--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - O'Brien, John Garrett collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 22 number: 11 published: 1919-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "O'Brien, John Garrett, \"Two Home-Makers,\" *Improvement Era* 22, no. 11 (September 1919): 965–977." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera22011unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera22011unse start_page: 965 end_page: 977 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1919-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera22011unse publication_year: 1919 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1919, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Two Home-Makers Two Home-Makers" By John Garrett O'Brien I Peter Flynn was hurrying out of his uncle's furniture store, his day's work over, when a lady handed him a small booklet and, after a brief appraisal, smiled, and asked him to read it. She did the same with one or two others. So, having nothing else to do, on the way home he did so, becoming so absorbed that he rode unheeding miles past his station. The final stop re- minded him that he must get off. In a reverie he boarded a return car and once more became interested. A few lines carried a particular appeal. He did not know that the booklet was writen by a man of national repute, but this he found out before very long. Some would have attrib- uted it to the working of Nemesis. But a few, to the higher guidance of a man who had once toiled up a hill side, stagger- ing under more than the weight of a crudely made cross: "From the age of seventeen until I was twenty-three, every kind of me as fascinated as a flower doth a bee. More than once did I gaiety held burn up my latent energy with intoxicating drink. I devitalized my life by keeping late, or rather, early hours. And I kept company with more than one girl who could not be called Home-Makers in any sense of the word. This kept my pockets empty, and my mind became fretful. "Then I lost my job! It took me some time to get another, and I had to borrow from my friends to tide me over, until I became a regular pest! But I turned over a new leaf one day, and only then did the battle begin! Nevertheless, I stuck to it like a mustard plaster to human flesh — aid today — — -twelve years have elapsed since then I have my self-respect a>id a wife who is a Home-Maker." "Well," mused Peter after reaching home as he began to change, "the intoxicating liquor part does not affect me, for Polly took care of that six months ago. But I wonder what she would think about the amusement end of this booklet." Then he gave his curly hair a final touch with his comb, stuck a pin in his tie, brushed his hat carefully, and, after paying his landlady, placed the eleven remaining dollars in his pocket, * [Peter and Polly are real people. So is the aunt. The former are only two in thousands. Mr. and Mrs. Leeland are fictitious. Why? The writer has interviewed many Christian workers here and in the South. And thus it is that he has written the following story especially for The Improvement Era—for were not a few gathered in time past together to disseminate Truth to the World at large?— J. G. 0"B.] 966 IMPROVEMENT ERA ******** and set out to meet Polly O'Leary at the usual corner, at seven p. fly," in. you are the fairy, all dolled up like a human butter- "Polly he remarked as soon as he met the pretty brunette. "I will hazard your costume must have cost you twenty-five dollars, at least." A small, nut-brown curl on her forehead seemed to dance in derision, as she tossed her pert head."Twenty-five!" she re- peated with an arch smile. "Why, my suit and shoes cost forty- seven simoleons!" And out shot a dressy shoe that looked fit for an alderman's wife. Peter grinned, visibly impressed, rattled his change, and suggested that they go to some amusement, as usual. "No," said the girl, as she took his arm, "we'll go joy- walking instead." "You are not in earnest," declared Peter, when he found his voice. Polly stopped as if suddenly shot. "I am," she persisted, her dark eyes radiant. "Why? How? Tell me!" "Pete, I have been reading a booklet that says stage art is being monopolized by risque, hidden innuendos, and often worse than that; also that fiction in a number of the magazines today is far from elevating; that it is even demoralizing in some cases!" "So you've been reading Leeland's booklet, eh?" He gave her arm a sympathetic squeeze. "Yes," she said, a little sobbily, "and I think he's right. "But," her eyes flashed, "he goes a little too far when he