| Show GIVEN IN MARRIAGE 1 1 Madge Insists Her Father Eather Read Message From Her Mother Mother Alone Alone J By ADELE GARRISON My father looked ked at me with alert attention as I asked to look again atthe at atthe atthe the japanned box left by my mother in which he had just found the sapphire sapphire sapphire sap sap- ring which he was interpreting as a message of forgiveness from her Characteristically he did not even ever glance at the box as he handed It to tc tome tome me but his burning eyes and the sadden sudden sud sad den d n deep etching of lines in his face showed me that he was reading the thc Intuition I had hod concerning the box I looked the cavity over carefully finding nothing the first time but on second inspection I found fastened to tc the lining a tiny Hat flat bag fashioned of the same silk that f formed the lining of box and arid cavity It was so skillfully skill skillfully fully attached to the lin lining that no ne cursory inspection would have discovered discovered dis dis- covered it But I knew somehow knew somehow that my mother had visualized this very picture and that she had counted I upon me her daughter to find this thing that she had hidden so care care- fully A lessa 1 Message e for Charlie I ran ran my fingers over the tiny bag and heard the unmistakable f faint int rustle of of paper With tingling nerves I looked up at my father lather Let me have your penknife I Isaid Isaid 1 said trying to speak calmly but aware that my voice was trembling Without a word he handed me his Mi penknife but I felt as s if it I 1 could hear his heart beat as I carefully severed the stitches that held the tiny ba bato bag to the lining then slit open the bag itself itselL From it I drew an envelope of ot the thinnest possible texture crammed with paper closely written the characters showing through the thc envelope I did not mean even to look at the inscription on o the envelope but the characters in my mothers mother's neat handwriting fairly leaped out at me rae as with shaking hand I held the envelope envelope envelope en en- out to my father For Charlie if he ever finds this it read Charlie S SA A Tragic Romance The diminutive name as applied to tomy tomy tomy my father startled me almost into an exclamation Always I have thought of my father as Charles Spencer Indeed Indeed Indeed In In- deed I never have heard him addressed addressed ad nd- dressed except as Mr Spencer or oras oras oras as Chief the Chief the affectionate yet deferential deferential defer defer- salutation given him by the then men and women working under him when he was a high official in the diplomatic diplomatic diplo diplo- matic matte secret service ervice of our country Retired now from active work except for an occasional emergency recall the name still clings and is used by his aides chief chiet of whom are arc Lillian and Harry Harr Underwood My recollections of my ray mother also are of a woman sweet angelic angelle but possessing a dignity which seemed to forbid orbid her either using a n diminutive or pet name or being addressed by one She always had called me mc Margaret Margaret Margaret Mar Mar- garet although in tender moments she used to put her arms around me and whisper Mothers Ol only Y com com- to fort rt The superscription on this envelope envelop however Cl revealed caled side aide to 10 a my SI mothers mother's nature that I had never known In those old dead days which had ended in tragedy there patently had been laughter and lightness the lIghtness the pl playfulness of ot happily married lovers Charlie It was not my voice that spoke the name but my fathers father's and in hs tones there was a delighted wonder that brought quick tears to my eyes I did not hear that name for months before I went I-went went away he said and I something of the coldness coldness cold cold- ness the suspicion the bitterness of those last months of his life with my mother factors which I suspected had much to do with the thc final tragedy of his leaving her v Will you OU do something for me father I asked and he looked up at atme atme atme me quickly Anything You know that my darlin darling dar dar- lin ling flag he answered Read the Letter Letter Alone Alone Take your letter into irto the living room and read it all aU by yourself I Iam Iam am sure that mother never int intended any other eyes not even mine to see it He hesitated only the fraction frac on of ofa a second then rose the letter and ring clutched in his handI hand I 1 can trust your divine instinct my darling he said gratefully Knowing Knowing Knowing Know ing her herI I 1 believe she did intend this for my eyes alone He went into the living Jiving room anc ancI and andI I saw him adjusting the light and settling himself In a chair under it itI I turned my head away so that not even my eyes should watch him while he read and for a long time there was only the rustle of paper to be heard He must mave read rend the letter two or three times but finally I 1 heard his footsteps coming back to me and I wondered what effect this message from the d dead ad would have upon him Continued tomorrow Copyright 1933 K F. F S. S Inc Ine |
