Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-13

appears on Morday.
CHAPTER I
ON A slope white sprinkling of
" wood anemones lay ahead like
patch Of linen bleaching in the sun.
From valley lark cut swift
diagonal upward with coloratura
burst of song. A stream slipped it's ice
and took up its murmur where 1t hau
left of. A trunnt sQuelched his toes
in the warm mud and let 1t ooze over
and between them.
\ mole stirred in it's hole, anG be
cause spring will find q way, evep down
in the bargain basement of tho Titanic
store, which is far below the level OF
the mole, Sadie Barnet. who had never
seen wood anemone and never snifcd
Of thaw or the wet wild smell of violetS,
felt the blood rise in her veins IKE
snp, and across the aisle behind the
white goods counter Max McltScr
writhcd in his woolcns, and Sadie Bar
net, presiding over bin of specially
priced mill ends out mid aisle between
the white goods and the muslin under
wear, leaned toward him. and her smile
was as vivid as her lips.
Say, Max, guess why think you re
like rubber band
Classic Delphi was never more ready
with ambiguous retort.
Behind stack Of Joy Of the Loom
bcdshects, Max Meltzer CROPPED for
oracular divination, and his heart
beats futtered in his voice.
Like a rubber band?''
"Ieh."
Give up
"Aw. give guess.
We'll | don't know. Miss Sadie,
unlcss--unless it's because I'm stuck
on YOU.
DO not. aScetic reader. gag at tho
unsocratic plane. True, Max Meltzer
had neither the grain nor the leisure of
a sophist, q capacity for lenses or an
appreciation of Kant. He had never
built bridge, led a Bible class, or
attempted the first inch of the five
foot book shelf. But on n two figure
salary he subscribed an annual dona-
ton to skin and cancer hospital, wore
nonreversible collars, and maintained
smile that turned upward like the
corners of cycle moon. Remember,
then, ascetic reader, that a rich man
once kicked lcper; Rants own heart,
that it might turn the worlds heart
outward, burst of pain; and in the
granite canon Of Wall street, one smile
in every three score and ten turns up
ward.
Sadie Barnet met Max Metzer s
cycle moon smile with the blazing eyes
of scorn, and her lips, quivering to q
smile. met in straight line that nj
most ironed out the curves.
:" Cause you re stuck on me That s
swell guess. Gee you're as funny as
sob. you are
The words scuttcred from her lips
like sharp hailstoncs and she glanced
at him sidewisc over hump OF up,
lifted shoulder aud down the length OF
one akimbo arm,
&" Cause you're stuck on me- Hun ~
Max Mcltzer leaned across counter
display of fringcd breakfast napkins,
Amt that n good reason, Miss Sa-
die? It's true one.
you're one swell little gucsser, you
are not. You couldn't get inside a
riddle with a can opener Cause you re
stuck on me, Gee "
"Well. | am.
IL didn't ask you why you was like a
bottle of glue. ] asked you why you
was like a rubber band.
Cause your so stretchy, see?
Cause you'r so stretchy you'll ynwn
your arm Oft If you don't watch it.
Max Mrltzcr collapsed in an attitude
of mock prostration against stock
Gee. That must have been cracked
before the first nut,
"Smarty :"
Across the specially priced mill ends
she flashed the full line of her teeth:
and with an intensity his features ill
concealed he noted how sweet her throat
as it arched. ,., .
"lt's tho spring fever gets inside OF
me and makes me so stretchy, Miss
sadie It's a good thing trade IL slow
down here in the basement today, be-
cause it's the same with me every year: :
thc Saturday before spring opening
week | lust get to feeling like all out
"Wait till you see me with a new
red satin bow stuck on my last sum-
mer's shape. Dee Dee's got to lend me
the price for two yards of three inch
rcd satin ribbon for my spring open
ing"
Ills breast rose in his throat.
'I bet you look swell in red, MISS
Sadie. But a girl like you looks swell
Reds my color. Dee Dee says my
mamma was a gay one, too. when 1t
came to color. Had to have red bow
pinped somewhcres around all the
months she was in bed and--and up to
thc very night she died. Gimme, red
every time. Dee Dee's the one that's
always kicking against red; she says
| got too flashy taste.
"Say. If she keeps bossing and boss
ing at YOU what do you keep on living
with her for?' -,
Wouldn't YOU live with your own
mother's sister il she raised you from n
kid? What am | going to, do, put her
in cold storage, now that her eyes are
going back on her? Up in the ribbons
She can't hardly keep her colors. grad
uated no more, that's how blind she S
nnttinn only NnslnrdhN q dAmN hrOmght