Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-21
BY Ann Lisle.
CHAPTER &C.


The first fruits of my chat Win
Virginia about spending money
gracefully were plucked by Tom
Mason. The talk ended just as we
arrived ut his studio, and promptly
/ decided to have my bedroom done
in the inlaid French woods and stlt
taffetas I had insisted only the week
Before we couldn't afford.
You can afford anything here.
Donna Anna" whispered Tom while
Virginia was critically considerlns
the value of curtains or French doors
between Jim's den and the bedroom.
I've come to the conclusion that
/ can't afford anything but the best
Tor my home" 1 replied stitiiy.
I'D give you the best whether you
ordered it or not" declared Tom
II want everything around you to be
perfect. I'm building your nest;
you'll have to remember that at
every turn. You'll have TO remem-
Der me. My work is there in your
own room with you-where r
With burning cheeks l darted
across the room to Nirginlas side.
Whatever barrier of reserve had
heretofore kept Tom Mason from
making himself completely obnoN-
ious to me was gone now. | realized
that I had always hoped he'd turn
out to be 4 friend after all-that L
needed a real friend, one in whose
sincerity I could trust and on whose
judgment 1 could rely.
"Virginia-we've linens and silver
and pots and kettles to buy to-day"
! said breathlessly. Let's decide on
Ipnr will, a little Clr-
tains And now we're through.
When will you have the things in
the apartment, Mr.. Mason?" l added,
turning TO him with an air that was
meant TO tell him that our relations
were strictly business from now on.
"Oh, by the end of next week.
I'll telephone you" he said with no
air of knowing he had been dis
missed Now may 1 take you la
dies out for a bite of lunch?"
NO, thank YOU" I said coldly. so
coldIy that Virginia thawed the con-
sequent ice with bit of explanation:
We've such a lot TO do, Mr.. Ma
son. that lingering for mans idea
of lunch is out OF the question"
This was true enough, for we hur-
ried out to snatch a sandwich and
some salad in a little tea room. Then
we dashed around all afternoon Sc
lecting an endless procession of
things. There were things from
dishcloths TO pillow-slips and from
ice-picks to butter spreads, things
from after-dinner cups to before din
ner potato mashers - an orgy of
things" And yet Virginia assured
me that after I got into the apart
ment Id spend weeks buying per-
fectly obvious other things we'd for
gotten.
Like soap. for instance" she
added.
So it was with the clean. sudsy
thought of soap that we washed our
days shopping list clean.
What a real sister You are,
Jeanie,' l said in farewell, when our
taxi stopped at her apartment late
in the afternoon. I'D have been lost
without you all through this whirl
of home-making. I haven't learned
yet to think of things on a scale be-
yond five thousand a year. You'll
always stand by this little newly
rich ?"
Virginia stood on the curb smiling
at me warmly. There was a glow
of real feeling in her eyes.
II think We'll always stand by
each other. Anne" she said.
As I drove home gratitude welled
up in my heart and made me long
for some way of proving how ready
I was to stand by this proud, aloof
woman who gave her services so
freely-and herself so charity.
Jim was in the bedroom of our
suite when I got in. He looked up
irritably from sea of clothes scat
tered all about him on beds and
chairs and floor. The crease between
his eyes seemed to leap out of itself
nowadays whenever he looked at me-