de- clares that a girl is a home-breaker if she likes amusements." "But," objected Peter, "he said no such thing. He did say," he continued, as she turned to stare at him in surprise, "that girls who thought of nothing else than amusing themselves were — such and he scored the men as well!" "Huh!" she exclaimed, nothing more. Presently: "Oh, what a cute little hat," as they stood looking at a shop window; "and it costs only fifteen dollars!" "Aw, come on; neither of us are millionaires." — "But isn't it a little ducky now isn't it?" she continued, in ecstasy. "Why, I can imagine Polly O'Leary looking at herself in the glass — a-wearing it!" "A-wearin' o' the green!" he taunted. "For as far as you are concerned, that hat's as distant as the hills of Erin!" "It is not," she said, very decidedly. "I'll buy it Monday!" Peter felt incensed, for he could not persuade her to leave for at least five minutes. And even then she talked about it TWO HOME-MAKERS 967 when they were in an ice-cream parlor, and while he was seeing her home. Her last words were: "What a * peachy-weechy hat!" * * * * * / Sunday passed as usual. Peter visited a rich uncle who looked down on him, as did his two cousins, Belle and May, who knew how to dress and mix in higher society than he had ever aspired to. No proletariat for them. No, indeed! They were the kind of sensible girls that the man who had written that scathing booklet would have liked to meet. Belle and May were twins who worked in the same office that he did, their father, his uncle Ned, having amassed a fortune selling furniture wholesale and retail. And Peter had worked for him for five years, though he had managed to stick at twenty dollars a week instead of having been promoted like oth- ers, only having himself to blame, as in reality he was a good salesman. "I intend to lay some men off in three weeks' time," said Hall, crisply, as he peered over his paper at his nephew, after he had seated himself. "But I will raise the others, for they will have to do more work." Peter crimsoned. "Guess I will be one of the first to get fired." "The very first if you don't get busy!" snapped his uncle, flickingaway an imaginary speck of dust from an immaculate crease in one trouser leg. But a sudden resolve swept into Peter's mind that had laid dormant over night. "Well, I am not saying much," was his calm rejoinder, "but I intend to work like a wizard!" "Mere talk!" scorned May, sarcastically. "Very well, Miss Skeptic, I will show you that I am in earn- est," Peter retorted, just as the Sunday mid-day dinner was announced, to which he did full justice. "Belle, let us take a stroll," he suggested later on to his kindly little blonde cousin, who raised her dove-like eyes to his to see if he meant it, for never had he asked her before. His uncle smiled less grimly as he stood watching them leaving later on. And Peter was expecting her to lecture him as she had done so often in the past, but she did no such thing. Nor did she suggest that they go to church; she took him to a special meeting in the Y. M. M. I. A., instead, and sang a hymn in such a subdued but golden-sweet voice that he wished it could have been a song service instead of finishing with the usual humdrum monologue. But even this was not the kind that he had listened to as a boy, when, with well-brushed hair, he had battled to keep still. No, the man was interesting; positively so! He had been a — — young man himself a regular good sort a boy who had flirted — 968 IMPROVEMENT ERA with his sister's friends until he had been dubbed "Unimpres- sionable!" Peter's mouth almost gaped as he sat listening to how he had gone in for all kinds of amusements before doing a little think- ing. And even then he became more interested as the speaker deftly pointed out the effects of appearing in a coat of "worldly camouflage," as he termed it. "He's an orator all right!" mused Peter, leaning forward to listen, like scores of others — men and women, boys and girls. Then he suddenly changed his mind, for his eyes began to smart; so he whispered to Belle to leave. But she sat listening in starry- eyed delight; so he had to try to sit it out: From the age of seventeen until I was twenty-three, every kind of gaiety held me as fascinated as a flower doth a bee * * * I devitalized my life, keeping late, or rather, early hours. * * * The girls I kept com- pany with could not be called 'home-makers,' nor did I think it mattered, as we treated life as if it were a pathway of rose petals. * * * I asked — one if she could cook another if she thought a small flat wouldn't be ideal — a third if she liked children, as