Evening star., 1919-12-21

'he III the dark now, Jerry and nv
uod! Jerry. she just couldn't stand
an institution"
lie patted her shoulder and drew
her arm through his.
You lemme take care of that. She
don't need to know nothing about it.
Wen tell her were sending her for .
visit to the country for a while. After
the second day she'll be as snug as a
bug in rug. They're good to 'em in
those places; good as gold"
mo, no, Jerry. No, no. gotta
have her with me. She raised me
from kid and - and she couldn't
stand it, Jerry! l gotta have her. I
gotta! l want her."
His mouth sagged down suddenly
and on an oblque.
Say, somebody must have given
you a few lessons in nagging, your
self. Them's the lines she used to re-
cite to me about her she devil of a
mother. too. Cad! she used to hang
on her mothers apron strings like she
was tired"
Come, Peachy, don't get me sore.
Come, let's talk about tomorrow. We
gotta get the license first and"
Jerry, L Just little yes is all
I want - Jerry, dear - just little
yes
A frown gathered in triple furrow
on his brow.
Now. kiddo, you got. to cut that
with me. and cut it quick. If there's
two things 1 can't stand it's nagging
and pouting. Cloonan can tell you
what pouting can drive me to. I'll
beat it out of that girl Of mine before
she's through with me, and I won't
stand it from no one else. Now cut it.
Peachy, that's nice girl"
He paced the carpeted space of
floor between the dresser and bed, his
mouth still on the oblique.
Nov, cut it. Peachy. / said, and
cut it quick"
She stood palpitating beside the
window. her eyes flashing to his face
and fastening there.
God! II wanna CO."
"Wherc?"
Her glance flashed past him out of
the window and across the patch of
rear lawn. A street car bobbed across
the country; she followed it with
eager eyes.
II wanna 60"
HE advanced, conciliatory. Jaw.
now, Peachy, row just the day be-
fore we are married. You'don't want
to start out making me train you. just
l. II ypo
a little girl / could beat your little
ways out of you, but I wanna be on
the level with you and show you how
nice can be- All the things I'm go
ing to give you, all"
"Quit. you! ! wanna go! I wanna
go"
You can go to hell, for my part
I'm going to get a steak inside of me
before we bulge. Quit your fooling.
See. you nearly got me sore there.
Come, the car won't be back for us
until g. Come, Peachy, come @.
She was past him and painting down
the stairs, out across the patch Of
rear lawn and toward the bobbing
street car. the streamer of ribbon at
her throat flying backward over her
shoulder.
In the bargain basement of the IT.
tanic store the first day Of the spring
opening dragged to its close. In a
meadow beside round pond tree
dripped apple blossoms, each SO frail
a thing that 1t fiuttered out and away.
too light to anchor. .+
In careless similitude the bargain
basement Of tho Titanic store resusci-
tated from its storerooms, and from
spring openings long gone by, dusty
garlands Of cotton May blossoms. fes-
tooninslahem between the great white
supporting pillars Of the basement
and INTERVIEWING them.
Over the white goods counter and
over Sunday as 1t were, q papier-
mache persola Of green latticework
and more cotton-back May blossoms
had sprung up, as IL the great god
wotan had built 1t with word. Cas-
cades Of summer linens. the apple
green and the butter yellow, howed
from counters and improvised tables.
sadie Barnet's own mid-aisle bin had
blo,somed into a sacrifcial sale OF
,,r r.mnants and toward the close.