The Washington times., 1938-05-06


and her highly successful Law
though she would have been Il
Alice, unlike Martha, had never
married. Martha'S grandchild
Betty, age 2, was, of course, the
wonder of the world, and Grace
Martha's only child, was the best
daughter a woman ever had. OF
course there was Frank, Martha's
Son-in-law. He was difficult. That
was why Martha was having this
little visit with Alice.
Alice Martin rose from behind
her mahogany desk as Martha
came in.
Alice never seemed to change.
She was as tall and angular at
5O-odd as she had been back in
high-school days when she had
played in high-School dramatic
club plays, taking the male leads
because she was so tall. Martha
had played the heroines.
I'm so glad to see you, Martha.
It's been a couple of years since
we got together, hasn't it?"
WHY MARTHA CALLED
"All of that" said Martha,
taking a chair.
When you phoned me yester,
day." Alice smiled, Il Cancelled
some afternoon appointments so
that we could have real visit.
But 1 have another important
appointment around four. You
said you had some important bust
ness to discuss
Yes" said Martha, grimly.
"Alice, know you think the world
and all of my Grace, and you've
met Frank, her husband, a few
times"
Hes grand" said Alice.
Martha shrugged. Not to live
with though"
Il heard you've been living with
Grace and Frank ever since Jim
died"
Something made Martha bride.
why shouldn't I live with my
own daughter? Grace wouldn't
hear of my livinA alone in that
big old house after Jim died.
Il often wonder, Alice, whether
I'll ever really get over Jim's
death. You don't know what it
means to a woman to lose the
very rock of her existence"
Il can guess" said Alice in
that dry way she sometimes had.
''By the way, Martha, did you ever
60 in for that social service work
you were talking about after jim
died? I mean the voluntary kind
=. for of course Jim left you
well off"
Martha, I don't have the time
for anything. I run the kitchen
details for Grace. She's slow. E. .
has no system. You know she
never had to lift a hand when
she was a girl at home and since
Frank can't afford a maid -"
'Well, l didn't come here to sing
my own praises. Something very
diSagreeable has turned up. Grace
Is thinking of getting divorce. "
II can't believe it. They were
90 happy"
DELICATE SITUATION
cts true. Frank is running
around with another woman"
"Who is the Woman?"
"It's his secretary. Grace saw
him. :. I did too. lunching with
her. He stays out almost every
night for dinner phones he's
detained on business. Grace didn't
tell me. but I have eyes and
ears. know it's that red-headed
woman at his office"
But, Martha. what can I do?
You know, I'd do anything to help,
but it seems like such a delicate
situation"
The phone buzzed on Alice's
desk. She spoke into it briefly,
then turned to Martha.
"The other appointment I men.
toned is due. 1t won't take very
long, Martha. If you'll just wait
in the law library next door, we
can continue our conversation
after this client goes"
Martha found herself seated be
tween rows of bookshelveS. She
could hear Alice greeting the new
arrival for the door between the
rooms had not been tightly closed.
Then the new voice spoke up and
Martha took quick step toward
it. The voice belonged to her
daughter, Grace. Martha was about
to burst In, when something Grace
was saying stopped her mother in
her tracks.
Cousin Alice, I'm in such
trouble, and I can't ask any one =.
there's no one I can go tc for ad-
vice but you"
st know" said Alice. your
mother was talking to me about
1t. She mentioned. -"
Another woman? Yes, there is
another woman, Cousin Alice, but
mother doesn't know what it Is
It's mother herself"
"Your mother?"
'MOTHER'S WHOLE LIFE"
please don't misunderstood.