Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-08-09

Didn't you know that this is nv
SIX months for loving my father?"
Ian you love them both at once?"
NO. They're divorced" She spoke
quietly as If enunciating truths everv-
one held TO be self evident. She had
Deen looking about for a place TO nut
the picture and she now laid it away
m drawer under her paiamas. Judy
was profoundly shocked.
Inc next day she had a real Strug-
gle OF the will with her over writing
70 her mother: I'll write when she
goes back to France" she had said
But Judy would have no delay and
a letter was finally sent off-beautiful-
~ written and as cold as ice.
And yet. almost at once. Judy knew
that Aer greatest fear was not going
10 be realized. She found Mimi easy
10 love, for in most respects she was
a normal cheerful well brought up
little girl. considerable OF the servants,
clever at school where she was some
thing OF leader. and best of all from
Judys point Of view passionately fond
OF being read TO- They had wonderful
evenings, while Judy re-read her own
iaVorl,cs-Alicc and Treasure Island
and the Rose and the Ring. Sometimes
Roger would come TO listen.
OF course by this time Judy. with
her talent for loving, had become de-
voted 10 Roger: he was the sort Of
sturdy, good looking virilc man that
all feminine women find attractive,
even when their mascullrity is COM
bined with a shade Of brutality. and
Rogers wasn't combined with brutality,
but with a serious profound kindness.
He was almost Is years Judy'S junior
between the ages OF son and a
lover .5i.' could feel a comfortable sort
OF affection for him. like that Of an
indulgent aunt. 1t made her very
happy,
One evening in December. Mimi was
having school friend TO supper. On
these occasions. Judy would sit reading
in the next room-near enough to be
within hIil-far enough away to be
no restraint upon the conversation.
This evening they were talking about
their fdvorite deSsertS-chOCOlate ice
cream as opposed to a wonderful dish
OF pastry, cuStard and Candied fruits
which Minis mothers cook in France
made for dinner parties.
Judy heard without listening and
plunged back into her her book again.
Then sue denly her ear caught new
words Divorce . Reno And
then Minis high young voice rang
out clearlJ; NO. that wouldn't be any
good, SOphy. You must stop loving
them. It the only way. l know all
about IT, When you're with your moth
er. you miss your father; and when
you're with your father. you miss your
mothcr-your unhappy all the time.
And then they're so mean about each
other-and that nearly kills you. Just
the tone of their voices when they
say YOU father thinks 9. Take
my advice, Sohp. and stop loving
either of them"
II don't think I could" said Sophy
timidly.
Yes. you can. III tell you how to
do 1t. F rst you stop thinking about
them-yoI keep story to tell yourself
when you feel you're going to begin
to be soft. And then when they try
to hug you, you say to yourself-they
didn't love me so much as that. y
Judy rose to her feet and entered
the dining room. If she expected TO
see guilt on their young faces she
was wrong Mimi paused like person
in an important sentence,
but not at all ashamed. She included
Judy in the conversation. Isn't 1t too
bad" she said. "Sophys parents are
getting a divorce. I was telling her
what to do"
II hope you were giving her good
said Judy with deep meaning.
Let's play Halma." said Sophy, VINO
had finished her supper.