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ON CHRISTMAS EVE
37
dreaded it more than he had ever dreaded the enemy's guns in his young, soldier days.
Grandfather was terribly afraid of his daughter-in-law. In her efficient, ultra presence he was like a fish out of water. He was Yesterday, she was Today, and there is no common meeting-ground for these two, unless perhaps it be Tomorrow. It was of the children, then, that Grandfather resolved to speak. But every shrunken old muscle and all the dry water-courses of his veins shook as he faced her over the two gourmands' heads.
"Mary, I — I must speak to you a moment. Will you send the children away?"
Mrs. Morris flashed him a sharp glance. She rang the bell and shoved the protesting feasters into the clutch of the maid. There was defiance in her attitude as she turned.
"Well!"
"Mary, you're not doing right by John and the young ones," said Grandfather, bravely. "You're not doing right."
Her face flamed resentfully. There is no anger so keen as that which is mingled with the consciousness of guilt.
"Really! and perhaps you will be good enough to tell me why?"
"It isn't any one thing — it 's everything. ' ' Grandfather hesitated. His hand drew the big, ornate, overdecorated room into the conversation. "It's all money — ■ money — money; even the children talk about it, and John is wearing himself out trying to earn it for you to waste on folly. Why do you need all this, Mary? Can ten servants make you happier than one ? Can you count your callers as true friends ? Can fine clothes make up to the children for fairy stories and good times ?
"It — it isn't easy for me to say this, Mary, but I've got to — — "
Mrs. Morris laughed a shrill, unpleasant laugh.
"Dear me!" she said; "so you are advising me to economize, are you? That is really too good! I suppose you've never stopped to consider that you come under the head of expenses in this household, have you? Who is
MARY, YOU'RE NOT DOING RIGHT "
paying for your board, pray ? Economize ! Well, I can think of a very good way to begin ! ' '
"Mary!" the old man's voice begged her not to go on ; but it was a pebble trying to stem a torrent.
"Not one cent have you ever given John since you came here ! And now you say I'm not doing right by my family — are you doing right by us, I 'd like to know? Never so much as a thank-you for your home here, and all