Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-24

90 off to work without breakfast. A body that
contained q voice must not be overtried or
OVertired.
Father fell in with that. But Kathleen, who
was on night shift as telephone operator and
did not always return home in time to fix
Father his breakfast, would boil and then sob
a little, inwardly, at the patience of Father.
The dear tried gallant patience of Father
For 10 years of widowerhood Father stood for
all this, sweetly, a little tiredly but UNI
complainingly that sometimes it seemed to
Kathleen he must be made Of the stuff OF
saints. Then one by one the boys married ana
took themselves and their chickering's and their
demands and their uncouthneSs and their
inconsiderate bullying out of the house; and
next came Emma, who inside of "a hours, met
fell in love WITH married and went on with
the orchestra leader Of travelling musical
show which had come to town.
BY this time, resOlutely, there began TO take
full shape In Kathleen'S mind q half-fOEmed
dream which had lodged there ever since she
had been old enough to cerebrate about th0
stunted life of her father. He was SO by now.
rheumatic, subject TO spells Of asthma and bent
from the long years at gardening
Father must have his day. Somehow, some
way, now with the boys and Emma no longer
hanging like so many sacs around his neck, hs
must be given the fIrSt respite he had known.
GAFELY hidden beneath Kathleen's mattress
~ were three one hundred dollar bills and
this end. Given this start, and what with her
capacity for earning at the telephone exchange
where she was now chief operator, there was
no reason in the world why Father might not
retire.
The scheme amusingiy presented, was to b
his sixtieth birthday gift.
There was, to be sure, one serious rift within
the lutte. 1t meant q continuation or the M
definite poStponement of KaEhleen's own TO-
nance, one of long standing, with young fell
low exactly her own age, proficient in the love-
ly work of bookbinding. Not q highly paid sue
cess-job, as those things go, but quiet, beauti-
flII vocation that in Kathleen's eyes was part
Of the very bone and fiber of the youth him
self.
years of 1t already. But there had always been
valid reason, and now, with the Father APP
preaching so, more valid the reason than ever.
With more of Staid reconciliation to circum-
stance than their years would preSuppoSe. the
youngsters bowed once more TO the dictates Of
the situation and Kathleen began the dedica-
ton Of her time her funds and herself TO her
Fathers twilight years.
It would all have gone through very well, the
surprise she had planned for him on his birth
day when the new scheme for his retirement
from gardening. his leisure and his new life In
q home freed of responsibility were to be sprung
on him. except for one circumstance.
ON the eve of his birthday Father married the
Widow Croop o comedy neighbor woman
Of 43, with seven growing children and as sh0
ming that the incredible pair came trooping
home, "the hope of more"
Father, seeming thus TO love his punishment,
Kathleen and the young bookbnder ere mar
ried now and even as Father and the Widow
Crop. are living happily ever after. 80