She sighed, “I couldn’t do this if it weren’t for Will’s kindness, his giving me money.”  But a second after:  “I wonder how many women would always stay home if they had the money?”

Hugh complained, “Notice me, mummy!” He was beside her on the red plush seat of the day-coach; a boy of three and a half.  “I’m tired of playing train.  Let’s play something else.  Let’s go see Auntie Bogart.”

“Oh, no!  Do you really like Mrs. Bogart?”

“Yes.  She gives me cookies and she tells me about the Dear Lord.  You never tell me about the Dear Lord.  Why don’t you tell me about the Dear Lord?  Auntie Bogart says I’m going to be a preacher.  Can I be a preacher?  Can I preach about the Dear Lord?”

“Oh, please wait till my generation has stopped rebelling before yours starts in!”

“What’s a generation?”

“It’s a ray in the illumination of the spirit.”

“That’s foolish.”  He was a serious and literal person, and rather humorless.  She kissed his frown, and marveled: 

“I am running away from my husband, after liking a Swedish ne’er-do-well and expressing immoral opinions, just as in a romantic story.  And my own son reproves me because I haven’t given him religious instruction.  But the story doesn’t go right.  I’m neither groaning nor being dramatically saved.  I keep on running away, and I enjoy it.  I’m mad with joy over it.  Gopher Prairie is lost back there in the dust and stubble, and I look forward——­”

She continued it to Hugh:  “Darling, do you know what mother and you are going to find beyond the blue horizon rim?”

“What?” flatly.

“We’re going to find elephants with golden howdahs from which peep young maharanees with necklaces of rubies, and a dawn sea colored like the breast of a dove, and a white and green house filled with books and silver tea-sets.”

“And cookies?”

“Cookies?  Oh, most decidedly cookies.  We’ve had enough of bread and porridge.  We’d get sick on too many cookies, but ever so much sicker on no cookies at all.”

“That’s foolish.”

“It is, O male Kennicott!”

“Huh!” said Kennicott II, and went to sleep on her shoulder.

IV

The theory of the Dauntless regarding Carol’s absence: 

Mrs. Will Kennicott and son Hugh left on No. 24 on Saturday last for a stay of some months in Minneapolis, Chicago, New York and Washington.  Mrs. Kennicott confided to Ye Scribe that she will be connected with one of the multifarious war activities now centering in the Nation’s Capital for a brief period before returning.  Her countless friends who appreciate her splendid labors with the local Red Cross realize how valuable she will be to any war board with which she chooses to become connected.  Gopher Prairie thus adds another shining star to its service flag and without wishing to knock any neighboring communities, we would like to know any town of anywheres near our size in the state that has such a sterling war record.  Another reason why you’d better Watch Gopher Prairie Grow.