South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-21

Dicky was also developing an un-
usual sense of punctual.ty al
ways had thought him quite ire
sponsible concerning the keeping Of
his appointments and ne never had
any set time for arriving az his
studio. But ne suddenly announced
one morning that ne must catch the
SCI train every morning without
fail
The next one gets in too late,
ne said and I have a tremendous
amount Of work on hand
The explanation was plausible
enough. but there was something
about it that did not ring true. How
ever, the solution OF his sudden
solicitude for punctuality did not
come to me until Mrs Hoch one Of
my nelghDors. enlightened me.
] had not seen much Of my neigh
bors. the Burchell and HOCh fami-
lies. since our coming to the old
Brennan house had carefully
avoided Mrs Burchel. for my first
interview with her had nxed the
conviction i'm my mind that she was
a trou bier maker and Mrs Hoch had
been in the FIRST months of our stay
i'm Marvin.
Her son. Eddie however-the boy
who had offered his services 10 me
when / was overseeing the cleaning
OF the house-had become quite
fixture about the place He was
good natured lad handy with tools.
but really annoying in his ignorance
Of the most ordinary amenities OF
life But help of any kind was hard
10 get. and We put up with the boys
uncouthness on that account
The chief Objection TO his pres
ence. i'm my mind. however. was the
opportunity it gave his sister, Celie.
a ferret-faced slender girl 10 come
to the house on neighborly errands.
I stroye hard TO conceal the dislike
7 ] conceived for the girl at my frst
, sight of her but it was hard work.
And when upon her mothers con-
vaIescence the elder woman Joined
her daughter i'm dropping I'm casual
~ upon us mathematical the day
which sent Eddie Hoch 10 our
doors
For both women were neighbor-
hood gossips and they revelled in
every cit of scandal they could pick
up My mother-in law always hur-
ried TO her room and locked her
door when she saw them coming.
and 70 me was left the burden OF
entertaining them.
Yes" sighed Mrs Hoch rocking
vigorously as she spoke. Every
body knows I'm no gossip. I belieN @
Il YOU can't say nothing good about
nobody YOU should keep your
mouth shut. but I say 70 Ceue as
soon as / heard this. Cehe. SAYS
a. it's our duty 10 tell that poor
thing what We know
started 10 speak. 10 stop what
ever revelation she wished TO make,
but ! might as we'll have attempted
10 stem a torrent with a leaf bridge.
We've heard things for a long
time" Mrs Hoch went on. but we
didn't want 70 say nothin'.' special
Is as YOU seemed such friends. her
runnin' here and all But we no
ticed she haint been comm lately.
and then our Willie ne hears things
lot over al the station. and he says
its common talk over there that
your husband and that Draper girl
are planning 10 elope. They take
the same train every morning to-
gether come home on the same one
a. night. and they are as friendly
as anything
did not give Mrs. Hoch. my Off
cious neighbor. a chance 70 finish
the miserable gossip she was utter
ing about my husband and Grace
Draper
With my eyes flashing, my cheeks
blazing ] sprang to my feet when
she told me that Dicky and his beau
tiful model and protege took the
same train 10 work in the morning.
and the same train home at night
and that village gossip had said they
were planning 70 elope.
Mrs Hoch. ] snapped out. III I
had known what YOU were going TO
say Z would not have allowed YOU
10 speak Your words are an insult
20 my husband and myself You
will please remember never 20 say
auNlnlnE ike THIS 10 me again
Mrs Hoch rose 10 her feet, her
face an unbecoming brick red Her
daughters black eyes snapped with
anger
Come Celie." the elder woman
said. Il don't stay nowhere 10 be in
suited when all I've tried TO do is
give little friendly warning 20 a
neighbor
Mother and daughter hurried
down the path. chatterins 20 each
other like two angry squirrels.
"Horrid stuck-u Trims. / heard
CeHe say spitefully as they went
/ through the fence. FL hope Grace
/ Draper does take him away from
+ her She's got nerve, I must say.
/ taIkin 10 Us like that. I don't be-
leye she cares anything about Leg
+ husband. anyway.
she might have changed her mind
had she seen me rs 10 my room as
soon as she was safely out of sight
lock the door and bury my face in
the pillows that neither my moth
ei-in-law or Katie should hear the
sobs could not repress.