The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-17
CHAPTER v.


From the Tree of Love.
There is hardly any use trying to de-
scribe what followed. Anne Brown be-
gan to cry, and talk about the children.
(she went 10 Europe once and stayed
until they all got over the whooping-
cough) And Dallas said he had a pull,
because his mill controlled I forget how
many votes, and the thing to DO was
to be quiet and comfortable and we would
get out in the morning. Max took 1t as
a huge joke, and somebody found him
at the telephone. calling up his club. The
Mercer girls were Historically glggling.
and Aunt Selma sat on a stiff-backed
chair and took aromatic spirits of am
monia. AS for Jim. he had collapsed on
the lowest step of the stairs. and sat
there with his head IN his hands. When
he did look UP. he didn't dare TO look
at me.
The HARRISON man was arguing with
the irnpasslve individual on the top step
outside, and I saw him get out his pock-
etbook and offer a crisp bundle of bills.
But the man from the board of health
only smiled and tackled at his offensive
sign. After a while Mr.. HARRISON came
in and closed the door, and We stared at
one another.
81 know what Tn going to do I said,
swallowing a lump IN my throat. I'm
going TO get out through a basement win
dow at the back, I'm going home
| "Home!" Aunt Selma gasped, Jumping
up and almost dropping her ammonia
bottle. MY dear Bella! Homer"
Jimmy groaned at the foot OF the stairs.
| but Anne Brown was getting over her
tears and now she turned on me in a
| temper.
IT'S all your fault" she said II was
going to stay at home and get q little
| sleep
well. you can sleep now" Dallas
broke in. '-Therell be nothing to do but
sleep
Il think you haven't grasped the sit
uation, Dali" I said Jelly. There will
| be plenty to do. There isn't servant In
| the house,
! NO servants" everybody cried at once
! The Mercer girls stopped giggiing.
holy catsi" Max stopped in the act
OF hanging up his OvercOat. DO you
mean--why. can't shave myself. 'Fn
cut my head or"
You'll do more than that" / retorted
! grimiy. You will carry coal and tend
/ fires and empty ash pans. and when you
are not doing any of those things there
viii be posts and pans to wash and beds
TO make"
/ Then there was row. We had worked
| back to the den now, and stood in front
| OF the fireplace and let the storm beat
| around me- and tried 10 look perfectly
| cold and Indifferent, and not TO see Mr.
/ Harbison's shocked face. No wonder he
| thought them a lot of ssvages, browheat-
| ing their hostess the way they did
TITS fool thing anyhow" Max Reed
wound up. ITO celebrate the anniversary
OF a divorce-especially- Here he
caught Jlms eye and stopped. But
had suddenly remembered. Bella down
/ IN the basement
/ Could anything have been worse? And
OF course she would have hysteria and
then turn on me and blame me for It all
II all came over me at once and over
/ whelned me, while Anne was crying and
saying she wouldn't cook II she starved
/ for IT, and Aunt Selma was taking OF
/ her wraps. I felt queer all over, and
/ sat down suddenly Mr.. HARRISON was
! looking at me, and he brought me glass
of wine.
ut won't be so bad as you fear" h'
| said comfortingly. There will be az
danger once we are vaccinated, and many
hands make light work They are pretty
Iraw now, because the thing is new u
them. but by morning they will be rec
Onciled."
TT isn't the work; II Is something en-
tirely different I said. And II was
Bella and work could hardly be Spoken
In the same breath.
If had only turned her out as she de-
served to be. when she first came, insteaG