The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-27

| Berry had retained her latch-key,
| and letting herself IN passed into the
! dustless parlor which connected by
folding doors with the dining-room be-
| yond. Nothing had been changed in
| 1t since the days of her tenancy. The
| upright piano, draped with a China
silk scarf, stood in the old corner. The
| solar print of her father hung over
| the mantelpiece on which a gilt clock
| and a pair Of china dogs stood at &C
| curately-measured distances. The
| tufted arm-chairs were placed far
| from each other, severely isolated in
! the corners, as though the room were
! too remote and sacred even to sug-
| gest the cheerful amenities OF social
| intercourse. A curious, musty smell
| hung in the air. 1t recalled the past
| in which Dominick had figured as her
| admirer. The few times that he had
| been to her home she had received
! him in this solemn, unaired apartment
| in which the chandelier was lit for the
| occasion, and Hannah and Hazel had
| sat in the kitchen, breathless with
| curiosity as to what such a call might
! portend. She had been married here,
in the bay-window, under a wedding
bell Of white roses. The musty smell
brought 1t all back, even her sense Of
almost breathless elation, when the
seal was set on her daring schemes.
From beyond the folding doors a
| sound, OF conversation and smitten
crockery arose, also a strong odor Of
cooking. The family were already at
lunch, and opening the door Berry
entered in upon the midday meal
which was being partaken of by her
two sisters, Josh, and Hazels daugh-
ter, Pearl, pretty child of eight
Neither of her sisters resembled her
In the least. Hannah was a woman
who looked more than her age, with
a large, calm face, and gentle, near
sighted eyes which blinked at the
world behind pair Of steel-rimmed
glasses. Her Quarter-century Of school
teaching had not dried or stiffened
her. She was fuller Of the milk of
human kindness, Of the ideals and en-
thusiasms Of youth, than either Of
her sisters. All the love of her kindly,
maternal nature was given to Pearl,
whom she was bringing up carefully
to be what seemed to Hannah best in
woman.
Hazel was very pretty and still
| young. She had the fresh, even bloom
Of a Californian woman, a round,
graceful figure, and glossy brown hair,
rippled and arranged in an elaborate
couture as though done by hair
dresser. She could do this herself as
she could make her own clothes, earn
a fair salary at the milliner's, and
sing to the guitar in a small, piping
voice. Her husband was ravished by
her good looks and accomplishments,
and thought her the most wonderful
woman in the world. He was a thin,
tall, young man with STOPPING shout
| ders, a long, lean neck, and an ami
able, insignificant face. But he
seemed to please Hazel, who had mar
/ ried him when she was nineteen, be-
ing haunted by the nightmare thought
that II she did not take what chances
offered, she might become an old maid
like Hannah.
Berry sat down next to the child
/ conscious that under the pleasant
/ friendliness Of their greetings a VIC.
lent curiosity as to whether she had
been to the ball burned in each
breast. She had talked over her
chances of going with them, and Ha.
Eel, whose taste in all such matters
was excellent, had helped her order
the dress. Now, drawing her plate
| toward her and shaking out her nap.
kin, she began to eat her lunch, at
once too sore and too perverse to be-
| gin the subject. The others endured
their condition Of ignorance for some
minutes, and then Hazel, finding that
to wait was useless, approached the
vital topic.
well, Berry, we've been looking
over the list Of guests at the ball In
the morning papers and your name
don't seem to be down"
81 don't see why 1t should" said
Berry without looking up, consider
ing wasn't there"
"You weren't there!" calculated
Hannah. "They didn't ask you"
That's right" said Berry, breaking
a piece Of bread. They didn't ask
me-"
well, I'll be jiggered!" exclaimed
Josh. That's beats the Dutch!"
/ 81 didn't believe Mrs. Ryan would
do that" said Hannah, so panied that
her generally observant eye took no
note of the fact that Pearl was put
ting her fingers in her plate. You're
as good as her own flesh and blood
too-her sons wife. It's not Chris.
tian, and l don't understand it."
'Tt's tough" said Josh, that's what
It is, fought"
"If I were you," said Hazel with
spirit, husband or no husband, I'd
never want to go inside that house
or have any dealings with that crowd
again. II they were down on their
knees to me I'd never go near them.
Just think what it would be If Josh's
mother thought herself too good to
know me! I'd like to know what I'd
feel about it."
''But she wouldn't, dearie," said
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