Middletown transcript., 1914-09-05

her neighbors to while away the hours
of the long. hot day.
At night Bob puffed prodigiously at
cheap, black cigars while he sat out.
side after dinner and battled with an
endless host Of mosquitoes. When he
had smoked himself dizzy he would
succumb to a superior force and Join
Jane inside. Lights made it more un-
comfortable within, so, usually, they
sat in the dark and talked until bed
time.
Friends came from the city occasion
ally, but their visits were not fire.
Quently repeated. It was a tremen-
dous trip from Harlem or the Heights,
where their few acquaintances lived.
and one by one all but Dick dropped
away. He came regularly every Wed
nesday.
They tried two or three trips to
New York themselves, but the dis
tance made these a hardship rather
than a pleasure and there was the
added expense. Once when they at
tempted a little dinner after a night
at roof garden they missed the last
boat and had to stay at hotel Bob
tried to conceal his misgivings as to
how this would affect the weeks
finances, but Jane knew. They gave
It up and stayed at home.
IN v,o1e1,5 cd e.
Bob missed his garden. Frost nipped
the tomatoes that had been so late in
starting and this marked the last of
their outdoor activities The monot-
ony for both began to pail, but they
hid their feelings from each other.
More and more Jane sought refuge
in the futile companionship of the gos-
siping Mrs. Collins. They went occs-
sionally to New York for the matinees
but more frequently to spend an after
noon in idle wandering through the
stores, for the funds of each were
frugal. They were returning from
such a journey one evening in late
October.
Come in an6 rest a minute" Jane in
Vited, as they reached her bungalow.
Il know I'm tired and guess you are. -
Going to the matinee from Staten
Island sure does one up" Mrs Collins
acquiesced and she glanced about with
longing air as if she hoped her
neighbor might offer something in the
way Of resuscitation.
Jane comprehended readily, but as
she had nothing to offer she let the
hint go unnoticed.
The trip is certainly terrible" she
agreed. Coming home on those fer
ries and trolleys nearly drives me wild
sometimes"
"But it's worth while after all, )"
vouchsafed her neighbor, Il don't
know what would do if I didn't just
pick up and go where 1 can breathe
the air of Manhattan once in a while.
And the matinees! ! used to go two
or three times a week when had my
little fiat in Amsterdam avenue. just
love the theaters. Didn't you think
the show this afternoon was lovely"
No, didn't" Jane answered, '1 just
hated it. That beautiful home, those
servants and those lovely gowns. AS
If anyone could believe that heroine
could be unhappy with all she had.
And it does seem as il those things
we're going to be out of reach for
ever"
The play, in so far as material en-
was concerned, had pre-
sented the very antithesis of their own
life. All the luxuries and indulgences |
that money can give were vividly por-
trayed, but the sequel proved the indis-
putable maxim, "all that glitters is not |
gold" Jane had an innate longing for |
a more lofty station in life than was
hers. She believed that poverty and its
petty exactions were her worst foes and |
that any woman, given the opportuni-
ties that money bestows, had the max
Ing of happiness within her hands. She
had no sympathy or tolerance for the
theory that wealth breeds discomfort
and woe. Mrs. Collins, on the other
hand, while not gifted with an ana
lytical mind, had a rough and ready
sense of perceptive. She was as fond
Of good things in life as one, but she
was actuated in her longings by a
spirit of jealousy rather than the be-
lief that the best was rightfully hers.
So she sympathized with the hoi polloi
and rejoiced when the wealthy heroine
gept While she did not observe the
inc distinction between herself and
lane, she recognized their common
bond of complaint and attempted
solace,
To BE CoNTINUED)
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