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Show I I I I I I II I I I 1 1 1 1 I I I I 11 M il :: MOTHER'S FAITH '' NOT MISPLACED By JANE GORDON " ,.;,, ;,,.,, m , ,..,, i-1-, I I I I I I-1-(, 1924, estern Newspaper Union.) TWTRS. BARTON was a hard-working little woman who lived in the lower part of the town. Early morn-lDg morn-lDg found her on her way to the village mores to trade in the fruits and vegetables vege-tables which she alone cultivated in her small garden. ' Coming a summer guest to Lornsdale, It was Mrs. Barton who was suggested to me as likely to do my "fine" laundering. I think the word "fine" relieved her of the thought of an arduous task. When I carried my bundle to Mrs. Barton's home I found her graciously hospitable. . Seldom Sel-dom have I been so interested In a call upon a stranger. Her voice was low and pleasing; her words precisely chosen. I returned to the home of my Lornsdale hostess seeking Information about tli e bent little lady. "Has Mrs. Barton lived here long?" I asked Mrs. Trent. "Since her marriage," my friend replied. re-plied. "She came, a disapproved bride, to the home of Lornsdale's oldest family. fam-ily. . Disapproved because the last of the Bartons had married an orphaned girl, none of them knew. "Dennison took the small cottage down by the station, and, inheriting his father's weak constitution, did not live long. The young wife, for whom he had never been properly able to provide, was left with a young Dennison Den-nison to support. "But now Denny is strong and handsome hand-some ! My clear! you should see him; It would be difficult for you to consider the relationship of the carefree, handsome hand-some Denny with the plain old woman with the gnarled hands. Deprivation and anxiety have made Ann Barton old before her time. I sometimes tremble for Ann; her faith in that graceless son of. hers is almost sublime. 'He will repay,' she will tell you, her tired eyes alight for the moment in happy anticipation. "And Denny? I met him on the street one day and took it upon myself my-self to say, 'Dennison, don't you think It would be more manly for you to obtain some humble work now and help your mother, instead of waiting for a late profession.' His smile really took away my prejudice. " 'This Is the better way,' he returned without rancor. 'Mother and I have talked it out. A little longer and I may be able to do for her, ns I could never do, postponing the time here.' "Mrs. Barton showed me Denny's picture when next. I made my necessary neces-sary visit. He was a handsome man with a sort of dignity, which his mother moth-er eagerly assured me, was 'like the Bartons all over again.' She did up my organdie that week as a little extra help to Denny. "As I sat on the porch one afternoon after-noon my hostess came hurrying toward to-ward me. 'Martha !' she exclaimed, 'that Denny Barton has married married mar-ried some frilly co-ed of a girl and left his mother In the lurch. Effort wasted as far as her promised future support is concerned. Ann Barton will have to go on supporting herself and her son from her forever. Of course he won't bring his bride here. How he will manage to care for her any place no one knows.' "I went to see Ann Barton, dreading the disillusionment in her patient eyes. But there was no disillusionment there. Mrs. Trent had truly said that the mother's faith was sublime. " 'Come in,' she softly invited. 'I want to tell you about Denny -he is married. My big boy, Denny ! It don't seem possible. Why, only yesterday he was laughing about falling in love with a girl. "You'll be always my girl, mother," said Denny. They didn't mean to marry so soon ; but there was she, going away to her home, and Denny, Den-ny, wi'rii the teaching position offered him, right in the college. 'We'll marry, Gloria,' lie says and isn't that a fancy name for a girl? 'and then, we'll send for mother to come on to us. Ain't that like Denny? Wanting first thing to fetch his shabby mother right to the college town, where all his learned friends are. Eut I'll tell you ' Ann I'.arton leaned close with her confidence confi-dence 'I'm not going to make them think less of him, as they might I never was able much to go to school. So I'll pretend a longing to stay in the cottage here and go on as I've been going. I've no doubt that some day Denny and his pretty Gloria will be the high ones in that college town. I'll be sending them fresh vegetables and' . The mother stopped to listen to a knock, as she furtively wiped away her tears. 'If you'd open the door for a bit,' she begged. Ann went into her bedroom to remove the sign of emotion. emo-tion. A modish, pretty young woman stood in the portico. Instinctively I knew this to be Denny's new wife. Closing the door behind me I waited to greet her there." "I came," she said slowly, "to see Mrs. Hart on. Vou cannot be Mrs. Ear-ton? Ear-ton? Denny has so described his mother moth-er to me I can see her, in fancy. I am Denny Earton's wife. I came to see our mother." A great thrill of relief passed over me. It was the gentle awe in the girl's lone which made me understand. His mother's faith in Penny was not misplaced. With his own deep affection affec-tion had he inspired this young wife seeking "our mother." Impulsively I put out my hand to the pretty creature In the modish frock. "1 wisli you happiness," hap-piness," I said, "happiness that I hope you may share with your husband's mother." The girl's blue eyes were gravely wincere. "That." she replied "Is what we are both longing lo do," |