The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-06-13

what blow it had been to mamma
and papa to have her living in Erie
street, with no margin, no possessions
no possibility of restraint or economy
How difficult is was-perhaps for their
sakes she ought to cooperate with
mamma and papa to do something for
them. Enough money for decent fiat
"a small comfortable house-it would
be so much easier for mamma.
But Ernestine felt again the cold
wind on her cheeks, remembered viv.
idly how she had wept, and how she
had said, again and again, Il promise
WILL promise" He had asked her
for no such statement. She had done
the bargaining. Whatever 1t cost-to
her family or to herself-she would
keep that promise to VIII, and live on
what he brought her until he himself
told her to do otherwise.
Ernestine began to wonder if she
would be as good a wife and mother
as Elaine Briceland, when the time
came that Will had made good.
She paused to consider this thought
and smiled happily, for now she saw
that for the first time she was entirely
confident Of Wills success. 1t had
been as much longing as conviction
before, but now she was sure. How
hard he was! His hardness brought
only admiration this morning, the
practical respect of practical person
''If you want to go back, you've only
to put on your hat and do i'll" She
wondered how many men had the
courage to take stand like that.
She did not regret the quarrel at all
Her marriage had attained a new
reality. She knew that she was not
simply having good time. She knew
that she could not go home when the
party was over. They had advanced
from the honeymoon period into per-
manence.
In what way, here and now, could
she make this new feeling practical,
make it effective?
How would they meet the obligation
of childbirth? Would she go home to
mamma or to some hospital? They
would have to plan without mamma
if they were to be consistent. She
understood that babies were fright
fully expensive. She had read articles
in magazines about them. Yet thou
sands of women with no more money
than she possessed had babies. She
would have to find out how they man
aged
She would have to see doctor, ask
questions, answer them. She would
have to find out the rates at different
hospitals, under different conditions.
And after she had investigated the
matter and decided on her own plan,
she would have to begin to save
definite amount every week, out of
Wills pay, so that they might meet
the emergency. That would be fun
to have money in her hand, when her
time came!
She decided to say nothing to Will
about this, until she knew. Like her
mother, she must exercise her virtue
privately and let results speak for
her. She had a few dollars with
which to open a savings account.
There was bank nearby, branch of
a downtown bank. She would get a
metal coin chest for herself and Will.
Her mental activity now became
physical, and she rose and dressed,
kissed Will lightly on the cheek, and
left a note on the dresser for him, lest
he think she had taken his advice and
al Oh
box full of roses for her, and card
in it with few words written in an
erect elaborate script:
'To beg forgiveness for my rude
ness, and to express the hope that we
may be real friends some day.-L. S.
Pastano."
Ernestine gave the roses to Mrs.
Bennett without comment and went
out.
Last April she had been school
girl Now she was filed with the SOL
.emn Importance of wifehood and moth.
erhood. The sweet air filed her with
happiness. Her husbands face fed
before her minds eye, down the long
curve Of boulevard, an indignant coun-
tenance, fiery, strong. Her heart
contracted within her at the thought
of him and his love.
The visit to the doctors was pro-
longed, but she reached mammals
house in time for lunch, and found the
two women so full of Lillian's plans
that she kept her own secret.
Determined to make the day COM
plete she left early and set out for the
long tiresome street car ride to the
Northwest side. She was ashamed to
realize how few were the visits she
and Will had made to the little house
where his mother and father lived.
She was at her mothers home two or
three times a week, but they had not
been to see Wills mother half a dozen
times in the months of their marriage.
1t was not intentional neglect, but e
always seemed to work out that way,
and VIII had been as lax as she about
spending his one day a week on that
Iopn inurnay