Molly Brown of Kentucky Page 23

  CHAPTER XXIII.

  THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER.

  No submarine warfare interrupted the peaceful passage of ourhoneymooners. The voyage was delightful to both of them after all thetrials they had been through. Judy was as much at home on the water ason land, literally a born sailor, as she had been born at sea. Kentloved a ship and all the many aspects of the ocean. The lazy days ondeck, with their chairs drawn as close together as chairs could be,their hands clasped under the steamer rug, seemed like a beautifuldream, only a dream that was going to last for a lifetime, not the lazydays on deck but the being together and never talking out. Being lazywas not the idea of eternal bliss common to either of these youngpersons. Kent felt there were worlds to conquer in the architecturaluniverse and he meant to do his share towards conquering them; and withJudy by his side, he gloried in the task before him. As for Judy, shemeant to paint like mad and to work up many ideas she had teeming in herhead. She was thankful for the reels of undeveloped snapshots she had inher trunk, as she was going to use them as a jog to her memory for thenumerous illustrations she meant to make in an article she was thinkingof writing on Paris at the outbreak of the war.

  Cousin Sally's admonition to work for the Allies was not forgotten,either. Judy was planning a busy winter for herself in New York just assoon as she and Kent could get themselves settled in an apartment.

  "It must be very inexpensive, too, Kent. We must save money."

  Kent couldn't help laughing at Judy's solemn face. What would Judy'sfriends say at her becoming penurious? Judy, the spendthrift!

  "You see, I've always cost poor Bobby a lot of money; not that he hasever complained, but I don't mean to be a burden to you, Kent."

  Kent had no answer for such foolishness but to squeeze her hand.

  "I'd be perfectly happy if I just knew that Bobby and poor little Mumsywere all right."

  "Why, they may be on the high seas this minute. We will surely hearsomething of them when we get to New York."

  * * * * *

  Sandy Hook was at last sighted and then came the slow, majestic steaminginto the harbour! Liberty still held her torch on high with the gullscircling around her. The same little tugs were puffing up and down, withthe great ferries plying back and forth like huge shuttles. New York'ssky line was as fascinating to Mrs. Kent Brown as it had ever been toJudy Kean.

  "Oh, Kent, I love it so! How could I have stayed away so long?" criedJudy, rapturously making sketches in the air.

  The pier was filled with an eager crowd, awaiting the arrival of thesteamer.

  "There won't be any one for us," said Judy rather wistfully. "Yourmother is in Kentucky, and of course Molly couldn't leave the baby tocome meet us, and there isn't any one else."

  Kent smiled and said nothing. He was almost sure he saw the figure ofhis tall brother-in-law, Professor Green, towering above the crowd, buthe was afraid he might be mistaken and could not bear to disappointJudy.

  It was Edwin Green and hanging on one arm was Molly (Kent knew her bythe blue scarf). And who was that on the other arm? Oh, what a mother!It was Mrs. Brown, her face uplifted and glowing.

  "Judy, look a little to the left of the second post! Right in front ofus, honey! What do you see?"

  "Oh, it's Molly! I can tell her by her blue scarf--and Kent! Kent,there's your mother and dear Edwin!" Then Judy clutched her younghusband's arm. "Look a little to the right, standing by yourmother--there's a big man that looks like Bobby--See, with a littledoll baby woman in front of him--he's keeping the crowd off ofher--see! see! It is--it is Bobby and little Mumsy!"

  Judy, who not much more than two weeks before had considered herself themost unfortunate and friendless of mortals, now knew that there was notsuch a happy person in all the world. How long the vessel took to bemade fast to the pier! And then such a crowding and pushing! Every oneon board seemed to have some one on the pier he had not seen forcenturies and must get to immediately.

  "They can't be as anxious to hug their mothers as I am, and I know theyhaven't any Bobbies," she complained. "And I am sure they have not beenshipwrecked like you and given up for drowned by their families. Theyought to let us off first."

  Mr. Kean was behaving exactly as though he were at a football game. Hewas jumping up and down and waving and shouting, and his rooting eggedKent to make a rush for the gangway, holding Judy like a pigskin; andonce on the gangplank there was nothing to do but push and be pushed bythe crowd until they shot out on the pier into the arms of their waitingand eager families.