she had several brothers and sisters at — home, and my, oh, my their answers set me thinking! * * * I turned over a new leaf after I lost my job and stuck to it through thick and thin. * * * Then one day I met a girl in a gingham gown who was talking to a toddling child, a chubby boy, and she sat on a seat nearby, oblivious of everyone but that kid. * * * Say, but her eyes shone and her voice was ; the soft coo of a dove as she prattled to the youngster, and gathered chalice cups and daisies to place in his chubby hands. I was feeling dejected, but something in my shabby clothes, and mourn- ful face arrested her attention. First she smiled, then she toddled that baby over, and in an apologetic voice asked if she were intruding. * * * No, and somehow I told her a little of the past. * * * Well, said she, you go back to that father and put on a pair of overalls, and show you're a man. * * * I did so, starting in at the bottom where whirring belts and buz- zing machines had always nauseated me, and it wasn't until after a month that he found me. * * * I was whistling over a planing machine. * * * I don't want to say much about how his arm went around me, or about that girl, or how we started meeting each other. * * * But I do want to say that we never went to any public dance halls together, or places of amusement where you would be ashamed to take a mother, sweetheart, or wife. Twelve years ago * * * he said dreamily * * * father has gone up yonder, and mother has followed him * * * but I have a wife at — home who is a Home-Maker * * * and his face beamed two little — home-keepers! Then he began to round off to an ending, and several of the audience pulled out their handkerchiefs, eyes grew dim, and — with a long, clean bolt to the door not that Peter meant to bo — irreverent hat in hand, Peter made anything but a graceful though silent exit. "What's your hurry?" asked a steward, when he had tiptoed through a swing door. "I feel faint!" murmured Peter, and he looked the part TWO HOME-MAKERS 969 that is, if syncopating people have beads of moisture on their foreheads that cluster so thickly that they meet and fall. Only when outside did he really feel better. "So, that's the man who wrote that booklet," he mused intently. "He does not look a day over thirty, but he must be thirty-four! Some man! Hits right from the shoulder and does it in a kindly way, too! Wish Polly could have heard him!" Then he drew himself up. "Guess I'll tell her; she is a good scout, a real girlis Poll! — — And and I guess I am more to blame than she is, but I will be careful where I take her after this!" His musing was interrupted at this point by seeing a girl hurrying down the steps, her handkerchief hugged to her eyes — — her graceful little figure heaving with anguish and with a — couple of long strides he was at her side for the girl was his own Polly O'Leary! II "Two of us in the same boat, Polly. I mean—I do not — know what I mean!" he gasped, as he tried to slide his arm in hers." "Leave me alone," she retorted, furiously; "you were sit- ting with another girl! I — I'd hate to tell you what I think of you!" "Why," laughed Peter, "that's my cousin Belle." The brunette eyed him furtively. "Sure?" she sobbed. "Certain. There, Honey, dry your pretty eyes." Polly stamped her foot as she peeped at him from very dewy eyes. "I wish I had left when I saw you go sliding down the aisle. Why, the man is a terror! The very idea of calling a girl a 'home-breaker'!" — "Well," said the diplomatic Peter for the man's clean-cut — face and sparkling eyes had appealed to him "he did say so, but he said that all of us could be home-makers!" The girl's lips twitched into a smile, her recent tears only making her gaze appear more starry, as he took her arm to hurry her away; for people were beginning to leave, and he did not wish his cousin to see them until they felt more cheery. Then he took her home to see her aunt whom he never had liked because she seemed so austere. He disliked her, too, because she had tried to stop Polly from going out with him when he tippled six months before, but the girl would not hear of it, sticking to him like a Spartan, although he had never summoned up sufficient nerve to propose, his tongue acting like a rebel every time he had tried to speak. they Mrs. Betels seemed actually kind when she heard that been hear Leeland, an entirely new aspect that caused had to " " 970 IMPROVEMENT ERA Peter to wonder. He wondered still more when she hegan to — enthuse over a project that lay near to her heart the home life of the American people — and her face relaxed into a smile when