Show THE STORY OF OVA A BOOTLEGGERS BOOTLEGGER'S WIFE As Told Thid to Mary Margaret McBride Copyright 1926 by Current News Features Inc MARY MARGARET MBRIDE XII XII The The Miracle That Failed My mother Is a hard woman to surprise During my childhood s she e emet met all my little crises crises' with Unfailing unfailing un Un- failing patience and composure When I 1 came caine home one stormy night from New York a while white faced almost hysterical expectant mother she met the situation In Inthe inthe inthe the same soothing way To this day I do not not know what she learned from the Incoherent tale I poured into her ears I did not mean to tell her about Ben although perhaps I did If so she has never nevel told me back again She put me to bed and nursed me until I was feeling pretty well again I asked if It I might sta stay until m my baby was born and she said My daughter I was Just going going going go go- ing to suggest it to you rou It has be been n so long since we had a good visit together and I am sure Ben will feel safer to know that your yoU mother Is l looking after you SANK INTO DEEP PEACE I She wrote to Ben many times In Inthe Inthe Inthe the weeks that followed and sometimes sometimes sometimes some some- times I wrote too I dont dont don't knoW kios what she said to keep him from coming on to Missouri He wanted to do it H I know but she sensed that such a step would only make greater difficulty To my surprise my husband did not pester me with wild reproaches or For this too I knew I owed lowed thanks to my mother With infinite tact she managed to talk about my life in New York and yet never to ask questions that might be embarrassing or 01 bring up unhappy memories During those days with her I sank deep into peace as into a featherbed and gave no thought for the future Again I say that I am ann a a. weak woman It is strange that being as weak asI as am I still have Intelligence Intelligence in intelligence In- In enough to realize my own Ineptness Away from Ben and my life in Long Island It seemed not too bad after all I recalled the kindly generous qualities of many of ot the men I had met met men men in the he bootlegging profession profession and and contrasted contrasted contrasted con con- them with the stingy mean characteristics of ot certain Missouri deacons and elders I benevolently concluded that bootlegging was perhaps not the worlds world's worst profession pro pro- FACING G THE TRUTH The truth Is too that I enjoyed the gifts which Ben was forever s sending to me and his prospective heir He was set on n a son son son-So so he wrote wrote and and he bought endless amusing garments and toys I was ashamed to begin to realize that If It bootlegging had been a profession of no pecuniary returns my reaction reaction reaction tion might have been vastly differ ent I wish I did not have to write these uncomplimentary things about myself I do not know why I do except do-except except that I have resolved to set down a truthful account of oC myself myself myself my my- self from the day I man led a boot boot- legger Ben did not coine come on for the birth of my baby That again was m my mothers mother's work She sensed the bitterness that was still In my heart and so we had from him only more mote gifts and many telegrams My little girl was born at 3 o'clock In the morning Afterwards it made me a little sick to think that her father Probably probably probably ably was Just at that hour returnIng returnIng returning return return- Ing from an illicit rum running ex ex- ex- ex My l daughter looks very ery much like her father She has hi his dear frank Sh She eyes eyes dear funny e eyes es has a chin that Is a curious composite com corn of oC his chin and mine It 1 is isa isa a weak weale chin P Perhaps I have hav thought too much about these thes things since I m married a bootlegger It may be that a chin is not a good index of character Certainly Certain Certain- ly taken alone It cannot be Only I I am so afraid This morning I found three gra gray hairs There are certain lines line about my Jpy mouth and nose too th tha t never neverS were rO there before beCore Do I soun I i melodramatic and ridiculous I Iannot cannot annot telli NEW NOTE OF TENDERNESS I cannot tell about anything these lese d days ys I seem suddenly to be bene one ne huge torture tortured I thinking mass It t is because of my little girl I want ant so many things things' for her that I Iam Iam Im am m not having If she had been a aboy aboy boy oy it Is possible I might have felt she he could shift for herself Bo Boys s 's sare are re different from girls Even Ben feels eels that JT He was was disappointed because our child hild was not a son on but there Is Is' Isa a anew new new note of tenderness in his leters letters let- let tens ers because she silo is a little girl 1 I Im am am m not sUch s ch a fool tool as to imagine that hat he will give up bootlegging on her account Probably I shall never again ask him to do it I am lingering here In Missouri until I am thoroughly well again Then I shall go back home to my husband He wants me very much and he is a good husband In his way He Je Is generous he does not drink to excess he never looks at another woman These are en- en qualities Many a wife would be glad to find them in her husband husband Are they enough I do not pretend pretend pretend pre pre- tend to answer this question for tor other women For me It is not enough that my husband is generous generous generous gener gener- ous ous temperate and faithful I want honest too honest according according according ac ac- ac- ac him to be honest too cording to my standard of honesty I want him to stop bootlegging He will not because It Is what he calls an easy way to make a lot of oC money and because he has gotten so used to It that he no barer loneer regards It as as' as wrong wrong unconventional perhaps certainly no more Feeling as I do I suppose I am being far from honest myself In go going going going go- go ing back to my husband Perhaps the government will repeal prohibition prohibition prohibition tion some day and make an honest wom woman n of oC me and Vind an honest man of oC my husband husband- I dont don't know I know that I am doing wn t I feel I 1 have to do What would you do In my place The End Copyright 1926 by Current News Features Inc 6 |