
pared before leaving for England ad
VisinG that In the event " his dentb
Molly .,aihrop Of Fremont should be
nOiig. i.
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