she heard that he had been saving eight to twelve dollars a week for the past five months, for he told her while her niece was upstairs. And that evening, for the first time in three years, he went with them to church. "Polly," said he, when she accompanied him to the gate, as he was leaving, "you are as sweet as the girl I read about in a magazine recently!" "Pete!" "You are He called her a peach He didn't know what else —he —he— ! ! to say "And?" she breathed, peeping at him shyly. "Aw, Polly, he told her then that that — — — Say, goodnight, ! dear! I must really be going And go he did, hurrying up the street, not even turning until ******** he was a block away, and only then to wave his hand, for the girl was still standing at the gate. Peter felt too bashful to call for her until three days had elapsed. Then he met her walking near her home, and stepped back a pace to look her over, for her dress, gloves, hat, and — handbag were green a soft, springlike green and she was — wearing the fifteen-dollar hat she had so admired in the win- dow. "Hello, Poll!" he greeted. "You're stunning! Stunning, I tell you!" "Huh!" she replied dimpling. Together they rode in a street-car down town. On the way she began to talk about the booklet. "I believe he's right," she said soberly, "and he know.} what he is talking about!" Peter listened, well pleased, and entering a soda parlor a lit- tle later on, he duplicated her wish for a strawberry soda. But hardly had they been served before Polly gave him a nudge and whispered to him to look to the left. The man who had lectured so fluently was smiling at him. Peter quickly looked away, then at his companion who was — getting ready to leave at once her cheeks a rosier pink than he — had ever seen them when the stranger raised his hat and came to their table. "I believe that I've seen both of you before," was his affable comment, extending a card as he offered a well kept hand to Peter. "I guess so," spluttered Peter. "What about it, Poll?" His legs were beginning to shake, and the brunette kept a discreet silence. The orator, however, was not to be outdone; TWO HOME-MAKERS 971 he motioned to a lady and introduced her as his wife, his voice ringing with pride. "She is a home-maker!' he whispered as they took their seats. "Well, madam, I'm Polly O'Leary, and this boy is my sweet- heart. His name is Peter Flynn," returned the brunette, in shy accents, being the first one to regain her equipoise. "We are delighted to meet you!" cried the two in unison, as Peter picked up the two straws to resume the interrupted en- joyment of liquid refreshment. "I certainly have to hand it to you for that booklet, and the way you preached," he commented presently when the ladies were conversing as if they had known each other before. Leeland grinned. "I'm no preacher. I am simply so elated with the difference between now and the past that I have to talk!" Peter sat cogitating: If ever a woman looked winsome, his wife did. And if ever a man seemed buoyant and charged with life, it was his new acquaintance; so he bent forward to whis- per a few words. "You seem to be the kind of man who would not think a stranger presumptuous if he asked you for a favor," he hazarded. "Certainly not. What is it?" "Well, it is like this: my sweetheart knows very few people, and if your madam would pay her a visit some evening why, — she would do as much good as you with your lecture!" Leeland's eyes gleamed. "She'll be glad to do so!" "She won't preach, will she?" Such a merry laugh escaped his lips when he heard this, that Peter felt his own twitching. "Say, that's a good joke," he cried, humorously. "Why, Nancy would not know where to begin, or how to end!" And he nearly doubled up in subdued merriment. "Great!" retorted the Erinite, feeling much relieved. "Here is her 'phone number and address, and I'll be much obliged to you as well!" So the bargain was sealed, and Peter felt happier than ever ** as he had a very warm corner in his heart for the orphan girl. * » # *•* * After saying goodbye to their new acquaintances, Peter and his fiancee went for a long street-car ride, which he enjoyed immensely, as the girl was brimming over with happiness.