  With every one talking at once, it was difficult to get any accurateknowledge about one another, but when it was all sifted out it developedthat Mr. and Mrs. Kean had finally been allowed by the ImperialGovernment to leave Berlin, in fact, they had been encouraged to go. Mr.Kean was looked upon as a dangerous person, a lunatic at large, and theydid not want the responsibility or expense of caring for him. His jokesgot to be too many and serious, and when he became such an adept inevading the spy set to watch him that two had to be detailed for thatduty, the powers that be evidently decided that what knowledge hepossessed of the topography of Turkey did not outweigh in importance thewearing out of perfectly good soldier material. He worried the spy sothat he was nothing more than skin and bones, poor fellow!

  They had arrived in New York only the day before and had immediately gotMolly on the long distance telephone. Of course, they knew nothing ofJudy's being married, but unhesitatingly approved of the step Kent hadtaken and did not consider him at all high-handed. Mr. Kean, being of amost impulsive disposition, could understand it in other persons, andlittle Mrs. Kean was so used to her comet-like husband and daughter thatshe was never astonished by anything they did.

  "I was not the impulsive one this time, though, Bobby," Judy declaredwhen they finally settled themselves around the luncheon table at thehotel where a second bridal feast had been prepared, ordered by thelavish Bobby. "It was Kent. I had no idea of ever being married--infact, it seemed to me to be not quite decent to be married so quicklywhen I was in such deep mourning--The wedding was quiet because of therecent bereavement----"

  "In mourning! You, Judy, in mourning for whom?" and poor little Mrs.Kean gasped, not knowing what she was to learn now.

  "Why, for Kent himself. Nothing but the bombs dropped in Paris kept mefrom having my best serge suit dyed black. Molly, I always said I'd makea fetching widow, and I did all right. Kent thought I was just lovely inthe hat I fixed for his mourning."

  "Oh, Judy! The same old Judy!" exclaimed Molly fondly.

  Molly had thought it would be impossible for her to go to New Yorkto meet the incoming steamer with its precious cargo, but Edwin haddeclared she should go; so little Mildred was taken on the jaunt aswell, with the eager Katy as nurse. Kizzie was already installed ascook and Katy was proving a most careful and reliable nurse. Molly waslooking and behaving more like herself and no longer had to let herpatient husband go off to his lectures like a bachelor with no wife topour his coffee.

  "And now, you and Kent and Mr. and Mrs. Kean must all come to Wellingtonto visit us," announced the hospitable Molly. "Mustn't they, Edwin?"

  "Indeed they must," said Edwin obediently, but in his heart wonderingwhere Molly would put all of them. The old red house on the campus waslarge but had not very many rooms. The young professor could never quiteget used to the Browns and their unbounded hospitality. His favoritestory was one on his mother-in-law; how, when one of her sons broughthome the whole football team to spend the night, she calmly took the topmattresses off all the beds (the beds at Chatsworth were fortunatelyequipped with box mattresses and top mattresses) and made up pallets onthe floor, thereby doubling the sleeping capacity of her hospitablemansion.

  "I can't come, Molly,--mighty sorry," said Kent, "but my job must beheld down now. They have kept it open for me long enough."

  "And I stay with Kent!" declared Judy.

  "Hurrah, hurrah! Her mother's own daughter!" cried the delighted Bob
by."I was wondering what kind of wife my girl would make; now I know. Iwouldn't take anything for that: 'I stay with Kent.'"

  "Oh, I'm going to be terribly domestic. I found that out while I wasliving with the Tricots. What's more, I can make tarts--the best ever. Ican hardly wait to get a flat and a pastry board to make some for Kent."

  "You might use your drawing board for a pastry board," teased herfather. "I fancy art is through with."

  "Through with, indeed! Why, Bobby, I am astonished and ashamed of you! Iam going to paint all the time that I am not making tarts, and what timeis left, I am going to knit socks and make bandages for the wounded."

  "And poor me! When do I come in?" asked Kent.

  "You come in early and behave yourself or I'll spend the rest of thetime making suffrage speeches," laughed the war bride.

  * * * * *

  And now since we must leave our friends some where, what better time andplace than at this second wedding breakfast, while all of them aretogether and happy? Perhaps we shall meet them again when the old redhouse on the campus shall be taxed to its utmost in its endeavor tobehave like Chatsworth. We shall see Judy and Kent in their little flatand mayhaps taste one of Judy's tarts. We must know more of Molly'sgirls at Wellington and meet dear Nance Oldham and little Otoyo Senagain. It is hard to part forever with our friends and those who knowMolly Brown feel that all her friends are theirs.

  So I hope our readers will be glad to meet again "Molly Brown's CollegeFriends."

  THE END.