The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-02-18
SHORT SHORT
STORY
Complete in This Issue

children's wear. II know you won't
like it, Hiram, dear" looking up
apologetically into the badly-focused
eyes of the alleged likeness in
crayon Of her late husband, which,
draped with tasseled silk throw"
stood on an easel in the corner,
but I amt really spent no money
on clothes since my trousseau wore
out, and I always did just love pref
ty clothes-jes' seems like l can't
help it. Besides, if I don't like
these things 1 can return them and
get my money back. 1t says so
right here in the book on every
page most"
"After ALL" she defended herself
to herself, "there's nothing fool
ish or extravagant on the list I'M
less it might be the fuzzy white
sweater set for Elviry Thompson's
littlest girl
Going to hang up the broom, pre-
paratory to returning to the sitting
room and her list, she caught sight
of Ernestine Biggers on her way to
the interurban station and rapidly
changed her plan of shopping by
mail to the more thrilling one of
shopping in person.
The girl, responding to her fran
tic signals on the window, came up
the narrow tagged path and into the
kitchen. "In a big hurry. child?"
she asked eagerly, wistfully. go
ing to the city, bent you? Would
it be too much bother if I went
with you? Now amt that kind! I'll
be ready in no time and I'll ex-
plain later, on the train, what I'm
going for and ALL"
But once settled on the car, the
wan sadness of the girls face
touched her and attracted her at
tention from her own fine plans. A
few gentle questions and the girl,
haltingly, ashamedly, poured into
the sympathetic ear of her conf
dante all her hearts pent-up dis
enlargement and despair. Her
promise to marry young Luke En-
dicott on the neighboring farm, his
need of her in view of his mothers
fast-failing health, and the absolute
impossibility of making her school
salary do more than cover the bills
that piled up during her fathers i'll
ness. Even the most modest out
fit was out of the question.
"But l don't know what possesses
me to be whining like this to you,
Miss Bixby. I'm ashamed of my
self. l certainly am. What's
clothes, after all. and a few towels
and bureau scarfs and things? I've
promised, and I know Luke under
stands how I am fixed. never
should have bothered you with it.
We're not far from the city now.
My errand won't take long; the
school committee wanted me to see
the publishers about the new arith-
metics. After that I'll take you any
where you'd like to 60"
A dear good girl, Ma Bixby
thought as she sat alone, and Just
the age that Rita would have been.
Going to marry with no outfit at
all. She recalled with the accus-
toned thrill of pride her trous-
seau of 40 years past. Every girl,
she decided, is entitled to a trous-
seau. 1t is her inalienable right.
But was it business of hers, Martha
BiXby's, if neighbor girl were de-
prived by illness of a wedding out
fit? She had not answered the ques-
ton to her entire satisfaction when
Ernestine returned.
well, I'll make it business of
mine" she silently declared. can
old lady like me can do better
than buy clothes for herself"
And make it her business she did
so efficiently that passengers on
the last outbound car must look
more than once to discover Ma Blk
by and Ernestine Biggers under the
mountain
On her lap pretty things for a
bride the age of Rita; in her hand
the fuzzy white sweater suit for a
baby the age of Rita; in her heart
the yearning love of an ageless
Rita Ma Bixby smiled across the
parcels into the shyly grateful eyes
of Ernestine Biggers.