You could see NOW why his mother couldn't sleep,walked the road,and held her hands over her heart.She was a brave woman,and she had done well to keep alive and going in any shape at all.
You see we knew.There had been only the few hours when it seemed possible that one of our boys had taken father's money and was gone.I well remembered what happened to our mother then.
And if she had been disgraced before every one,dragged from her home away across a big sea to live among strangers,and not known where her boy was for years,I'm not a bit sure that she'd have done better than Mrs.Pryor.Yes,she would too;come to think it out--she'd have kept on believing the Lord had something to do with it,and that He'd fix it some way;and I know she and father would have held hands no matter what happened or where they went.
I guess the biggest thing the matter with Pryors was that they didn't know how to go about loving each other right;maybe it was because they didn't love God,so they couldn't know exactly what PROPER LOVE was;because God is love,like father said.
Mrs.Pryor didn't want to see Mr.Pryor--I can't get used to calling them Paget--and she didn't ask anything about him.Iguess she was pretty mad at him.She never had liked the Emmet cousin,and she'd had nothing but trouble with him all the time he had been in her family,and then that awful disgrace,that she always THOUGHT was all him,but she couldn't prove it,and she had no money.
That's a very bad thing.A woman should always have some money.
She works as hard as any one,and usually she has more that worries her,so it's only fair for her to have part of what the work and worry bring.Mother always has money.Why,she has so much,she can help father out when he is pushed with bills,as she did last fall,to start Shelley to music school.It's no way to be forced to live with a man,just to get a home,food,and clothing.I don't believe mother ever would do it in all this world.But then mother has worked all her life,and so if father doesn't do as she wants him to,she'd know exactly how to go about taking care of herself.
After all Mrs.Pryor didn't need to sit back on her dignity and look so abused.He couldn't knock her down,and drag her clear here.Why didn't she say right out,in the beginning,that her son COULDN'T be a thief,that she knew it,and she'd stay at home and wait for him to come back?She could have put a piece in the paper saying she knew her boy was all right,and for him to come back,so they could go to work and PROVE it.I bet if she'd had one tenth of the ginger mother has,she'd have stopped the whole fuss in the start.I looked at her almost steadily,trying to figure out just what mother would have done in her place.Maybe I'm mistaken about exactly how she would have set to work,but this I KNOW:she'd have stuck to the Lord;she'd have loved father,so dearly,he just COULDN'T have wanted her to do things that hurt her until it gave her heart trouble;and she never,never would have given up one of us,and sat holding her heart for months,refusing to see or to speak to any one,while she waited for some one else to do something.Mother never waits.
She always thinks a minute,if she's in doubt she asks father;if he can't decide,both of them ask God;and then you ought to see things begin to fly.
The more I watched Mrs.Pryor,the more I began to think she was a lady;and just about when I was sure that was what ailed her,Iheard father say:"Perhaps the lady would like a cup of tea."I had a big notion to tell her to come on,and I would show her where the cannister was,but I thought I better not.I wanted to,though.She'd have felt much better if she had got up and worked like the rest of us.With all the excitement,and everything happening at once,you'd have thought mother would be flat on her back,but flat nothing!Everything was picked up and slid back,fast as it was torn down;she found time to flannel her nose and brush her hair,her collar was straight,and the goldstone pin shone in the light,while her starched white apron fluttered as she went through the doors.She said a few words to Candace and Mrs.Freshett,May took out a linen cloth and began to set places for all the grown people,so I knew there'd be strawberry preserves and fried ham,but in all that,would you ever have thought that she'd find a second to make biscuit,and tea cakes herself?Plain as preaching I heard her say to Mrs.
Freshett:"I do hope and pray that Mr.Pryor will come out of it right,so we can take him home,and teach him to behave himself;but if he's gone this minute,I intend to have another decent meal for Shelley to offer her young man;and I don't care if I show Mrs.Pryor that we're not hungry over here,if we do lack servants to carry in food on silver platters.""That I jest would!"said Mrs.Freshett."Even if he turns up his toes,'tain't YOUR funeral,thank the Lord!an'looky here,I'd jest as soon set things in a bake pan an'pass 'em for you,myself.I'll do it,if you say the word."Mother bit her lip,and fought her face to keep it straight,as she said confidential-like:"No,I'm not going to toady to her.
I only want her to see that a meal really consists of food after all;I don't mind putting my best foot foremost,but I won't ape her.""Huccome they to fuss like this,peaceable as Mr.Stanton be,an'
what's Shelley's beau to them?"
"I should think you could tell by looking at Pryors,"said mother."He's their mystery,and also their son.Shelley met him in Chicago,he came here to see her,and ran right into them.
I'll tell you about it before you go.Now,I must keep these applications hot,for I've set my head on pulling Mr.Pryor out so that he can speak,and have a few decent years of life yet.""But why did the old devil--EX-cuse me,I mean the old GENTLEMAN,want to shoot your man?""He didn't!I'll tell you all about it after they're gone.""I bet you don't get shet of them the night,"said Mrs.Freshett.
"All right!"said mother."Whatever Dr.Fenner thinks.I won't have Mr.Pryor moved until it can't hurt him,if he stays a week.