^ "Mrs. Leeland is a fine woman, and she likes my hat!" she cried, in a low, happy voice. "She called it charming! And I am only a sales she promised to come and see me, although girl! Why, she's the youngest thing imaginable! She told me that she had been a mere nurse girl before getting married. " 972 IMPROVEMENT ERA and that she has two children, a boy and a girl, and she said that I am to go to see them!" she added, while Peter was slowly trying to assimilate what she was saying. "It seems to me," he said, eventually, "that two women can surely become intimate in five minutes." . "So can two men," was her indignant retort. "Why, you and her husband talked as much as we did. Yes, you did," she per- sisted, when Peter tried to get in a word, "and she felt sorry when she saw you go sliding down the aisle because she has a great heart. So I asked her to induce Mr. Leeland to call on you some evening, and she promised that he would!" Peter sank limply into his seat before remembering that he was a good-natured man. But Polly had not finished. "Say," she whispered, "she has promised to give me cooking lessons, so that I can be a home-maker, myself!" Her shy glance thrilled him. "Poll, you're a little" he was — — — going to say "dear," but he did not dare to "little fool But — "But " she murmured, raising her sparkling eyes to his. ! "I am mighty proud of you, Polly, even if you do spend fifteen dollars on a hat!" "Is it not my own money?" flared his sweetheart. "Sure thing. Shoo it away for all I care!" Polly smiled demurely, and who could speak crossly to her at such times? Peter couldn't, so his huge hand engulfed hers. "Sorry!" he said quickly, summoning up courage to squeeze her taper fingers. Once again came blissful Sunday, another and another, and May Hall became sarcastic over his increased sales. "It won't last!" she sneered, in a cutting voice. "Is that so? Well, I can do it again if it's appreciated!" "You can—not!" Peter drew himself up. "Well, I intend to, next month, for Digby Brothers, who have offered me thirty-five a week to begin with. "Why not leave tomorrow?" was his uncle's acid comment. Peter returned his gaze without flinching. "Because I thought I would do some studying in the evening, and see if I could keep away from running out to shows every night. And now that I can, I take your advice, sir!" "Eh?" Hall gave him a piercing glance which Peter re- turned with a respectful grin. "Have you quit tippling abso- — lutely — and do you mean what you say?" he asked in a milder voice than usual. "Yes, I have, seven months ago. And Polly wants me to work hard, so I will do so," he said dreamily, and once started he told them about her; also about her aunt, Mrs. Betels, who TWO HOME-MAKERS 973 ******** had become very friendly of late; of Leeland and his wife, and that he had a small bank account. Peter did not have to leave his uncle, nor did he receive thirty-five a week at f rst, but his pay-check kept rising as work had become a pleasure instead of a thing to be shunned or to be done any old way. And each week Polly saw him snugging away fifteen and even twenty dollars in a bank. She seemed to be blooming into more of a "peachy" girl than ever, and when in any doubt as to where to find her, he would grin and go over to the Leelands, for there would he find her playing with the two children, and either romping — with them indoors, or out on the lawn telling them stories of the clouds holding princesses, and angels, and painting them pictures from nature that made their eyes grow big with happi- ness, and his own smile became more expansive. Mrs. Leeland invited him to stay to supper one Saturday evening, and her husband was so insistent that he gladly did so, little dreaming what a hearty appetite he had until seated at the table. "Pardon me," he apologized, "but this meat pie is simply delicious. And these biscuits are the best I have had for some time!" His hostess dimpled. "Of course they are; Polly is the cu- linary artist!" "Pol-ly?" echoed the Irishman, eyeing his blushing sweet- heart, who immediately lowered her head. "Wait until you taste her apple dumplings, Flynn!" inter- posed Leeland, only to make him stare at him in astonishment. —— "I I never thought she could even bake a po-ta-to!" splut- tered Peter, feeling prouder of her than ever. "Nor could I, until Mrs. Leeland showed me how!" admit- ted the girl, flashing her a grateful look before shaking her head as if to request her to say nothing more. "Polly, you are a 'peach'!" exclaimed Peter, later on, catch- ing 3 her hand and holding it fast as he was seeing her home. "I am not!" And then she told him of a Home-Makers' campaign that was to be held in the Y. L. M. I. A. next week, asking him to be meetings, which he readily assented to. sure to take her to all the But when Monday came, and Mrs. Leeland left him seated near his uncle at a crowded gathering, taking Polly with her to the stage, he hardly knew what to think. Nor did he feel happy she said that a friend who, like herself, was no when, later on, remarks; for with a few more speaker, wished to make some she turned to Polly, who rose to bow to words of introduction the assembled audience. 