The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-08-17

smoothly for us here. Your mother
was made so happy by your letter
to her. But am going to tell you.
because know you want me to. not
to write of drunken natives again.
CIT was funny) She was deeply
shocked by it. and you see. Bob. l
couldn't very we'll keep your first
letter to me from her."
Mrs. Powers had murmured, How
dreadful; How dreadful"
$50. please in writing me next
time. say there are many very good
and sober natives. And write me
little more warmly If you can: she
expects 1t. Anything you mean you
can put in parenthesis. ! can slip
extra sheets into yours. show her
the warm-toned letter | write you.
She likes to see them. know. But
an extra letter sheet from you might
not be easy for me to explain. /
might open that letter before her.
want her to know she is in step
with US; in full confidence. You I'M
Cerstand?
81 am learning to play checkers.
| mean. I'm not! Do you remember
Ring Lardner's The Golden Honey
mOonF In that one old gentleman
said. Checkers is child's game
and the other replied, / quote
roughly. 1t is. the way you play it,
and that appliesi am being beaten
horribly and | shan't be entered in
the great American steeplechase! l
love playing. / am happy serving
your mother"
Her other letter began with, my
dearest my very dearest hus-
band"
Bob read that-again and again
and one night he found himself pen.
cilling the parentheses that were
to tell his chaff from grain, around
the my dearest-my very dearest
husband" that Marsha had written
and, too, around every other SEN
tence of hers that matched the
warmth of air he breathed.
He dreamed of her. despite his
best intentions to think nothing of
her: dreamed of her while awake to
find. stepping from the dreams. the
coldly bitter reality that was made
by truth.
January whirled by. The bridge
grew.
THERE were many games Of
l checkers; there were, on Mrs.
Powers good days." sober drives
in closed motor. There were small
teas for Mrs. Powers friends when
Marsha poured, and talked of storing
woolens and of the dietetic habits
of moths. and OF cooks and their
migratory tendencies.
Marsha began to plan and to
order the meals. to deal with trades.
people by telephone. to arrange
flowers. Once and again she was
forced to cheat herself of necessary
sleep in order to get Bob's letter
Off"
Marsha had admired Mrs. Pow.
ers' deft knitting of wash-cloths;
Mrs. Powers had replied, Dear. 1t
is no task at all-after you catch it.
Let me teach you to knit them.
am certain it would fascinate you!
Nothing is more soothing"
The knitting OF the wash-cloths
did not soothe Marsha, but she did
her valiant best to learn. for she
knew Mrs. Powers would find a new
interest through teaching her.
There is more to this than sup.
posed. Mother!" Marsha would ad.
NIT with a sigh. to hear, Darling.
you are doing very. very we'll! In
fact. and quite truly. remarkably
we'll. considering that your aunt did
not deem 1t wise to teach you these
necessary things in childhood"
Mrs. Powers invariably empha.
sized "aunt." when 1. applied to
Miss Gertrude Moore. Miss Ger.
trude had made Mrs. Powers add a
codicil to her prayers; this ran,
"And soften the heart Of your err
ing child, Lord, to that woman
who was not fair, as you know we'll
Lord. to our dear Marshal"
Miss Gertrude had called upon
Mrs. Powers to sit stoniiy silent az
Mrs. Powers eulogized Marsha. The
eulogies had grown loud and tremu
lous; they had done nothing. Misc
Gertrude left Mrs. Powers shaking
and close 10 tears.
When Marsha came back from
seeing Miss Gertrude to her motor,
Mrs, Powers put her arms around
the girl who was chilled by the
hide0us feeling that her aunt might
have said something to change
Bob's mother toward her.
Il love you. dearl" Mrs. Powers
said fiercely.
| (C0bvySRLf. 1874. 6V A. MAITLAND. TavIoyI