Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-10-12
ViCeVerSa
A Married Woman Becomes
a Girl Again.
By MARIE q. mitchell

day." and Mr.. Crenmore tool a hurried
last swallow of coffee, pushed his paper
into his pocket with n hand, took out
his watch with the other and started
for the door, only turning to say: Jean.
cite, the coffee is no better today. You
really must speak to Sarah again."
Eyes, Arthur, l know, but Sarah" be-
gan poor Jeanette, stopping to quiet
Bobby's demands to walk dust little
bit O. way wiz daddy"
When the front door had closed and
Bobby and daddy We're on their way,
jeanette turned with a sigh to attend
to the many daily duties of a house
keeper with one incompetent maid and
two babies.
1t was a hot, sultry morning, the chill
dren fretty and Sarah In an uncertain
humor, as Jeanette bathed baby Jean,
with Bobby's doubtful help. A little
frown crossed her forehead and her
lips frightened. "Oh, dear! Why does
1t all have to be so different after peo-
pie are married! Things alwayssgoing
wrong; not half time enough to set
them right, FUSES instead Orwell,
compliments and roses" and Jeanette
laughed In spite of herself. but across
her memory flashed the picture of two
people on q moonHt piazza.
"Are you sure, Arthur. dear" the
girl was saying, 1--WE won't be like all
those married people who seem to have
forgotten how to be really nice to each
other and just fuss about house things
and food and-well, you know-read
papers at the table and all that?"
"Sure as anything, sweetheart"
laughed the man. "We could never be
like that. and as for reading papers
when | have you across the table from
me, we'll
Jeanette came out from her reverie
just In time to save little jeans tiny
blue shoes from being launched into
the tub.
"What fun 1t would be If one could
only, for a tiny vacation, push time
backward and be just a girl again, With
nice men to say nice things and all the
rest of it," thought Jeanette. wonder
If I've changed a whole lot In four
years. Would / get the same kind of
good times? I would like to try" And,
tucking baby under n arm, Jeanette
ran to the mirror. mot SO bad. l am
tired, of course, but with the same
clothes, time for hair fixing and cold
cream I wouldn't look so different"
She dressed and fed the baby with
an distracted air. As she laid her In
her crib the front door opened. Hello,
Jeanie," called a voice in a stage whis-
per, "the babes asleep?"
"yVait. I'll come down." answered
jeanette, suiting the action to the
words. Exit. dear, it's good to see you.
How did you get here SO soonY
II came late last night, found mother
deep in Red Cross work for the day, SO
came over here. Come here, Bobby,
boy, and give auntie a kiss. Merciful
heavens, Jean, but you look hot and
tiredl Believe me, I'll continue to
stick to kindergarten work. At least
you get a vacation In hot weather.
Here you are, landed in a house In the
country supposedly for a vacation, but
you don't look as though you were get
ting one. Sarah any better help nowY'
mot much. and. you see, Kit, we
have to eat, and the babes must be
taken care of no matter where we are.
Can't be helped, SO don't get excited"
"Well, it's too bad. I'll tell you what,
Jeanie," exclaimed Kit, otherwise
Katherine, 81 have an idea. Change
places with me for the rest of the day.
Just start off and do any old thing you
like and leave the Riddles to the tender
mercies of their Aunt Kit"
"You are a dear, but you only came
last night and are tired yourself. I
won't do it."
"I'm not tired like you are. | haven't
a thing to do, and I love the babies.
Just skip along"
But. Katherine, you don't know
about their food and maps, and Bobby
is hard to manage, and Sarah is in a
bad humor." began Jeanette.
"Now, listen. You can tell me about
food and maps. And don't manage
thirty little wretches ten months in the
year? AS for Sarah, you can leave her
to me. I'll Jolly her along"
"Well." hesitated Jeanette, then IT
do it,
.Get along before you change your
mind Katherine was relentless
fate" at her heels.
Fifteen minutes later jeanette might
have been seer stealing quietly out of
a side door clad in tramping skirt and
MILDLY blouse. Under her arm was a
book and a long package suspiciously
like a fishing rod. Over her shoulder
hung a fish basket. She took a short
cut across some fields to a cool woodsy
place where a little brook rippled its
way over the stones. Jeanette stopped
in the shade and took a long breath.
"Oh. how good it smells and how
coolt' She dropped her burden in the
grass and plunged both hands into the
clear cool water.
Just to think" she said. addressing
tbo h,onD Uthat Won have Ion 81 naar