The Washington times., 1938-04-02

herself, and the four children,
One by one the years had elm
mated them. Judy had married
and moved to California. Then
Arnold married. And one night
she had, for the first time, set
three places, one for Mack, one
for Katie and one for herself.
Will had gone into the bathroom,
where he had died of heart fail
ure.
Only three places at the table
now. That reached her when
nothing else could. Her very soul
froze. She knew that no heat,
no sun, could melt it.
Mack married that fall. He
and his wife did not come to
Addy'S much for meals although
she invited them. Now there were
only Katie and herself.
Some day." Addy thought,
waiting for Katie's key in the lock
around six-thirty. Some day"
IF KATIE LEFT HER
But she wouldn't let her mind
20 further than that, buff
Katie left her, if Katie got mar
ried, and Addy had to sit alone at
the round table where six had
once sat, chattering away, enjoy
ing everything So
"I'll kill myself first" Addy said
to herself. Eyes, will"
But she knew she wouldn't. She
would, instead, set the table with
one plate, one knife, one fork. II
only Katie wouldn't marry.
Il will not" Addy told herself
firmly, IT will not be selfish
mother to my last child. She is
good looking, intelligent. My girl
mustn't miss marriage. "a good
husband. -"
Yet, in spite of her good resolu-
ton, Addy watched Katie with
secret, dreading eyes.
"a new man came in today. A
client. We had such long tax.
He wants to take me to lunch"
Addy nodded and smiled, but
she hated the new man. And be-
cause she hated and feared him,
she put herself out to entertain
him when Katie brought him to
dinner.
Before her eyes, the thing was
happening. The man, Or n
Fowler, couldn't take his eyes of
Katie.
That evening, after they had
gone to the theater, Addy reset
the round table with one plate
one knife and one fork, just to
see how it would look.
1T isn't really so. very bad,
she told herself grimly. She sat
down in front of the plate. TITS
all q matter of getting used to 1t"
KATIE MARRIEs
Mother. did you notice his
hands?" Katie once asked. Sup
pie, but strong"
Whose hands?" Addy asked
purposely dense.
GAS if you didn't know, Mother. II
IT left my people to get mar
ried," Addy thought. Katie must
leave me. That's life"
But if Will had only stayed. =.
Addy gave a wedding dinner for
Katie when she and Grant got
married at City Hall. The round
table could scarcely be made big
enough even with its three extra
leaves. Addy was happy, but it
was the kind of happiness that
sees its own execution a few hours
away.
Addy found that she could get
used to eating alone. but at a
price.
That was six months after
Katie's marriage. Katie kept her
job. She and Grant believed in
that. One night, Addy was still
sitting at the table when she
heard key rattle. Katie still had
hers. Addy flew to the hall. Yes,
it was Katie.
1--WE left Grant" Addy's daugh-
ter told her. Please, may l stay
here :. until get things straight
ened out in my mind?"
"Your old room :" Addy be-
gan. "Are you hungry?"
NO APPETITE
Two places at the table again,
but Katie had no appetite. She
wouldn't tell why she had left
Grant. It was Grant himself who
told Addy. He dropped in the
next afternoon while Katie was at
work.
Cant you make her listen to
feason?"
"She hasn't told me a thing,
Grant"
"She hasn't? It's all my fault