The Coolidge examiner., 1932-04-08
CHAPTER II-Continued


Il didn't say l wanted to 20 back, :"
her mother reminded her. Then,
briskly, she added, See that big
box over on the windOw-seat? Go
and open it and see what's inside" "
1t was an enormous green box.
Mother! 1t isn't for mel" the girl
cried, as she struggled with the
string. But l thought the mat
inee was my birthday present"
She pulled the cover off the box
and caught a glimpse of tan color
1t was a lovely. fieecy polo coat
with a satin lining, light as a
feather and warm as toast. Almost
exactly like one she'd envied Cor
inne Baldwin the possession of, up
at the Brook, last summer. Yet, as
she shook out the folds of it and slid
her cold bare arms into its sleeves,
she was in terror lest she should
cry.
Mother, how perfectly darling :"
She hoped her voice sounded all
right. ITS just exactly the-it's
the only thing in the world l want
ed, mother"
She few back to the bedside for
a kiss; tken turned back for a look
at herself in the long mirror. AL
ready tho spasm of disappointment
was passing from her heart. This
thing was real, and its was really
hers. Il did look lovely on her, too.
The girl slipped out of her coat,
lSid 1t across the back of a chair
where It wouldn't be lost to view,
and crSpt In beside her mother.
IF t's a nice day l can wear it
to the theater this afternoon" she
said. Il think that's going to be
perfectly great-the show / mean
don't you, mother? Aren't you glad
we're going?"
She thought her mother didn't
mean to answer The question
hardly called for it; certainly for
nothing more than an inarticulate
murmur of assent She was star
tied, when at the end of a pretty
long silence, her mother said, I'm
glad if you are; but are you sure
you wouldn't rather have had the
birthday party?'
''Of course I'm sure. I'd lots rath.
er go to the show" Somehow she
felt she couldn't quite leave it at
that, and she added, II didn't care
about the party particularly" She
had tried to make that sound indif-
ferent and casual, but she knew she
hadn't brought it off. Her voice had
betrayed her. She was getting
frightened.
After the silence had spun it.
self out a while, she asked "Why 2"
not because she wanted to, but be-
cause she couldn't help it. "Why
did you ask, mother?"
Il don't know; it was just an
idea of mine. You and Agatha
Willard had been such a pair of
inseparables and had cared so lit
tie about anyone else, thought per-
haps, with her away, you might be
feeling rather lonesome"
"Oh, of course | miss her hOr-
ribly." Edith admitted "And | miss
Ed. too. Don't you, mother? Dc
you remember how he used to come
in, mornings like this, when we
were all lying here talking. and
sit up on the footboard, balancing
with his arms around his knees,
so we were always afraid he would
go over backwards"
"Of course l do," her mother
said. "Oh, well, it won't be SC
many weeks till Christmas. He'll
be back then"
But her voice hadn't sounded just
right. Edith knew why. The pic
ture of Ed in his flannel pajamas
balancing on the footboard brought
back into her mind. as, she knew
into her mothers, the thought of
the other absentee. Dad had al
ways been here, too. lying on the
other side of mother, pretending to
be half asleep, but making jokes
really funny jokes at which they'd
all laugh; suggesting three absurd
ideas TO one sensible one, if they
happened to, be making plans fol
the spending of a holiday. Shed
never realized how jolly it was un
til now that it was all spoiled
1t was spoiled; it never would be
the same again. And it was al
his fault, and that Mrs. Ingraham' S
Suddenly she found herself cry
ing. Her mother turned over anG
uoS holding hor tiUht in hpr arms