Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-11-21
The Courage of Mary Carwin .


! tiae and went downstairs ~reflectiyely.
The day before Christmas was a
busy one FOR Mrs. Felpitt for there
wc:c many things to prepare. In her
MNiN rs she worked there was. however,
thc a~nacipation OF the evening. OF the
pleasant rite OF Alan's stocking. extra
hneN furnished this year from the
hN.ders money. and above all of the
new she had for him Of his future in
kaiminSter.
Nc sept on putting his head into the
Kitchen where she was so busy. show
lag \ whole-hearted interest in the
question OF food-but presently she
missed his frankly greedy interrup-
uNa> and, as the clock licked on past
luuch time, wondered n~ervously where
he had gone.
Ne returned at last. wet through,
cOlG. but elated.
oh. Alanl" she cried, with that mix
tuye Of relief and anger which is best
known. perhaps, to mothers. "Oh.
Alan, YOU are naughty-youre wet and
dinners spelling. Where have YOU
hens'
tie came into the room, leaving a
muddy trail behind him, and waved
something in her face.
Sorry, mother. but look what I've
been doing. I've been sailing this
knt she a little beauty?"
4 cold hand OF premOnition seemed
| 70 close on her heart as her eyes fell
on what he held out for her admira-
ton. 1t vas the model ship which
she had last seen uncompleted on the
bed upstairs while the man wrought
at it and talked to her OF Mary Car
VII.
Give it to me-" she said with a hard
intensity that made him recoil. Where
did you get that thing?"
He Rugged the ship to him. TT was
on the top OF my wardrobe"
You must give it to me-" she re-
peated intiexibily. TIT isn't yours.
You can't have it. Now go and change
your boots"
Obediently he handed it to her, and
stumped silently into the lobby.
She fled breathlessly upstairs to her
room. and a drawer banged shut. There
would be more time, she thought, to
burn this unlucky thing when Alan
had gone to bed. She returned, trem-
bling, in spite Of herself. Alan was
waiting for her. and they sat down to
lunch in silence.
Il don't see why" he said. 1T was
iLs eoih-4 AClIlCliiUCl ~. WIN lIlduC
it,"
Never mind that" she replied. Il
don't want you to have it. Please,
Allah"
Mother" he said, "it's very funny
about that ship. Me finding it today,
l mean-and I was going to tell you
tonight anyhow, because I've been say
ing 1t up most OF the term-that when
l grow up I'm going to be a sailor"
"Alan!' Just that one word was
wrung from her, and he continued ex-
citedly. Its very funny how I knew,
too. You know-well, praps you don't
know, but any man would know who's
been to schOOl-anyway, new boys are
often asked all sorts of questions, about
their people, and what they're going to
be and all that. One day they came
around and asked us all-and lots of
boys said they didn't know, but I said
Sailor, Of course l didn't have to
think at all"
But Alan!" She had recovered her
self by now. You've never-only once
even seen the seal"
Yes, l know-that's funny, too. But
that's what I'm going to be, all the
same. Don't you think it's a splendid
thing to be?"
She could not speak for a moment,
and when she did her voice was I'M
even. But Alan-I had such wonder
full news for you, too, tonight. I've ar
ranged it all for you. You're to go in
to FosSick & FosSick's Office in Rad
minister when you leave school. Dear
old MIR. Fossick-"
Mother, how could you! / should
hate it-yOu know l Would-that stuffy
office, when ] might be on the sea-
and you never even told me! l couldn't
L couldn't! You might have asked
me, mother. He got up from his chair
and stood before her, his face working.
Her heart smote her, but she was
fighting for him now.
But, darling boy" she cried, your
mother surely knows what's best for
you-and you could live here with me
always and go in to the Office every
day. Just think of that, Alan-you'd
always be at home"
But l don't want to be at home"
he exclaimed, his voice rising shrilly
with vexed disappointment. Don't you
understand that? l want to have fun,
Of places and be in storms and things.
1 can't help feeling like that. Don't
you see? Any man would under
stand" He broke off suddenly, his
lip trembling.
For a moment they searched each
others eyes. Tears welled suddenly in
hers. In a moment he was on his
knees by her side, his arm around her
neck.
"Oh, mummy" he whispered, I'm SO
sorry. l didn't mean to make you look
like that"
She took this for victory, and held
him close to her.
Its all right, son-boy-it's quite all
right. I'm sure you didn't. We won't
talk about the sea any more, will We?
I'll tell you about Fossick's. It's a
marvellous chance for YOU"
He drew away, but squatted at her
feet, holding her hand and gazing into
the fire with distant eyes as she drew
a gorgeous picture of his future as she
had planned it.
Alan" she whispered, "you love your
mother, don't you? You'd never do
anything to give me pain?"
He flung his arms around her neck
at this. "Of I do, silly old mum
my-but l do wish He stopped,
and she urged him to go on.
"Oh, nothing" he said, "it's impossi-
BILE. But it wouldn't make me love
you any less, you know"
What wouldn't? Tell me, Alan
In the manner of childhood he at
tackled a different angle. my daddy