974 IMPROVEMENT ERA "Sakes," muttered Peter, sotto voce. "She will make a fizzle of it, as sure as her name is O'Leary!" And cold chills seemed to run down his spine. Ill —— "Ladies, and gentlemen: I I " began Polly, before sud- denly stricken with stage fright until she noticed her aunt and Mrs. Leeland smiling encouragement, which calmed her at once. "I wish to say that I have the honor to belong to a band of over one thousand women who call themselves 'Home-Makers!' I mean by this that — we realize two things: first, the sanctity of the home and how hard it is to — keep the men home in the evenings after dinner or even to induce them to return to that, sometimes!" "Great!" cried Peter forgetfully, "Keep it up Poll—" Then he tried to hide by sinking into his seat, but everyone seemed to be laughing or applauding, and paying no attention to him. "Our aim is to make every meal more appetizing, and the home life attractive.Those of us who are married desire to offer our husbands more encouragement, to help them in business as well as helping them to spend the money so hardly earned at times. And those of us who have no such en- — dearing charms" here her eyes roved to Peter for the fraction of a sec- — ond "wish to make the home the place where brothers can bring their sweethearts to spend as cheery an evening as elsewhere. Mothers with sons— — and sisters with brothers arrived at this conclusion long ago. Everyone loves a lover!" Cheers drowned her voice at this point, and as hearty as any were Peter's, whose feet no longer squirmed, for his pulse was beating a thrilling tattoo as he listened. "And as such," she resumed, her cheeks flushed to a delicate pink, "pianos, victrolas, and family gatherings will be our great home allies. We have decided that smiles are better than sour looks, and that if a man wants to play games he can do so better where a wife's, a mother's, or sister's eyes can travel, than where chips and money, in secret, spell Home-Break- ing!" "Polly," thought Peter during an outburst of dignified hi- larity, "you're some little talker, that you are!" "There are some other things which we have decided to take up in our council meetings — such as what measures to adopt to suppress pernicious literature, theatrical acts that have the tendency to demoralize, cinemas that border on topics that, to say the least, are risque, and dangerous, and we intend to ask the hearty co-operation of every man and woman in America to aid us by joining our membership!" She took her seat. Leeland rose smiling, and when the ap- plause had subsided he said: "I have very little to add, for Miss O'Leary has appealed succinctly to your hearts. But I would say this, that every man and woman, boy and girl TWO HOME-MAKERS 975 over fifteen, particularly when of legal age, should strike as the blacksmith does, when the iron is hot. League yourselves as units here, write and tell your friends and ask them to read the pamphlets we intend to print, and make themselves into units all over the American Continent. Because—" He paused to accentuate what he had to say: "Because this is not one man's battle, nor is it the battle alone of the Latter-day Saints. No, it belongs to us individually! Look back at the French Revolution. Was it not aided by atheism and obscenities until bloodshed and starvation ran hand in hand? How about Rome of old? We have not come to such passes, you say. * * * No, and no tidal wave surged its giant crests in menace in a moment; it is but composed of trillions of drops of water that rush madly on in its devastating way!" The stars at night see tragedies that we do not dream of, but that we can avert by standing shoulder to shoulder. * * * Listen, friends, some- — one's boys or girls as dear to their parents as your own, lost or ashamed to return because that home life was uncongenial, and they had to seek amuse- ment elsewhere. All this might have been averted! "Far from the plan of the Home-Makers' campaign be it to abolish — recreations such as theaters, movies, concerts, skating rinks, and so on but we do intend to see that such places are run in such a way that we won't have to be ashamed to listen to what we hear, or have cause to blush because of what we see. "And with this in view we ask you to join our membership by contribut- ing each month what you feel able to afford. Try not to let your subscrip- tions go under twenty-five or fifty cents. And be assured of this that only tie necessary expenditures