The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-07-09
BY Mary Roberts Rineharf

-. #
They would say, Hello, Bella!
How's Bubbles? Still bantingf
And Bella would try to laugh and
say. HE swears his tailor says his
waist is smaller. but N 1t is he
must be growing hollow in the
back" But she got tired of it
at last. Well, on the second an
niversary of Bella's departure,
Jimmy was telling pretty glum,
and as l say, l am very fond of
Jim. The divorce had just gone
through and Bella had taken her
maiden name again and had had
an operation for appendicitis. We
heard afterward that they didn't
find an appendix, and that the one
they showed her in a glass jar
was not hers! But IL Bella ever
suspected, she didn't say. Wheth-
er the appendix was anonymous
or not, she got box after box OF
flowers that were, and Of course
everyone knew that 1t was Jim
who sent them.
To go back to the anniversary;
I went to Rothberg's to see the
collection of antique furniture
mother was looking for a side
board for fathers birthday in
March-and l met Jimmy there,
boring into a worm-hole In a
seyenteenth-centur bedpost with
the end of a match, and looking
his nearest to sad. When he saw
me he came over.
I'm blue today, Kit" he said,
after we had shaken hands
Come and help me dig bait, and
then let's go fishing. If there's
a worm in every hole in that bed
post, we could go into the fish
business. It's good business.
Better than painting?"
asked. But he ignored my gibe
and swelled up alarmingly in or.
der to sigh.
"This is the worst day of the
year for me-" he affirmed, star
ing straight ahead, "and the
longest. Look at that crazy clock
over there. If you want to see
your life passing away, IL YOU
want to see the steps by which
you are marching to eternity
watch that clock marking the
time. Look at that internal hand
staying quiet for sixty seconds
and then jumping forward TIC
catch up with the procession
lUgh!"
"See here, Jim," said, lean
/ ing forward, you're not we'll. You
can't go through the rest Of the
day like this. 1 know what you'll
do: you'll go home to play Grieg
on the pianola, and you won't eat
any dinner" He looked guilty.
mot Grieg." he protested
Beethoven"
you're not going to do either"
I said with firmness. "You are
going right home to unpack those
new draperies that Harry Bayles
sent you from Shanghai, and you
are going to order dinner for eight
that will be two tables of
bridge. And you are not going to
touch the pianola."
He did not seem enthusiastic,
but he rose and picked up his hat,
and stood looking down at me
where i sat on an old horse-hair
covered sofa.
81 wish to thunder had mar
|ried you'll" he said savagefy.
|"You're the finest girl I know,
Kit, without exception, and you
are going to throw yourself away
on Jack Manning. or Max, or some
other"
Nothing of the Sort" ! said
coldly, land the fact that you
didn't marry me does not give you
the privilege Of abusing my
friends. Anyhow, l don't like you
when you speak ike tnat.
Jim took me to the door and
stopped there to sigh.
81 haven't been WE'LL" he said
heavily. Don't eat, don't sleep.
wouldn't you think I'd lose flesh?
Kit"-he lowered his voice sol
|emnIy-"I have gained two
|pounds!"
I said he didn't look It, which
appeared to comfort him some
what, and, because we were old
friends. I ask him where Bella
was. He said he thought she was
in Europe, and that he had heard
she was going to marry Reggie
Wolfe. Then he sighed again,