Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-02

Walks on sundays. used to tease her,
| and she'd get so mad she'd ask dad to
ask me to be moro refined She saio
that Mr.. Little was most unusual mar,
and 1t was belittllng to his dignity to
| have me suppose that a man and a
woman. couldn't have an intellectual
after the thing was settled and Anne
had cried and written notes. and Justin
had gone to dad and asked where he
| could buy secondhand revolver"
ON. Alexandra Strickland you're
urally to the old nursery phrase
"Honestly-cross my heart!" AliA
| assured her. That's the way they
managed 1t; they solemnly discussed Il
| md worked 1t out on paper, and Jus.
tins mother called on, Anne--she's al
totem pole-and Anne called on hif
aunts, and then he asked dad, as Anne's
| male relative he said, and II was al
settled. And then--then Anne becam.
the mushiest thing I ever saw! AnU
not only mushy, Cherry. but proudly and
| openly mushy. She'd catch Justin
hand up, at the table, and ss,
| Frenzy" echoed Cherry, who had
laughed until actual tears stood in hei
eyes.
That's short for friend. do you see !
Because of thfs platonic intellectual
friendship that started everything, yol,
| !now. She'd catch UP his hand and say
Frenzy, show uncle what an aristocratic
hand you've got
| MY dear. she'll keep me awake nights
| repeating things he's said to her: He's
so wonderful. Alix. He's the simplest
l ever knew"
He sounds awful to me-" Cherry said.
| I5es not, really. Only II seems that
ne belongs to the oldest family in
ameriea. td. or something. and is the only
|
Money, Cherry asked. interestedly
NO, don't think money. exactly.
Az least L Know he is getting hundred
month In his uncle 8 law office. and
they have a little more. She'll have
something, you know" Alix added, after
MON moment's thought:
your cousin" Martin asked, taking
his pipe out of his mouth.
We'll, her father went into the fire.
extinguisher thing with dad" Alix elu-
cidated, and evidently she and Justin
have had deep; soulful thoughts about
It. IT,, Anyway. ny. the other day she said
| Uncle, frankly and honestly, may Justin
and l draw out my share for that little
home that is going to mean so much to
~ can hear her." giggled Cherry.
: Dad Immediately said that she could
Of course" Alix went on. He's going
to look the whole thing up. He was
adorable about 1t. He said, 1T will dc
} more than build you little home my
} dear
: We'll get a slice Of that some time
! Cherry said, thoughtfully, glancing al
her husband II don't, mean when dad
dies either" she added, in quick affec.
tion. II mean that he might build us
little home some day in Mill Valley
Gee. how, he'd love it" Alix said
enthusiastically.
II married Cherry for her money, ;
| Martin confessed
"As a matter Of fact" Cherry contra
dicted him, vivaciously, animated ever
; by the thought of a change and a home
fore, have we, Mart?'
"1 never heard of 1t before" he ad
mitted, smiling, as he knocked the ashe:
from Y0,nnIo his pipe; oo "if leave the 'Emm,
Red Creek proposition. shall be making
good deal myself. But it's pleasant
to know that Cherry will come in for q
nest egg some day.
,oGda,t Mart dSesn,t GSsr, car care scrap TO,
the old loyal way. Since Alix's arriva
she had somehow liked Martin better
Perhaps Alix brought to her sister witt
} a whifr of the old atmosphere the ole
of.view. Presently the visitor boldly
, suggested that they should both &c
home together for the wedding and
Martin, to Cherry's amazement. agreed
But; Mart, how'll you get along?'
his wife asked, anxiously. She had
} fumed and fused and puttered and
toiled over the care of these four rooms
for so long that 1t seemed unbelievable
that her place might be vacated ever
for day.
'"oh, I'll get along fine! !" he answered
indifferently: Cherry, with a great sigf
whole problem; milk bottles flrewood
groceries, dust and laundry slipped
from her mind as Il they had never
been, On the last day of August, ir
hat again, yet looking. Alix thought
strangely unlike the bride that had beer
Cherry. she and her sister happily de
parted for. cooler regions. Martin took
law gaily. and then his wife affection
ately.
BE a good little girl Babe" he said
"Oh, / Wilt willy Cherry looked
after him smilingly from the car win
dow. He really is an old dear" she
told Alix.
But when at the end of the long day
they reached the valley. and when hei
father came innocently into the garder
and stood staring vaguely at her for g
moment-for her visit and the day oi
Alix's return had been kept a secret
She clung to the fatherly shoulder as
II she were a storm-beaten bird safely
home again, and although she imme,
diately laughed at herself, and told the
Alrx that she didn't know what was the
matter with her, It was only to inter
rupt the words with fresh tears.
Tears Of joy. she told them, laughing
at the moisture in her fathers eyes
Hanging on his arm. she went back
into the old sitting room again, under
the bapksia rose: went up the brown
stairway to the old, clean, woody-smeli-
ing bedroom. Her hat and wraps went
into the closet; she danced and ex-
claimed and exulted over every familiar
detail.
She and Alix ran downstairs before
supper. and into the garden and CherrS
| drew deep. refreshing breaths of the
cool air and laughed over every busl
and flower. Peter came out to Joir
them. her father came down. and she
kissed him again she could not be close
enough TO him. She had a special joyous
word for Hong; she laughed and teased
and questioned Anne. when Anne and
Justin came back from an afternoon con-
cert in the city. with an interest and en-
thusasm most gratifying to both.
4 After dinner she had her old place on
the arm of her fathers porch chair
Alix, with Bucks smooth head in her
lap. sat on the porch step beside Peter,
and the lovers murmured from the dark
ness OF the hammock under the shadow
OF the rose vine. 1t was happy talk in
the sweet evening coolness; everybody
seemed harmonious and In sympathy
tonight. Alix asked Peters advice re-
garding her White Minorcas and respect
fully promised to act upon 1t, and Cherry
showed him new side, an affectionate
little sisterly difference and confidence
quite different from her old childish
suliSness and pretty caprice
Bedtime !" said her father presently
and she laughed in sheer pleasure.
"Daddy-that sounds so nice again !!
But you do look tagged and pale