will be deducted from the funds, as our exec- utives will be honorary, receiving no salaries whatever!" "I thank you, one and all, on behalf of the council," he said in con- clusion, mentioning some prominent names, before ushers went round with trays filled with cards for memberships. And sign they did, almost to an individual, the council adopting the resolution to ask the churches and allied organiza- ******** tions to give the movement their support, before the meeting broke up into friendly handshakings with stranger and friends. "So you are Polly O'Leary," said Hall with twinkling eve*s as he drew her aside after speaking to Mrs. Betels and the Lee- lands, and his manner was so hearty that Peter warmed to him more than ever as he stood gazing at them. Presently he felt a hand steal into his arm, and on turning round he saw Mrs. Betels smiling at him. "Suppose we sit down for a few moments," she suggested, drawing him to a seat a little away from the rest. Then her eyes began to search his in a way that made him feel perplexed and wonder if his hair was not parted aright, or if something else was the matter. But it was nothing so sillv, for in a low voice she told him after a few direct questions that her large house was lonely; that he was a foolish boy, a very foolish boy to think of renting a flat; that she would not hear of it; and that her niece was so : 976 IMPROVEMENT ERA dear to her that she wished to see her —her—married before long. Peter crimsoned to where his curly hair tried to lay back pompadour fashion, and because she was so friendly he gave her hand a squeeze that made her wince, causing him to become abject at once. — — "I am sorry," he began, "but but she is as far above me as the stars!" "Well, go star-picking, then," she smiled in return, no longer the grim, scathing woman she had appeared to be at first. Then "Peter, if you do not make up your mind to say something soon, I will take Polly with me to help the Leelands to organize the Home-Makers' League! I will," she added, when he shuddered, — "and if you do not live in the house with me for you will have — your own apartments now that Polly can manage things I will ask you to look for a wife elsewhere!" "But she won't give up the store ; she likes the work too well!" "Silly! Just as if she had to work there," remonstrated the aunt. "I only let her do so to learn business methods, as it will belong to her some day!" Peter almost gaped. And he did so, actually, when his uncle called him over to tell him that he would be given charge of his largest furniture store down town. "You will only get fifty a week until you can prove yourself competent, and you can have Belle to help you with the books and banking if you wish," he said facetiously, darting a glance from under his heavy eyebrows at the pert Polly. Said she at once: "Mr. Hall, you do not know Peter as well as I do; he is one of your best men!" And, little gold nugget that she was, she laughed in his face when he tried to shake his head. But that same evening, out in a garden scented with sleep- ing flowers, and under a canopy alight with stars and Diana, a golden orange, Peter at last found his voice. — — "Acushla Mavourneen I know you're too good for me! — You're like one of those twinkling lights above us but I do care — for you I always did!" he said simply, and with great effort, as his huge fingers began to fumble in his vest pocket for a small plush box that held a ring with a single small diamond. "Oh!" cried the girl in ecstasy, when she saw it. Again an "oh-o!" when he placed it on her third finger. And then she found her silvery voice. "Why did you not speak before?" she added shyly. Peter answered something about being a boob, and that lie ought to have spoken before to such a "peachy home-maker!" But only the stars, the balmy June breeze, and the humming in- ! TWO HOME-MAKERS 977 ****** *** sects in that versation. summery old garden heard the rest of their con- And so we leave them together, but not the cause—for — hearts still pulse with manliness and womanliness and dwellers in mansions and cottages can but be the more edified by striv- ing for the further uplift of humanity at large, for are we not all children, after all? True, some are a little more gray, a little more stooped than others, but all have their crosses to bear through life. Still, no matter how heavy may seem our partic- — ular burden what if it seems galling and hard to bear? Not one of us can tread the winepress unaided as did the peerless Galilean — alone Chicago, III. Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N. Y. ARRIVAL OF THE