The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-12-27
By
ELIZABETH
JORDAN

| remember him. She had risen, a
crossed to her husbands side, had bent
and lightly kissed his cheek.
Buck up, old dear" she said gently.
1T knocked me out a bit, too. But let's
forget it."
After that his father and mother
were pretty much what they had al
ways been-gay, amusing, devoted to
their W lamb. But to Jerry there
wa n great lack in the family life
and he could not ignore it. His fairy
godmother came to the house no more.
The fact was MISUNDERSTANDING.
Jerry could not understand it. Nor
which his Investigations into her alb
sence were met. A sudden warning
look from his father-and silence. With
his mother, a queer impression that
she was going away from him, though
she stayed right there in the room
and silence.
Doesn't Aunt Eve love us any more?"
he once asked her. This time she an
sWered.
Il hope not, darling" she said.
But the fairy godmother did love
him just the same. She told him so
one October day in the park. almost a
met her unexpectedly. The three of
them sat down on a bench and talked
a long time. At least the two groWnups
did. Jerry had to tell Aunt Eve many
times that he still loved her. She asked
him the question again and again and
again as if she could not quite be-
lieve him. Then she said to his father,
Il miss you all so terribly, but I think
I miss Jerry the most. I couldn't love
him more if he belonged to me. o. Don.
Jerry'S just the son I would select if
I could have a son made to order!"
Dewar didn't answer. He merely
looked very serious. She went on:
Il know W. were fools, as Peggy
says. But haven't we been punished
enough? Is she going to keep M in
definitely in outer darkness? I don't
deserve that"
NO" Dewar said slowly, you don't.
If there's any blame it's all mine. I
told her so, again and again."
She looked at him a long time and
then spoke in a different tone.
How snug and contented you look,
Don. I don't believe you care. You're
all right. You're back in Peggy's good
graces. You're happy. But what about
me? I haven't done anything, either,
but I've lost you all. And I'm going
through purgatory. You've only to look
at me to see that"
For several days after that his faith
er was very quiet. He also seemed a
UlG dllAlUuS WHEN Jerry was taking al
the table or elsewhere. But in a week
or two they met Aunt Eve in the park
again at the same bench-a pleasant
bench near q fountain, with a pool on
which boats sailed very nicely. Only
a few sentences of their long talk ling
cred in Jerry's memory"
Il know I shouldn't be here" Aunt
Eve said. But I couldn't resist the
chance of seeing you both again. In
fact, I've been haunting this fountain
for days. You don't mind. do you. Don?"
Its very unwise," Jerry heard his
father say. If Peggy hears of it thereT
be the devil to pay. You know We both
promised-but think of it, Eve, this
scion of mine hasn't mentioned our
other encounter. He seems to realize
that it wouldn't do."
Jerry wasn't sure what scion or en-
counter meant-but he made a guess.
He continued to hold his small
tongue when another meeting took
place. That was in December. He
thought the avoidance Of the bench
was because the fountain wcs frozen.
But this day, a week before Christ
mas and On the opposite side of the
park, he and his father again met Aunt
Eve. They stood and talked for a mo-
ment, then found a new bench and